Three tours offered at 2025 Farwest Show

This year’s Farwest Show will provide three daylong, multi-stop tours: a Wholesale Grower Tour, a Garden Center Retail Tour and — new this year — an Automation Tour.

Each will be held Aug. 19, the day before the show opens.

“Our grower and retail tours have been selling out quickly the last several years, so it made all the sense in the world to add a third one,” said Jamie Moore, events and education coordinator for the Oregon Association of Nurseries, which produces the show. “The result is our all-new Automation Tour, which will provide an inside look at machine-driven  nursery innovation, and three growers making great use of the technology.”

The Farwest Show itself will take place Aug. 20-22, 2025, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. The Aug. 19 tours will depart from the Convention Center, which is within walking distance from the host hotels, at 8 a.m., and will return late in the afternoon.

“These tours offer a chance to experience Oregon’s beauty and find out first-hand why Oregon is 'Nursery Country,' while engaging with other nursery professionals for a full day, and letting someone else do the driving,” Moore said. “Attendees can make meaningful connections and acquire relevant knowledge to enhance their careers and their businesses. There will be time for questions and answers, so curiosity is encouraged!”

2025 Farwest Show tours

All Farwest tours include luxury motor coach transportation, lunch, beverages and snacks.

• Wholesale Grower Tour: The tour will provide a deep dive into some of Oregon’s best tree and shrub growers in the Cascade Range foothills, under the backdrop of majestic Mt. Hood. They include J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., John Holmlund Nursery, Hans Nelson & Sons Nursery and Don Marjama Nursery Co. It’s a chance to learn about propagation, grafting and bare-root vs. potted plant production.
• Retail Garden Center Tour: The tour travels to the heart of Oregon Wine Country to some of the most innovative retailers in the Portland area. The day will begin at Durant at Red Ridge Farms, an olive tree nursery and olive mill, which offers olive oil tasting, herbs, edible landscape trees and shrubs. The farm is also home to a vineyard and winery. Next is The Garden Corner, home of the Garden Rebels, which features the world’s largest hanging basket. The final stop is Portland Nursery, known for its broad selection and houseplants.
• Automation Tour: This tour is all about equipment and application. Participants will see cutting-edge nursery automation equipment being built at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, GK Machine Inc., and tour a prototype for a fully automated smart greenhouse. Other stops include three nurseries redefining the future of the nursery industry through automation: Bountiful Farms, Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas and Brentano’s Tree Farm.
  

2025 Farwest Show registration

Tour and expo registration is now open at farwestshow.com/register. The cost for each tour is $124 per person if purchased by July 31, or $139 if purchased after. Participants are encouraged to register early, as tour space is limited. Official Farwest hotels are also available for booking.

“Farwest really lets you do it all,” Moore said. “Interesting tours, dynamic networking events, lively social events, informative seminars and great exhibitors all come together to provide a nonstop experience for nursery professionals, from the first cup of coffee to last call.”

Oregon saw $1.2 billion in plant sales in 2022, the most recent year tallied. Oregon’s nursery offerings include trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, vegetable starts, herbs, climbers, tropicals and houseplants.

For complete details on events, daily schedules, speakers and education, visit farwestshow.com. For questions, contact Moore at jmoore@oan.org or 503-582-2010.