Announcing the 2025 NNBA Member Lifetime Achievement Award: Deby Barnhart, Cornell Farm, Portland, Oregon. NNBA Board Member: 1995–1996, 2002–2005 NNBA Member Since: 1990 A long-time member and past board leader, Deby Barnhart, has helped shape the NNBA’s identity for more than three decades. She served on the board during two different terms and played a central role on the hiring committee that brought on John and Carrie Trax, contributing not only to the selection process but also to the documentation and systems that informed the early years of the “John and Carrie” era. Deby and her husband Ed founded Cornell Farm in 1987 on family farmland adjacent to Portland’s West Hills. Deby quickly became a creative force in the nursery world. She reimagined the plant retail experience to be intuitive, aesthetic, and experience-driven, turning shopping into an act of inspiration. Cornell Farm is frequently one of the NNBA’s top participants, winning the “Most Used Vendors” award, a testament to Deby’s commitment to supporting regional growers and suppliers. Her work goes far beyond business. She has built Cornell Farm into a multi-generational, community-oriented destination that includes a thriving café, educational workshops, and has been a pioneer in both urban and sustainable gardening initiatives. Deby’s leadership style, quietly visionary, deeply practical, and community-minded, has left an enduring impression on both the NNBA and the Pacific Northwest horticulture industry. Congratulations Deby! |
Past Award Winners:
2018 – Jerry Gross, Kellogg Garden Products – vendor
2019 – Jack Bigej, Al’s Garden Center – member
2020 – no meeting
2021 – no meeting
2022 – Grace Dinsdale, Blooming Nursery – vendor
2023 – Brenda Powell, Garland Nursery – member
2024 – Don Sprague, Garden Gallery Iron Works/Don Sprague Sales – vendor