Past Events

Here are some of the past events Cultivate Oregon has organized. Sign up for our quarterly newsletter and join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the know about future events like these.

Hosted Sowing Seeds of Hope Seed Swap

September 11th, 2021 | Phoenix, OR

In September of 2021 Cultivate Oregon hosted Sowing Seeds of Hope, a community seed swap event that celebratied our resilient community and honored the anniversary of the Almeda Fire. Over 100 people joined us and seed balls to help revegetate and beautify the burn areas in Talent and Phoenix. We had such a great time sharing seeds, cleaning seeds, making seed balls, and just being together. With the recent rains, we know that the seed balls we launched into the burn areas in Talent and Phoenix will have an even better chance to germinate! We can't wait to see fava beans, calendula, native wildflowers, sunflowers, and more in those areas.

Read our recap of the event and view our photos.

Celebrated the Winners of the first annual Living Soil Awards

April 21, 2021| Oregon - Online

Cultivate Oregon and Friends of Family Farmers co-hosted our first annual Living Soil Awards program.

On April 21, the day before Earth Day, Cultivate Oregon and our partners Friends of Family Farmers came together to celebrate farmers who prioritize soil health through the Living Soil Awards. We were so humbled and honored that 27 farmers from across the state who are growing living soils, took the time to fill out our nomination form to share their dedication to treating soil as a living member of their farm system. We are filled with hope for the future hearing the incredible stories of the soil stewards who are doing this great work across Oregon.

The Living Soil Awards is a pilot program born from the idea that small and mid-sized farmers deserve recognition for their practices.

Hosted a virtual Soil Symposium: Enabling Regenerative Agriculture: Getting Paid For Improving Soil Health

November 10th & 17th, 2020 | Global - Online

Our symposium educated farmers, orchardists, vintners, ranchers, landowners, managers, philanthropists, decision-makers, state agency personnel, and others on how farmers can get financial rewards for producing healthy soil. The discussion featured information on current incentive programs for farmers, a summary of best practices for sustainable agriculture, details about how to access Carbon Marketplaces, and details about how to earn financial incentives for building healthy soils. View our recap and resources from the Soil Symposium.

Participated in a Panel at the 10th Organic Seed Growers Conference

February 14th, 2020 | Corvallis, Oregon

Amy Wong of Cultivate Oregon, and Chris Hardy of Cultivate Oregon and Hardy Seeds, participated in a panel at the 10th Organic Seed Growers Conference for "In the Trenches and in State Capitals: Legislative Work to Protect Organic Seed."

Details: Given the federal policy shortcomings related to the oversight of GMOs and the protection of organic seed, advocacy groups have been promoting state-based initiatives to fill federal gaps. This panel includes policy leaders who will share updates, stories, and lessons learned with an eye toward strengthening policy and legislative efforts at the state level. Topics include liability for GE contamination; protecting the Willamette Valley from commercial canola cultivation in high-value organic seed production areas; ballot measures to ban GE crops in Southern Oregon; resisting cultural appropriation in New Mexico; and other community organizing examples that aim to protect the viability and integrity of organic seed. This session will provide an opportunity for audience members to discuss other ways to educate, inspire, and advocate for organic seed in their communities and beyond.

Attended the Organic Grows and Better Oregon Reception

January 16th, 2020 | Salem, Oregon

Cultivate Oregon attended the Organic Grows a Better Oregon reception on Thursday, January 16th at the State Capitol. This special networking and educational event was hosted by Oregon Tilth and Oregon Organic Coalition, and highlighted the impact of organic agriculture and food in the state of Oregon. We met with organic farmers and business leaders to learn why Organic Grows a Better Oregon.

Lobbied in Support for SB 885

May, 2019 | Oregon

In May of 2019, Cultivate Oregon lobbied in support for SB 885, the bill to maintain the 500 acre canola cap, as well as requesting that ODA strengthen the agency’s proposed canola rules, which do not offer enough protections against GE and other contamination.

Read ODA’s proposed rules.

UPDATE: Big win! The Willamette Valley is Protected (until 2023) from Increased Canola Acreage

Lobbied in Support for HB 2882

May 2019 | Oregon

In May of 2019, Cultivate Oregon lobbied in support for HB 2882, the liability bill for contamination by genetically engineered organisms. There was a hearing and scheduled for Wednesday, May 8^th, that we attended and submitted testimony for.

Screening of Modified

March 27th and 29th, 2019 | Portland & Hood River

On March 27th and 29th of 2019, Cultivate Oregon hosted a screening of Modified at Taborspace in Portland, and at the Rockford Grange in Hood River. Representatives from Center for Food Safety and Cultivate Oregon were available after the film in Portland to talk and answer questions about the many environment/farm related bills working their way through the legislative session. In Hood River, we offered free seeds and organic juice to attendees.

Our co-hosts and generous sponsors this year included Our Family Farms, Center for Food Safety, Beyond Toxics, Oregon Organic Coalition, Oregonians for Safe Farms and Families, Mothers Marketplace, and Columbia Gorge Organic.

Spring Seed Swap

March 24th, 2018 | Portland, OR

On March 24th of 2018, Cultivate Oregon hosted a Spring Seed Swap in NE Portland. We enjoyed meeting new seed savers, and having the opportunity to sit down and chat with the pros about the ins and outs of seed saving and growing food. A huge thank you to Hardy Seeds, Duane Elvin and Betty Adams— Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company’s Local Advisors—and Evan of Portland Seedhouse for all of the great seeds!

Screening of Seed: The Untold Story

March 8th, 2018 | Clinton Street Theater, Portland, OR

On March 8th of 2018, Cultivate Oregon and KBOO (our local volunteer-powered, listener-sponsored, community radio) hosted a screening of Seed: The Untold Story at the Clinton Street Theater. Directors, Taggart Siegel and Jon Betz, along with representatives from Bee Friendly Portland, Portland Seedhouse, Cultivate Oregon, Pollinator Parkways, Oregon Bee, and Urban Bees and Gardens, were available after the film to answer questions from the audience. We're happy that so many people attended the film and took an interest in the future of our seeds!

We shared a table with The Far Woods, a art collective that creates stunning art that serves as educational tools and inspiration for re-connection to nature, food and community. We handed out our Local Seed Company graphic that we update every year, and information about Center for Food Safety's Seed Sharing Network and 6 Tips for Saving Seeds.

Winter Seed Swap

July 16th, 2017 | Portland, OR

On July 16th of 2017, Cultivate Oregon hosted a seed swap for winter crops. We shared seeds from Portland Seedhouse and Siskiyou Seeds, and discussed how to grow a winter garden to harvest from or to overwinter for an early spring harvest.

Rallied support for HB 2739

June, 2017 | Oregon

In June of 2017, we helped rally support for House Bill (HB) 2739 by encouraging people to contact their legislators about this bill.

HB 2739 would rightfully put the liability for economic damages caused by GE contamination on the patent holder for the GE organism, not farmers, holding the Big Ag players who created and profited from these GE crops accountable.

Sadly, this bill died in the legislative session and was never voted on.

Attended Public Hearing for SB 1037

April 12th, 2017 | Salem, OR

On April 12th of 2017, we joined friends and local Oregon farmers at the Capital for a hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 1037.

SB 1037 would restore counties' rights to protect local farmers' crops from harmful effects of GE crops. These rights were stripped in the 2013 special session with the passage of SB 863 (replacing SB 633) which created statewide preemption, prohibiting Oregon county and city governments from passing measures regulating the use of seed.

Passage of SB 1037 would have provided a legislative fix for Josephine County and protect their GE crop ban passed in 2014 (Measure 17-58). Jackson County also passed a GE crop ban (Measure 15-119), but was not effected by the statewide preemption.

If this bill passed, Josephine County could have joined Jackson County in protecting their farmers and seeds from GE contamination, and would make Josephine County the 9th GE FREE ZONE in the United States.

Unfortunately, SB 1037 was killed in a political standoff on Thursday, April 13th. Read more.

Solstice Dance and Fundraiser

December 17th, 2016 | Hood River, OR

On December 17th of 2016, Cultivate Oregon hosted a Winter Solstice Dance at the Rockford Grange in Hood River. This was a fundraiser for Cultivate Oregon.

We had a full line up of live music, great food and dancing which included...

5Rhythms Dance with Sara Mains
Cacao Ceremony with Abby Kenny
Community Spiral Dance led by Elona
Old Timey Square Dance with Caller Rick Meyers and Live Music

Homemade organic vegetable curry and bread, and delicious organic juice and kombucha (on tap!), thanks to our gracious sponsors: Columbia Gorge Organic Juice, One Breath Beverage, Portland Seedhouse, and Multnomah County CROPS Farm.

We had such a blast celebrating the Winter Solstice with the community. Thanks to everyone who came out on a snowy evening to spend time with us, enjoy a good meal, and dance the night away! We appreciate everyone's support with donations, music, and help with cleaning up the event afterwords. We hope to do more of these in the future.

Stop the Dark Act (HR 1599)

September / October, 2015

In the fall of 2015, we helped rally support behind stopping HR 1599, otherwise known as the DARK Act (Deny Americans the Right to Know).

We encouraged supporters to write and call their Senators and ask them to reject any federal bill, including a possible senate version of the DARK Act that would preempt labeling of GE food, automatically un-doing successful state laws requiring labeling, as well as nullifying any previously passed GMO bans, like in Jackson and Josephine counties.

We joined Reverend Billy of the Stop Shopping Choir for a fun rally before the Neil Young concert in Portland where we tabled and educated concert goers about the bill and how they can take action.

Update 12/15/15: Thanks to all of your efforts in calling and emailing lawmakers in DC, we were able to keep the DARK Act or any other pro-GMO riders from being added the 2016 Omnibus Spending Bill! Read more.