[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO HILLCREST ORCHARD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share my pride 
in an exceptional family agricultural operation that is celebrating 100 
years of quality, excellence, and responsible citizenship: the Parsons 
family and their Hillcrest Orchard in the heart of the Rogue Valley in 
southern Oregon. The Rogue Valley is known worldwide for its natural 
scenic beauty, its productive land, its ideal climate, and its coveted 
outdoor lifestyle. Hillcrest Orchard is in harmony with, and takes its 
inspiration from, the unique attributes of the Rogue Valley.
  Hillcrest Orchard has been proudly operated by the Parsons family 
since its founding on July 13, 1908 by Reginald H Parsons and Maude 
Bemis Parsons. One of the oldest continuously-owned family orchards in 
the Rogue Valley, Hillcrest has long grown some of the region's finest 
fruit and produce. Four generations have worked tirelessly to maintain 
a high standard of quality and to operate always in ways responsible to 
the environment. Philanthropy and service to the community have been 
hallmarks of the Parsons family throughout Hillcrest's 100 year 
history.
  Eleven grandchildren of Reginald and Maude are shareholders of 
Hillcrest: John Day, Hugh Brady, Judson Parsons, George Parsons, Reg 
Parsons, Geoffrey Tootell, Nancy McDonald, Diana Parsons, Natalie 
Oliver, Alice Petrich, and Cynthia Parsons. Currently, a fourth 
generation is involved in Hillcrest and the plan is for members of that 
generation to assume active management and further the well-established 
tradition of excellence and service.
  As you can imagine, Madam Speaker, over the last 100 years, there 
have been many challenges in conducting successful orchard operations, 
but the Parsons family never let economic or natural disasters deter 
them. During the Depression and World War II, the family retained their 
employees and kept the fruit trees in healthy condition. By 1938, 
Reginald Parsons had gradually removed all of the apple trees and 
replaced them with pears, since the latter were more profitable. As the 
older pear trees declined in production, workers replaced them with new 
stock. Today, some of the orchard's earliest pear trees remain 
standing, producing Hillcrest's famous ``century pears.''
  Not only has the Parsons family preserved their rich agricultural 
legacy, but also, through their stewardship, 11 buildings on the 
property of Hillcrest Orchard are now listed in the National Register 
of Historic Places. My colleagues, I have spent much time at Hillcrest 
Orchard and I can attest that it is truly a jewel in a very beautiful 
part of the country. It is a beautiful and welcoming place to visit, 
and their products are second to none. Hillcrest Orchard today remains 
very true to its century-old proud heritage of quality and innovation. 
What was once on the outskirts of Medford, Oregon is now surrounded by 
residential and commercial development, yet Hillcrest continues to 
operate in environmentally sound ways that makes it a model neighbor to 
the community. Hillcrest Orchard is dedicated to conserving the land 
for the health of the community and for future generations.
  The most recent development at Hillcrest is the award-winning Roxy 
Ann Winery, featuring a charming tasting room, well-groomed grounds, 
musical entertainment, and social events. The planting of Hillcrest's 
vineyard began in 1997 with Merlot and Cabernet grapes. Hillcrest has 
expanded its selection of varietals along with acreage. Currently, 14 
commercial varieties are grown at Roxy Ann's vineyards, including 
Bordeaux and Rhone grapes that flourish in the Rogue River Valley's 
warm climate and have thrived in similar climates and soils in Europe 
for hundreds of years. Local shallow clay soils help the vines 
concentrate the flavors in the fruit rather than producing huge vines. 
The viticulture and wine-making team at Roxy Ann is constantly 
evaluating varieties suited to this unique site.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, I take great pride in the last century 
of the Parson's family dedication to excellence at Hillcrest Orchard, 
and I ask you to join me in congratulating them for this significant 
feat and wishing them well as they enter their second century of 
exemplary business and service to the Rogue Valley. They have the 
tradition and the family dedication to make the next 100 years even 
more productive than the last. The Parsons family represents what is 
great about American agriculture and American families, and they will 
continue to give their customers and their community the very best.

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