Winter Crop Analysis
Welcome to the first iteration of our hazelnut crop analysis in conjunction with weather for the Willamette Valley. First, we are only tracking...
Apr
2024
Mar
2024
2024 Oregon State University EFB Workshop Recap
Garrett Gerding, HGO Field Representative Identification Oregon State plant pathologist, Jay Pscheidt, addressed the consortium first about what to look for when...
Feb
2024
Refined Hazelnut Oil Achieves Allergen Free Status
Recent 3rd party laboratory analysis confirmed Hazelnut Growers of Oregon Refined Hazelnut Oil contains no allergenic proteins (no traceable nut allergens) and can...
Feb
2024
Neo-Pure Pasteurization and Co-Packing Capabilities
We provide a range of packaging options to suit your brand and product needs. A few of these options include clear stand-up Fill...
Jul
2023
The Right Leader for the Right Time
It’s a fortunate board of directors that knows the exact leader to bring into the CEO role to confront the organization’s specific challenges...
Aug
2022
A Brief History of the Hazel from the “Beginning of Time” to the 21st Century Oregon Hazelnut Industry
The hazelnut industry in Oregon has turned into a “big tree” from such a little nut, especially with the realization of the state-of-the-art...
Dec
2021
Wilco Gives Back to Employees as 2021 Comes to a Close
Celebrating the hard work of over 1,000 employees is a focus this December Mt. Angel, OR, Dec. 17, 2021 – Wilco just announced...
Feb
2021
Grower Spotlight: Jonathan & Katie Edmonds, Nut House Farm
Name and location of family farm? Funny you should ask about the farm name. My wife Katie and I have joked that we...
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Oct
2020
Donald hazelnut business moves closer to national recognition
By Kristen Wohlers Canby-Molalla Herald-Pioneer An Aurora/Donald business may soon see its products on Walmart or Sam’s Club shelves. Wilco Hazelnut LLC, Hazelnut...
Oct
2020
Grower Spotlight: Dan Brown of Four Ridge Orchards Inc.
Please offer some details about your farm’s history. My great-great-grandfather came across the Oregon Trail in 1868 and he first farmed outside of...
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Aug
2020
Grower Spotlight: Tim Aman of Aman Brothers Farm
How long has your family owned your farm? Our farm, located in Mt Angel, was originally purchased by my grandparents Carolyn and Frank...
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Jul
2020
Board Decides Against Signing the HGBA this Year
MT. ANGEL, Ore., July 20, 2020 – Wilco’s Hazelnut Advisory Committee and Board of Directors, all farmer-owners who represent the cooperative’s ~200 hazelnut...
Jul
2020
$772,052.01 Allocated to Farmer-Owners
Hazelnut Growers of Oregon Allocates $772,052.01 as 199A/DPAD Deductions MT ANGEL, Ore., July 14, 2020 – Less than two months after announcing patronage...
Apr
2020
Hazelnut Recipe Contest 2020
Wilco, Hazelnut Growers of Oregon, and Oregon Orchard are hosting a recipe competition! We’re asking you to get creative with our favorite Pacific...
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Apr
2020
Grower Spotlight: Jeff Cruickshank, Cruickshank Farms
How long has your family owned your farm? Our farm is a century farm; my great grandfather bought the original farm in 1908...
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Mar
2020
Annual Meeting Announces $800,000 Payout to Farmers
Mt. Angel, Ore., March 6, 2020 – Wilco, a farmer-owned cooperative, held their 54th Annual meeting yesterday in Salem and announced a patronage...
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Jan
2020
Grower Spotlight: Heesacker Farms
Steve Heesacker, Heesacker Farms in Forest Grove, OR How long has your family owned your farm? My dad started farming hazelnuts in 1960....
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Jan
2020
Introducing Janet Bingham
Our New HGO Marketplace Sales Receptionist If you’re wondering “Who’s that fun lady behind the counter with the big smile?” the next time...
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Jan
2020
2019 Harvest Update
Thank you for choosing HGO as your marketing partner. Overall, 2019 was a successful harvest year. Many processes that were pain points at...
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Jan
2020
Winter Pruning
Now that harvest is complete, attention is now focused on winter pruning. Pruning, while it is expensive, can be very beneficial to the...
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Jan
2020
January 2020 – Letter From COO Greg Thorsgard
Dear Grower, After nine months with Hazelnut Growers of Oregon, I’m excited to report an excellent and smooth 2019. We are expecting continued...
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Nov
2019
Hazelnut Crop Update
Our team is ready for a great crop at the processing plant. Hazelnuts are being packed and shipped as fast as they are...
Nov
2019
Ryan’s Corner November 2019
Here it is, November and we’re soon to welcome a new decade! On Sept. 20th we received our first load of hazelnuts at...
Nov
2019
New Products Hit Shelves
We have kicked off our retail push to secure placement of our seasoned and raw/roasted packaged products out into the marketplace! “That’s the...
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Nov
2019
November 2019 Letter From CEO Sam Bugarsky
There’s been a lot of change at Wilco and HGO these past few years and I want to take this opportunity to reassure...
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Oct
2019
Oregon Orchard® Website Gets a New Look
With the release of the new Oregon Orchard® brand is an updated website! Thanks to the combined efforts of the Wilco/HGO Marketing teams...
Oct
2019
Food For Thought
When combining herbicides and young hazelnuts, a clean spray tank is essential! Younger trees are susceptible to damage from herbicides not typically used...
Oct
2019
Oregon Orchard® Product Changes
Following the launch of our new seasoned and baking products we re-evaluated the entire Oregon Orchard offering. This process known as “SKU rationalization”...
Oct
2019
Grower Corner October 2019
Please note that an updated receiving station map was mailed on 9/13/19. It added a transfer station in the McMinnville area, removed Missouri...
Oct
2019
October 2019 Letter From COO Greg Thorsgard
Dear Grower, I’ve been here six months now and boy, have I learned a lot about the hazelnut business! Things are getting...
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Oct
2019
Adding Value to the Hazelnut Harvest
If you know anyone involved in the Oregon Hazelnut scene, you know the harvest is coming. Growers work year-round to ensure a healthy...
Sep
2019
New Roasted & Seasoned Hazelnuts
Celebrate this year’s harvest with five new seasoned hazelnut items available to ship to the retail channel this month! These bold and exciting...
Sep
2019
Grower Insight: Brenda Frketich Talks About Innovations at Kirsch Family Farms
I consider the hazelnut industry as a whole to be innovative. At Kirsch Family Farms, what we are doing might not be particularly...
Sep
2019
Grower Corner September 2019
A quick Q & A with Ryan Flaherty and Jim Goodpasture of Goodpasture Farms in Vida, Oregon. How long have you been growing...
Sep
2019
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
A SWEET AUTUMN TREAT Fall is upon us and so are our much-anticipated holiday treats! Try making a new favorite this year with...
Sep
2019
Wash-Plant Sample Process Update
AS THE SEASON IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING, HGO HAS BEEN WORKING HARD ON IMPROVING AND STREAMLINING THE GROWER SAMPLE PROGRAM. This includes the establishment...
Sep
2019
Summer 2019 Grower’s BBQ a Great Success
We enjoyed seeing you all at the Summer 2019 Grower’s BBQ. For those that were unable to attend, below are a few key...
Sep
2019
Jumbo Crop on the Way
THE NASS SURVEY INDICATES A 4% DROP IN OVERALL CROP SIZE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, WITH A PROJECTED 49,000 TONS COMPARED TO LAST...
Sep
2019
A Letter From COO Greg Thorsgard
Now three months into the Hazelnut Growers of Oregon COO position, I have to say that I am thrilled to be at HGO...
Sep
2019
Turkish Hazelnut Update
As many of you know, Turkey is the largest supplier of hazelnuts in the world. Turkey represents roughly 75% of the world’s production...
Aug
2019
Hazelnut Topped Crostini
Late summer is an excellent time to enjoy the fruits of your garden in new ways. This simple appetizer recipe uses fresh mint...
Aug
2019
Welcome New HGO Team Members: Matt & Anthony
Matthew Gillespie, Marketing & Innovation Manager Matthew Gillespie joins the HGO team with over 15 years in the Natural and Organic Food Industry,...
Aug
2019
Orchard Cleanup
As we approach harvest, hazelnut growers are busy cleaning up their orchard floors to achieve a smooth surface prior to nut fall. Flail...
Aug
2019
Grower Spotlight: The Deconinck & Cuff Family
The Deconnick family started their farming operation in 1953 in the French Prairie region South of St Paul, Oregon. Their farm in the...
Aug
2019
Operations Update
With just about a year in operation, we are busy planning for the new harvest year. The challenges of starting a plant with...
Jul
2019
Welcome New HGO Team Members
Ryan Flaherty, Grower Relations Manager Ryan Flaherty comes to us with 18 years of experience in Ag Business. His most recent experience was...
Jul
2019
Filbertworm Monitoring & Control
Filbertworm is the most important insect pest for hazelnuts, resulting in significant losses if no control measures are taken. The old standard was...
Jul
2019
Global Hazelnut Demand Expected to Increase 6.75% Annually
We have some interesting global headlines to follow from the recent meeting of the International Nut and Dried Fruit Congress held in Boca...
Jul
2019
Hazelnut-Mint Pesto
by Chef Jessica Ritter Champion, Co-owner Wild Pear Restaurant & Catering and Ritter’s Housemade Foods. It’s it Grilling Season and this recipe goes...
Jun
2019
June 2019: From the CEO’s Desk
Growers, I am proud to share with you, that HGO continues to take steps to achieve their goal in becoming the largest processor...
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Jun
2019
Hazelnut Survey Shows Planting Continues
Each year, Pacific Agricultural Survey provides data to the industry on the number of acres and age of hazelnut trees based on aerial...
Jun
2019
Spring Sucker Control
With the warm spring, we are having, the battle for control of suckers can seem daunting. With so many sucker control options we...
Jun
2019
What’s Happening in the Global World of Hazelnuts?
We all know that the best hazelnuts in the world are grown right here in Oregon, but it is indeed a global commodity....
Jun
2019
SQF Level 3 Audit a Success
NOW SQF LEVEL 3 CERTIFIED! SQF is a Global Food Safety Initiative compliant Food Safety Management Certification, created and managed by SQF Institute,...
Jun
2019
Receiving Station Updates June 2019
After many years of receiving for HGO, Bob Lindsey of Gnome Hazelnut Factory is passing the reins to a new owner. Marty Miller...
Jun
2019
Drip Irrigation Opportunities
After looking through several long-term weather forecasts, the consensus seems to be clear. A hot dry summer is coming. Having just gone through...
May
2019
Foliar Nutrition
Fertility is one of the cornerstones of Agronomy, and for hazelnuts, it is one of the biggest contributors to yield and quality. In...
May
2019
Oregon Orchard Retail Value-added Line Now Non-GMO Project Verified
The upcoming launch of Oregon Orchard’s retail offering is in line with “better for you” snacking consumer trends. The snacking occasion has expanded...
May
2019
Flatheaded Borer Cultural & Chemical Control
The Pacific flatheaded borer is a pest that has been around for many decades in the fruit tree and nursery industries. With so...
Apr
2019
The Gold Standard
In pursuit of the Gold Standard of hazelnut quality, the production team carried out an extensive test of different roaster settings to determine which...
Apr
2019
Eastern Filbert Blight Control
With the wet spring weather and new shoot growth, the time for Eastern Filbert Blight control is upon us. Many growers have applied...
Apr
2019
Welcome to the Team: Greg Thorsgard, Chief Operating Officer/General Manager for HGO
We are pleased to announce that Greg Thorsgard has joined our team as the new Chief Operating Officer/General Manager for Hazelnut Growers of...
Dec
2018
Hazelnut Market Place Now Open for Business in Donald, OR
All things hazelnut can now be found in Donald, Oregon. The Hazelnut Marketplace is located in front of the brand-new hazelnut processing facility...
Nov
2018
Wilco Co-op grows with the Expo
The 3,000 farmer-members own farm stores, bulk fuel operations, Valley Agronomics and Hazelnut Growers of Oregon. By Geoff Parks | For the Capital...
Oct
2018
How Oregon Works: Why ‘Hands-off’ hazelnuts are booming in Oregon
Tom Aman, one of three Aman brothers who work the family hazelnut business, during a day of harvest at their Mount Angel orchard...
Aug
2018
Hazelnut facility ready for upcoming harvest
Hazelnuts will be processed for the first time this year at the new facility built by Wilco-Hazelnut Growers of Oregon. Mateusz Perkowski Capital...
Jul
2018
Hazelnut Festival returns to Donald
It’s time for the annual Donald Hazelnut Festival, rich with a parade, car show and live entertainment. The parade kicks things off at...
Apr
2018
Oregon hazelnuts head to families in need
SALEM, Ore. (KOIN) — About 1,700 pounds of hazelnuts grown on a farm in Independence were put into food boxes at Marion-Polk Food...
Apr
2018
Hazelnuts offer farmers diversification
Butler Farms adds tree nuts to their line-up of crops. By Brenna Wiegand, For the Capital Press Five years ago, Butler Farms started...
Apr
2018
Willamette Valley farmers make switch to hazelnuts
Mast-Roth Farms has planted 30 acres of hazelnuts annually for the past six years. When the last Christmas tree falls, Gerald Mast and...
Jan
2018
New hazelnut variety named for industry official
Oregon State University is preparing to release a new hazelnut variety named PollyO in recognition of longtime industry official Polly Owen. CORVALLIS, Ore....
Nov
2017
New CEO will oversee Wilco’s hazelnut foray
Tim Ramsey, former CEO of Oregon Cherry Growers, expects to put his food processing expertise to use as he takes charge of Wilco....
Nov
2017
Hazelnut History: Take advantage of Oregon’s rich harvest
Among the treasures of Oregon’s fabulous Willamette Valley are orchards producing more than 99 percent of the domestic hazelnut crop. And even though,...
Oct
2017
Tim Ramsey, Wilco’s Next CEO
Wilco announces Tim Ramsey as the new CEO and President to lead the agricultural cooperative towards continued success. The transition takes place after...
Jun
2016
Farmers Approve Wilco-HGO merger
The members of two Oregon farm cooperatives, Wilco and Hazelnut Growers of Oregon, have overwhelmingly voted to merge their operations. The combination of...
Jun
2016
Wilco & Hazelnut Growers of Oregon Approve Merger
Cooperatives Wilco and Hazelnut Growers of Oregon (HGO) Board of Directors voted to merge this morning during a special meeting at the Salem...
May
2016
Wilco and Hazelnut Growers of Oregon Propose a Merger
Wilco and Hazelnut Growers of Oregon (HGO) Board of Directors have both unanimously agreed to put a vote of merger between the two...