John Dey - HGA Treasurer since 2004 - email: john@bigjohnsgarden.com -
Born Pasadena, CA, 1951, and grew up in Santa Monica where I always had a small vegetable garden in my backyard. College at Stanford, then, to make an awfully long story short, to near Klamath Falls, Oregon (east of the Cascades, just north of California border, 4,100' elevation) where my family started and grew a large farming/ranching operation -- up to 3,000 irrigated acres and 600 mother cows. Had to downsize in the early 80's when hit by prime rate of 20+ and low commodity prices. Went into insurance (employee benefits business) while maintaining a much smaller ranch.... now down to 400 irrigated. Converted ranch "out-building" to greenhouse in 1997. Installed a lot of tech stuff... heated beds using hot water, etc. Primary interest has been edibles (mainly tomatoes) but also have nice succulents and minature geraniums. Have always been very involved in community development (job creation) here and have served on about every economic development board. President of Klamath Community Development Corporation since 1997. Have done a lot of fundraising. Have had a large vegetable garden for 40 years... serious garlic grower now. Established Big John's Garden www.bigjohnsgarden.com selling high quality garlic and shallots over the internet and several organic/natural produce stores in the more populous Willamette Valley of Oregon. Married for 35 years to Nancy... 3 grown children.