Cheryl Stewart
columbiagorgeorganic.com
Lives and farms in Hood River

What’s the background?
We bought our initial farm in 1975 and we didn’t know one thing about farming whatsoever. Our first orchard was 95 acres, and we started farming and learning on the job. A lot of chitter-chatter about organic and safer produce started popping up in the late 80s. My husband Ron started using softer materials and he said, ‘I might as well be organic.’ In 1989 we filled out all the papers with Oregon Tilth and were on the road to be organic. In those days it took 2 years, the first yr you were transitional. The following year we were organic so we started with our own label Columbia Gorge Organic. There’s lots of competition, Coke owns Odwalla and Pepsi Co. owns Naked Juice. More...

"The Mission of Verde is to improve the economic health of disadvantaged communities by creating environmental job training, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities, fostering the connection between economic vitality and environmental protection and restoration."

Alan Hippolito
Executive Director
www.verdenw.org
Lives in Woodstock More...