1859 March | April 2018

Portland Seedhouse owner and founder
Evan Gregoire grows plants from seeds
he’s gathered all over the world.
Like many farmers, Gregoire appreciates the entrepreneurial
aspect of what he does. That mindset has helped him stay
flexible in the face of the many challenges he’s faced. “We’ve
had a lot of interesting climate,” he said. “Call it climate
change if you want. We’ve had really hot summers we aren’t
used to. The bug population is higher, and the funguses and
blights come on harder. To deal with that, you have to be
unpredictable. You can’t say, ‘This is the norm.’ You have to
try new things and say, ‘If this doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.’”
Leafy greens are grown on so many Oregon farms that it’s
impossible to know the total tonnage produced in the state.
Mike Bondi, director of Oregon State University’s North
Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, said
the reason they grow so prolifically in the Willamette Valley
is historical as much as environmental. “In this region of
the state, the Italian immigrant community was at the heart
and soul of the early vegetable production. A lot of these
growers were in the area now occupied by the Portland
airport. They got pushed out of the city as it urbanized and
started migrating south into Clackamas County.” The area’s
sandy loam soil and relatively mild climate provided perfect
conditions for growing the foods they were accustomed
to eating.
The possibilities for using greens in the kitchen are endless.
If you want to try cooking them, there’s no dish more classic
than collard greens slowly braised with a ham hock and
aromatics. Chef Sarah Schafer with Irving Street Kitchen in
Portland shares her recipe.
The peppery, crisp flavor of arugula comes through best
when left raw. Toss the greens with a hazelnut-vanilla
vinaigrette, goat cheese and fresh radishes for a refreshing
taste of spring. This preparation comes courtesy of chef Juan
Zaragoza of Portland’s Gracie’s.
Ancient grain salads are almost as popular as kale right
now. Combine both with duck al pastor with sautéed purple
kale and farro from chef Chip Barnes of Alto Bajo in Portland.
The duck breast is cooked with a blend of chiles, onions and
spices before being sliced and placed on top of the salad.
“It’s been really exciting working with local breeders and figuring
out what we can grow here. What I’m trying to do is develop
an open source for some of these genetics to be available.”
—Evan Gregoire
38 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE MARCH | APRIL 2018