About the Family Farm

Oregon Blues farm was started when Art Ebert decided he needed to try something other than his normal 9-5 job in Portland, after all, most the horses were gone and he needed to occupy his time.  Now if you know my dad, he was very meticulous. He had to have everything done a certain way...and it had to be the right way.  So in 1988 one acre was started, each row was precisely planted by him...an maybe a little help from my sister and I.  Hey, we liked our summers too.

Many days did he spend out in that field making sure each row was well taken care of.  Sawdust was placed on a certain way, fertilizer had to be perfectly timed and you DARE NOT allow weeds or spray into the field after the buds started.  Yes he was adamant about that.  Again, everything had to be perfect and man the beauty of the field showed it. 

A few years later, more and more acres were planted until a complete 5 acres; 35 rows filled the field.  The field didn't start out as a u-pick only.  First we tried machine picking and selling to the canary.  That was fine for a few years but good prices were hard to come by and with only 5 acres, it just wasn't worth it.  Next came the thought of fresh picking and selling to the local stores instead.  Again, us girls were not the fastest pickers.  Judy, our mother, on the other hand could show us up easily.  Even with her fast hands, fresh market for the local stores were just too inconsistent.  So, then came the idea to allow the field open to the public. 

Finally, in 1999 that time came.  Field was opened to the public, and surprisingly the people came.  Not so surprising after you have had the berries; man oh man they are good.  Berries were plentiful and so were the people and it was so great seeing the smiles we brought to the families and all the little kids.  Over time these loyal customers were not just a friendly face but good friends.