ummer is officially here and a half-dozenoutdoor farmers markets already are in fullswing.

A walk through the farmers market on a re-cent Wednesday morning at First Street in

downtown Corvallis is a chance to peruse tablespacked with colorful strawberries, raspberries andcherries; fill a basket with fresh vegetables; buy meatsand eggs; or pick out a nursery plant or a fresh bou-quet of flowers.

It’s also an opportunity for customers to talk directlywith the people behind the products they are buying.Farmers, their families, and trusted farmhands orneighbors staff each stall.

Rebecca Landis, director of the Corvallis-AlbanyFarmers’ Markets, works with about 140 to 150 vendorseach year.

At a market, farmers pick up face-to-face informa-tion from their customers — what they like and don’tlike — and what a customer asks for could show up atthe next market or in that farmer’s crops the next year,according to Landis.

“Our farmers know a lot more about their customersthan wholesalers do,” Landis said. Vendors at the mar-ket field all manner of questions from a simple “what isthis?” to in-depth queries about farm practices andphilosophies.

The market is also a good place for farmers to pro-mote other types of farm-direct sales such as a com-munity supported agriculture program (weekly boxesof fresh farm food delivered to a pre-paid client list),as well as roadside farm stands and restaurants, andU-pick destinations.

“For new farms it might be the best way to get knownin the community,” Landis added.

But it’s not without risks. Getting into the farmersmarket means navigating membership fees, stall fees,applications, seniority and abiding by government reg-ulations specific to individual products. And just be-cause you have thousands of people walking by doesn’tmean you’re going to sell your product to enough ofthem, Landis said.

“You’ve got to really admire the entrepreneur whocan do this sort of work,” Landis said. “It’s about find-

ing the right person in your family to do it … someonewho is extroverted or can put on their ‘game face.’”

● ● ●

“We try to make eye-contact and acknowledge asmany people as we can. We need people to stare at usjust long enough to let it absorb. You definitely can’t bequiet and shy,” said Daniel “Dan” Polen, who worked atthe Sweet Home Farms booth at the June 20 Wednesdaymarket in Corvallis.

Neighbor Ted Veeman, a fellow sheep farmer fromthe east side of the valley, sat atop a meat cooler chat-ting with Polen and customers. Sweet Home Farms isowned by Dan’s parents, Mike Polen and Carla Green.Dan’s older sister, Anna O’Malley, also works at thefarm.

Sweet Home Farms specializes in naturally raisedmeat and poultry, including beef, lamb, goat, pork andpasture-raised poultry and eggs. Due to their nature,Sweet Home’s wares stay in coolers until a customerstops by and makes a selection or picks up a pre-order.

T H E M O N T H LY B U S I N E S S S E C T I O N F O R L I N N A N D B E N T O N C O U N T I E S A N D T H E M I D -W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y

w w w.democratherald.com/business • w w w.gazettetimes.com/business JUNE 2012

Farmers markets let growers sell direct, get to know customers

PROVIDED BY NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE-OREGON

Beth Hoinacki of Goodfoot Farm demonstrates an indispensa-ble cultivation tool on her farm — the wheelhoe. Hoinacki usesthis tool as one of several methods for weed control on hercertified organic farm operation. The timely use of the wheel-hoe can conserve soil moisture by creating a “dust mulch” onthe soil surface and helps manage weeds by slicing them justbelow the soil surface.

SEE MARKETS | A6

‘Market’ researchBy NANCY RASKAUSKAS

Albany Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, FourthAvenue and Ellsworth Street (City Hall parking lot and adja-cent courthouse block), Albany. Information: 541-740-1542 orwww.locallygrown.org.

Brownsville Saturday Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,Saturdays, Main St., Brownsville. Information: 541-466-5709or www.historicbrownsville.com.

Corvallis Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays andWednesdays, First Street and Jackson Avenue, Corvallis.Information: 541-740-1542 or www.locallygrown.org.

Kings Valley-Wren Farmers and Artisans Market, noon to4 p.m., Wren Community Hall, 35515 Kings Valley Highway.Information: 503-838-0244 or http://www.wrenditions.org.

Lebanon Downtown Farmers Market, 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdaysthrough Oct. 18, parking lot, Grant and Main Street, Lebanon.Information: 541-760-9392.

To learn more about the farms featured in this story, checkout their websites:

• Sweet Home Farms: www.sweethomefarms.com• Goodfoot Farm (in Kings Valley): www.goodfootfarm.com

SAREA FARMERS MARKETS

Doug Eldon, left, makes a sale for Denison Farms at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market on June 20.NANCY RASKAUSKAS | MID-VALLEY INBUSINESS

Detailed signage andPolen and Veeman’sfriendly visage and will-ingness to discuss thefarm’s humane animalhusbandry and anythingelse that might cross ashopper’s mind is whatbrings in new customers.

“Overall, it’s good. Wecouldn’t continue to growin the way we are withoutthe markets, because weneed the exposure,” Polensaid.

In a typical week, SweetHome Farms has stands atthe Eugene, Corvallis, Al-bany, Southeast Portlandand Oregon City farmers’markets and also runs aCSA program. It’s a bal-ancing act, because timeat markets is time awayfrom working the 83deeded acres the familyhas owned for five years,as well as 400 more acresthat are leased.

As a result, Sweet HomeFarms comes only to thefirst, third and fifthWednesday markets eachmonth in Corvallis, andencourages customers topre-order by phone, emailor Facebook. Sweet Homehasn’t been able to getinto the Saturday marketin Corvallis yet because ofseniority, Polen said.

“One advantage of thesmaller markets is thatthere is less competitionfor what we do … that’snot to say we wouldn’tlike to be in the big (Sat-urday) markets and com-pete with them,” headded. The family en-courages customers toshop around and comparetheir product against oth-ers.

“We want to know ourcustomers. We want toknow their names andwhether they like fatty orlean beef,” Polen said.

One downside of thefarmers markets is thatthey can be totally unpre-dictable: “The weathercan be beautiful and youdon’t sell anything, whileyou can have a record dayin the rain,” Polen said.

● ● ●

While some farmershave been bringing prod-ucts to market since April,others are just gearing up.Beth Hoinacki wasreached via phone atGoodfoot Farm at Hoskinsin Kings Valley last week,while hay-baling was infull swing on the 10 acres

of land she manages withher husband, Adam Ryan,and the help of their kidsElla, 9, and Cole, 6.

The family is busyprepping blueberry fieldsfor picking and gettingplants into the ground.The farm also grows fallstorage crops such as po-tatoes, squash, onionsand garlic and has sheep,chickens, geese and afarm horse.

In addition to the localfarmers markets, whichthey started attending lastfall, the family sells blue-berries through First Al-ternative Cooperative andall of its crops in bulk di-rect to customers.

They plan to start com-ing to the Saturday Cor-vallis Farmers’ Marketstarting next Saturday andwill continue through falland to the indoor WinterMarket.

“We’re moving toward adiversified market farm,”Hoinacki said. “As we di-versify the farm, we’re di-versifying our clients.”

Attending the farmersmarkets was an importantstep toward developing aCSA program next year,she said.

“I think the hardestpart of getting into theCorvallis market is thecompetitiveness, becauseof the limited number ofspaces,” she said. “And, ofcourse, it’s a challengefinding the timing to beoff the farm.”

Which stands sell andhow much is as muchabout personality andpresentation as anything,Hoinacki agreed. Sheloves talking recipes andcooking techniques withcustomers.

“What you want togrow is a reflection of whoyou are,” Hoinacki said. “Ilove the aesthetics — put-ting your hard work ondisplay. ... It’s really re-warding, that contactwith customers.”

On a good weekend,Goodfoot Farm can bringin about $500 at the mar-ket. As they expand,$1,000 is the goal, sheadded.

Hoinacki also workspart-time as an agricul-tural inspector. Her hus-band, Adam Ryan, worksat the Northwest Alliancefor Computational Sci-ence and Engineering atOregon State University.

gri-tourismhas sproutedand is growingstrong.

Farmtourism,

farm-to-table dinner par-ties, wine-pairing events,pick-your-own fruits andvegetables, and micro-breweries are increasing inpopularity as the publicbecomes more health-conscious and peoplewant to reconnect withtheir food and drink.

In response, the farmingindustry is sending peopleback to their roots. Theresult: Once-strugglingsmall farms are findingadditional sources of in-come.

“It’s popular,” said DonCersovski, president ofthe Linn County Farm Bu-reau. “People are goingout to see flower fieldsand have dinner on pigfarms and farmers areturning it into an event.”

“So few people under-stand farm culture,”Cersovski said. “The farmcommunity is re-educatingpeople. Many people don’thave a clue where theirfood comes from.”

The best way to educateis to make learning fun,and farmers are making aparty of it, planningevents such as dinner inthe same fields where thefood was grown. Tastingfruit, nuts and chocolategrown and produced on-site and meeting thefarmer lends a face to theprocess. As a result, farm-ers markets are taking offand farmers are invitingpeople to visit.

Farm-stay vacations arehotter than ever, saidScottie Jones of LeapingLamb Farm in Alsea.

A farm stay is a vacationthat includes pitching into help out on a workingfarm.

Leaping Lamb is a 67-acre farm where visitorsstay in a two-bedroomcabin with full kitchen,washer and dryer, deck formeals and relaxation, andwireless access. The tradi-tion of growing hay andcorn, and a garden andgreenhouse full of producecontinues. Chickens,lambs, horses, geese,turkeys and a colorfulpeacock roam freelyaround the property.

Midway Farms betweenAlbany and Corvallis of-fers day camps. Childrenages 5 to 12 learn basiccare for cows, ponies andchickens as well as havethe opportunity to gettheir hands dirty in thegarden, planting and har-vesting or-ganic foods.

OwnerCynthiaKapple saidbuyingfarm-freshfoods al-lows peoplea certainconfidenceof whatthey areeating andwhat theyare feedingtheir chil-dren. Sheloves thatmore peo-ple are get-ting out andcaring about what theyeat.

“It’s one thing to see acow, it’s another thing tosit next to it and milk it,”she said. “Kids actuallyget to see and experiencewhat food should tastelike.”

Media attention madefarm vacations nationalnews. A particular storymentioning LeapingLamb hit Yahoo Financeand crashed the farm’swebsite. Farm & RanchLiving Magazine recentlylisted Leaping Lamb asone of the nation’s bestspots for working farmvacations.

Jones also is the ownerof the website Farm StayU.S., a database of more

than 950 U.S.-based farmstays. Most online com-ments are supportive ofthe farm-stay idea, how-ever, it’s eye opening toread comments from a

few, including“we don’tneed farmersbecause wehave grocerystores,” andothers thatare convincedthey couldn’tget past thesmell.

“But, thereare thosepeople talkingabout howthey grew upon a farm andrememberthem as thebest days oftheir lives,”

Jones said of her site.“And there are other peo-ple saying they are so dis-connected and never knewthere was anything likethat to do with their fam-ily.”

“It’s picking up steam,”said Andrea Myhre of theinterest in family farms

and grower-direct food.Myhre is the director of

Strengthening Rural Fam-ilies in Philomath, a non-profit organization thatallows rural families toconnect with each otherand provides resources toimprove their lives.

“People feel they aremissing a connection withthe land and to the placewhere they live,” she said.“In the past, a vast major-ity of Americans wereconnected directly withtheir food in some way.Many families grew theirown produce and meatand dairy. It is a recentdevelopment that we’vebecome disconnectedwith that.”

Myhre partly is respon-sible for launching TheBounty of Benton County,an annual event thatshowcases rural busi-nesses. Participants buy“passports” to visitwineries, farms and grovesto sample a variety of foodor drink.

Each year the event hasgrown and this year it in-cludes a Farm to Forkdinner at Afton Field

Farms in Corvallis.Farm to Fork is a

Portland-based companythat puts on culinaryevents, complete withtable linens and china, atfarms around the state.Chef Eric Bechard ofThistle restaurant inMcMinnville will bring hisculinary skills to AftonField and prepare gourmetdishes using farm-freshingredients.

Afton Field ownersTyler and Alicia Joneshave hosted parties, din-ners and even a weddingfor friends but are lookingforward to this being theirfirst public event.

“Most people don’t re-member their farm his-tory,” Tyler said. “They’vebecome disconnectedwith their food source.”

Merrilee Buchanan Ben-son of Buchanan FamilyCentury Farm and BeaverCreek Vineyards at TyeeWine Cellars in Corvallisis excited to see the returnof popularity of smallfarming.

Tyee wine will bepoured at the WillametteValley Farm to Forksevent.

“This is much morethan a fad,” said Benson, afifth-generation farmer.“It’s a movement.”

June 2012MID-VALLEY InBusinessA6

AMANDA COWAN | MID-VALLEY INBUSINESS

Tyler Jones, owner of Afton Field Farm in Corvallis, pauses for a photo with a piglet in the door-way of his barn.

MarketsContinued from page A5

Agri-tourism allows city people to see where food originatesTour de farms

More family farms are participating in public events toencourage visitors to become educated in where their foodand drink comes from. Here are just a few upcoming events:

■ Oregon Hazelnut Country Wine Dinner, July 13 at TyeeWine Cellars. Tyee and artist-food writer Jan Roberts-Dominguez are doing the second annual Wine Dinner for Nuts.Food will be from recipes printed in “Oregon Hazelnut Country— The Food, The Drink, The Spirit” paired with Tyee Estatewines. Info: www.tyeewine.com.

■ Ladies in the Fields Slow Food Dinner, Aug. 9 at Tyee WineCellars. Slow Food Corvallis is hosting a dinner event centeredaround a collection of portraits, “Ladies in the Fields” by artistRebecca Waterhouse. Info: www.tyeewine.com.

■ Bounty of Benton County, Sept. 1-3 at Benton Countyparticipating businesses. Info: http://bountyofbentoncounty.com.

■ Farm to Fork, Willamette Valley, Sept. 2 at Afton FieldFarm in Corvallis, featuring pastured protein from Afton FieldFarm and wine from Tyee Wine Cellars. This event is part ofThe Bounty of Benton County. Info: www.farmtoforkevents.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

ABy MARIA L. KIRKPATRICK

‘It’s one thingto see a cow,

it’s another thingto sit next to it

and milk it.Kids actually

get to see andexperience what

food should taste like.’

CYNTHIA KAPPLEMIDWAY FARMS

NANCY RASKAUSKAS/MID-VALLEY INBUSINESS

Dan Polen of Sweet Home Farms mans a booth at the CorvallisFarmers’ Market on June 20. The farm sells naturally raised meatand poultry.

Monday through Wednes-day: Tractor and Farm Ma-chinery Safety, 8:30 a.m. to4:50 p.m., Room F-113, Forumbuilding, Linn-Benton Commu-nity College, 6500 Pacific Blvd.S.W., Albany. First class session.For farm workers ages 14 to 18.Cost: $76.50, plus a $20 lab fee.Registration: 541-917-4840.

Tuesday: Excel Formulasworkshop, 9 a.m. to noon, Fo-rum, room F-202, Linn-BentonCommunity College, 6500 Pa-cific Blvd. S.W., Albany. Cost:$79. Registration: LBCC Busi-ness and Employer Services,541-917-4923.

Tuesday: Brownsville Cham-ber of Commerce BusinessAfter Hours, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.,Norm’s Electric, 279 TempletonAve. at Highway 228. Food andbeverages, business presenta-tions, 50-50 raffle. Info: 541-466-5566.

Wednesday: Albany AreaChamber of Commerce ForumLuncheon. Speaker: Jim Asle-son, executive director, Mid-Willamette Family YMCA. Time:

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Linn Coun-ty Fair & Expo Center, 3700Knox Butte Road, Albany. Cost:$13 members; $20 guests. Info:541-926-1517.

Thursday through Saturday:Tractor and Farm MachinerySafety, 8:30 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.,Room F-113, Forum Building,Linn-Benton Community Col-lege, 6500 Pacific Blvd. S.W., Al-bany. Second class session. Forfarm workers ages 14 to 18.Cost: $76.50, plus a $20 labfee. Registration: 541-917-4840.

Thursday: Albany KiwanisLuncheon: “What’s New InVeterinary Medicine.” Speak-er: Timothy Reid, owner, ReidVeterinary Clinic. Time: Noon,Pop’s Branding Iron Restaurant,901 Pacific Blvd. S.E., Albany.Open to public. Info: 541-223-1247.

Thursday: Pink Days Kick-off, 6 to 8 p.m., Shonnard’sNursery, Florist and Landscape,6600 S.W. Philomath Blvd.,Corvallis. Hors d’oeuvres, bev-erages, silent auction.

Friday: Lebanon Area Cham-

ber of Commerce ForumLunch. Speaker: Jim Willis, Vet-erans Administration. Time:11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., SamaritanLebanon Community HospitalTraining Center, 525 N. SantiamHighway. Cost: $13. Info: 541-258-7164.

July 3 and 4: Red, White andBlue Riverfront Festival,downtown Corvallis. Live music,food and beverage vendors,craft booths, inflatables. Info:541-754-6624 or joan@downtowncorvallis.org.

July 13: Lebanon AreaChamber of Commerce GolfTournament, 8 a.m. shotgunstart, Mallard Creek GolfCourse, 31966 Bellinger ScaleRoad, Lebanon. Cost: $500 perteam. Info: 541-258-7164.

July 18: Department ofState Lands Unclaimed Prop-erty Reporting Seminar forbusinesses and organiza-tions, 8:30 a.m. to noon, StateLands Building, Land BoardRoom, 775 Summer St. N.E.,Salem. Free (registration re-quired). Info: 503-986-5290 orwww.oregonstatelands.us.

Edward Jones awards:Edward Jones Financial Advisor Doug Phillips of Lebanon re-

cently was presented with the “TNT Client Development Award” foroutstanding service efforts over the past year and the firm’s EagleAward for his efforts working toward client and business goals.

The awards are presented annually to individuals across the coun-try for their achievements. Phillips was one of only 738 to receive theTNT Client Development Award and one of 1,187 to earn the EagleAward. Edward Jones has more than 12,000 financial advisorsacross the country.

Completes training: Michele Martin has recently completed the Metlife National

PCS Sale School requirements. Martin works for Metlife from heroffice at 150 Calapooia St. S.W., Suite A2, in Albany. She can bereached at 541-905-3096.

Restaurant opens: Kirk’s Ferry Trading Post Restaurant isnow open at 217 W. Bishop Way in Brownsville. The restaurant held asoft opening on June 15, and can be reached at 541-619-4941 orswordsandshields@hotmail.com.

Festival directors:The Corvallis Fall Festival Board

of Directors recently elected NancyRaskauskas and Jennifer Lommersto the board.

Raskauskas is an online marketingspecialist for Oregon State Universi-ty, a freelance journalist and a part-time employee of Linn-Benton Com-munity College’s community educa-tion program.

Lommers is a local artist who created last year’s Fall Festival posterartwork. She travels throughout the western United States, selling herpaintings at art fairs and festivals.

They join board members George Abele, Mike Bergen, DebBynum, Joyce Canan, Gretchen Cuevas, Kelly Ensor, Barb Eveland,Inge King, Patty Lorenzen, Travis Oefelein, Steve Sparkes, JeffLesmeister and Shaun Hearn.

The Corvallis Fall Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.Dates of the event are Sept. 22 and 23.

Toastmaster officers: Corvallis Toastmasters Club No. 395 has elected new officers for

the year July 2012 to July 2013.Officers are president Fred Hirsch, vice president of education

Hans Schallig, vice president of membership and public relationsRyan Sullivan, secretary Wendy Sullivan, treasurer Dorothea Ferraland sergeant-at-arms Ryan Taft.

Knights of Columbus officers:Corvallis Council No. 1785 of the Knights of Columbus has elect-

ed officers for fraternal years 2012-13.Officers include Jerry Jackson, grand knight; Emmet Jones,

deputy grand knight; Jeff Nielson, chancellor; Richard Paradis, fi-nancial secretary; Robert Rackham, recorder; Mark Wright, warden;Joseph Heaney, treasurer; Paul Hoffstadt, Doug Johnson and GaryBeck, trustees; Robert Kish, advocate; and Terry Gerding andStephen Ndzeidze, guards.

New CSC directors:Dee Teem was recently named di-

rector of the Community Relationsand Development department ofCommunity Services Consortium.

Teem has worked for three yearsas the consortium’s Workforce andEducation Program advisor, andmore recently as the developmentofficer. Teem also has served as in-terim development director as need-ed. She managed special development projects to locate and securefunding for the poverty-fighting programs offered by the consortium.

Teem brings 15 years of experience in resource development to hernew position. She has worked in fundraising and community develop-ment for several community organizations, including chief develop-ment officer of Greater Wyoming Big Brothers and Big Sisters, andrecreation superintendent for the city of Newport.

Stephanie Leffler, a certified human resource professional, joinsCSC as human resource director. She was director of human re-sources at Allann Brothers Coffee/The Beanery Co. for nearly 10years, after leaving Panolam Industries in Albany as its human re-sources manager.

She has been on several local and human resources boards, includ-ing the Oregon State Council and the Lebanon School District Super-intendent’s Advisory Board. She has volunteered on issues about ed-ucating youth on work force readiness.

Branch manager:US Bank has named Lisa Werner branch manager of its main office

at 375 N.W. Monroe Ave. in Corvallis.As branch manager, Werner is responsible for leading the branch

staff and managing all sales and customer service activities.Werner has worked for US Bank since 2003. Previously a sales and

service manager, she brings nearly a decade of experience in thebanking industry to her role as branch manager.

Werner has a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University. Sheis involved in the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis and United Way.

Chamber awards:Three awards were given at the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce’s

annual Night with the Corvallis Knights event on June 14.Jay Peek and Kristen Scoggins each received an Ambassador of

the Year award. The Volunteer of the Year award went to BeckyMutschler.

MID-VALLEY InBusinessJune 2012 A7

Unemployment Rate

U.S. Oregon Linn Co.Benton Co.

16%14%12%10%

8%6%4%2%

0

Source: Oregon Employment Department Note: Data are seasonally adjusted.

May 2011 May 2012April 2012

9.5

6.6

11.7

8.1 8.5

5.7

10.68.2 8.4

5.9

10.79.0

Mid-Valley Residential ReportUnits sold Units sold Average Averagepast year past year sales prices sales priceMay 2012 May 2011 May 2012 May 2011

Albany 411 445 155,284 152,297N. Albany 101 120 228,118 241,032Brownsville 21 24 182,771 153,785Corvallis 504 466 278,320 278,217

Units sold Units sold Average Averagepast year past year sales prices sales priceMay 2012 May 2011 May 2012 May 2011

Independence 67 46 152,041 222,824Jefferson 51 52 192,933 192,575Lebanon 282 299 136,018 142,491Philomath 80 75 241,325 239,092Sweet Home 136 133 125,959 112,451

Source: Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service

Source: Oregon Employment Department May ’12 April ’12 May ’11 April ‘12 May ’11

May ’12 April ’12 May ’11 April ’12 May ’11

Change fromCorvallis MSA (Benton County) Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Source: Oregon Employment Department Change fromLinn County Nonfarm Payroll Employment

Residential Average Sales Price by Area

Thou

sand

s

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

299,687

147,363

258,603

325300275250225200175150125

Source: Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service

Mining, logging and construction 1,130 1,110 1,190 20 -60Manufacturing 3,250 3,230 3,270 20 -20Trade, transportation and utilities 4,390 4,320 4,400 70 -10Information 790 780 810 10 -20Financial activities 1,390 1,370 1,370 20 20Professional and business services 3,780 3,740 3,760 40 20Educational and health services 5,760 5,730 5,750 30 10Leisure and hospitality 3,200 3,120 3,550 80 -350Other services 1,240 1,200 1,230 40 10Federal government 590 560 600 30 -10State government 10,270 10,220 10,030 50 240Local government 2,900 2,820 2,960 80 -60

Total nonfarm payroll employment 38,690 38,200 38,920 490 -230

Mining, logging and construction 1,970 1,910 2,130 60 -160Manufacturing 6,550 6,590 6,720 -40 -170Trade, transportation and utilities 8,530 8,500 8,390 30 140Information 360 350 370 10 -10Financial activities 1,270 1,250 1,220 20 50Professional and business services 3,020 3,120 2,990 -100 30Educational and health services 4,910 4,940 4,880 -30 30Leisure and hospitality 2,980 3,050 3,060 -70 -80Other services 1,300 1,300 1,320 0 -20Federal government 330 330 330 0 0State government 1,170 1,180 1,220 -10 -50Local government 5,790 5,850 6,240 -60 -450

Total nonfarm payroll employment 38,180 38,370 38,870 -190 -690

Benton CountyLinn County

BUSINESS DATA

191,847

MOVERS&SHAKERS

StephanieLeffler

JenniferLommers

DeeTeem

NancyRaskauskas

DAT E B O O K

Jim Asleson, executivedirector of the Mid-Willamette YMCA in Al-bany, will be the featuredspeaker at the AlbanyArea Chamber of Com-merce forum luncheonfor June.

Asleson will speak onWednesday at the LinnCounty Fair & Expo Cen-ter, 3700 Knox ButteRoad, Albany. The lunch-eon begins at 11:30 a.m.

Asleson has led the lo-cal Y since 1994. A grad-uate of the University ofWisconsin-Whitewater,he had served with YM-CAs in Colorado Springs,Portland and Charlotte,N.C., before joining theAlbany organization.

Mid-Valley InBusiness

Jim Aslesonwill speak at luncheon