Nurturing Agribusiness

Chapter One: Getting started in Oregon Agriculture

Grapes, Beer And Sneakers; Learning Oregon Agribusiness;

The Daikon Radish Seed Boom

Chapter Two: Running My Own Business

Agricultural Alternatives, Ltd.; Evening Primrose, An Oil Crop; Vegetable, Flower and Herbal Seeds; Working with Growers; Selling Agricultural Alternatives

Chapter Three: Factors Affecting Oregon Agribusiness

Responsiveness To Changed Circumstances And Opportunities; The Cyclical Nature Of Agricultural Production; Specialty Seed Development; Maintaining Varietal Purity; The Dispute About Canola; International Market Risk; Whither The Family Farm In Oregon?; Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Chapter Four: Business Lessons Learned

The Importance Of Botanical Training My; IVS Experience In Vietnam; Good Relationships With American Farmers; Small Is Beautiful; The Horse And the Cart In The Right Order; Integrity In Business Relations; The Value Of Cross-cultural Experience; A Global Perspective; Staying Below The Radar; Finding Local Solutions To Technical Problems The Limits Of Government Assistance; The Next Big (Or Small) Thing; Cost Minimization; The Exceptional Case Of Evening Primrose; Building A Professional Network

Chapter Five: Crop Opportunities

Trends In Seed And Specialty Crops; Quinoa; Grain Amaranth; Chia; Coneflower; Psyllium;

Flax, Hemp And Ramie: Other Fiber Crops; Natural Dyestuffs; Cucurbits; Annual Wormwood; Coriander; St. John's Wort; Peppermint And Spearmint; Hops

Chapter Six: Influences that Prepared Me for Entrepreneurship

The Turning Point: Why I Started My Own Business; Growing Up On An Iowa Farm;

Iowa State College; The Lure Of The Exotic: Going Overseas With International Voluntary Services (IVS); South Vietnam In 1960; Working For IVS With The Vietnamese People; Becoming An Agricultural Extension Agent; Leadership Development: Becoming An IVS Team Leader; Learning My Physical Limitations: The Impact Of Hepatitis Thailand: Working With The Border Patrol Police (BPP); Responsibilities Of Marriage; Back To Vietnam; The Military Defeat Of South Vietnam; Aftermath: Beginning Again

Chapter Seven: Continuing Interests

My Library; The National University Of Natural Medicine (NUNM);The Oregon Community Foundation (Portland, Oregon); The Antique Powerland Museum Association (Brooks, Oregon); The International Voluntary Services Alumni Association; SeedAsia (Bangkok, Thailand)