Annual Summer Tour

Summer Tour - August 27th, 2024

at Meridian Orchard

Thanks for Attending!

The OOHC Annual Summer Farm Tour was a huge success once again! This past August, David Stehman and Maryclair Stehman Birkemeier welcomed around 90 participants to their organic hazelnut farm, Meridian Orchards, in Aurora. With so many organic nut growers gathered in one place, there was ample opportunity for informal discussions and 1-to-1 information sharing throughout the day.

The formal program began with David and Maryclair sharing the long history of their family farm and their recent journey into regenerative farming. They were then joined by David Knaus of Apical Crop Science, who discussed Apical's unique approach to tracking tree health over time and providing year-round nutrition advice. Under perfect weather, David S., Maryclair, and David K. led participants on a walking tour through the orchards, followed by an onsite lunch.

After lunch, a series of presentations provided further insights. Sue Chen spoke on the many benefits of hazelnuts. Marissa Lane-Massee, Faculty Research Assistant at the University of Oregon, and Dr. Lauren Hallett, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology, gave an overview of cover crops tailored to orchard goals. [Check it out here]

Nik Wiman from Oregon State University Extension Service shared a scientific study on managing pests, especially the filbertworm, using organic IPM strategies. [Check it out here]

The day wrapped up with a popular grower panel featuring David Stehman, Wayne Steenson of Steenson Hazelnuts, and Craig Clark of Clark Farm and Nursery. They each shared their unique approaches to common challenges, reminding everyone that while there are plenty of exciting ideas, no one has all the answers.

Thanks to the Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), we were able to host this event, including food, at no cost to participants!

Stay tuned for news about our 8th annual Summer Tour, coming next summer!