Ken Brown: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Ken Brown. In this interview, Ken shares about his career as an extension agent of Oregon State University and how he eventually found himself helping the winemakers of Oregon.

Ken talks about his early life and growing up in Oregon. He shares about joining the Navy for 5 years and then his time spent at Oregon State University. He goes on to talk about his different jobs and how he stumbled into helping the early icons of the Oregon wine industry. 

Ken goes on to share about his involvement regarding Phylloxera and fruit set. He also dives into his travels to New Zealand where he shared some Oregon wine. Later in the interview, Ken talks about his family and what he is proudest of.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on March 31, 2025 at the Chemeketa Community College Eola Campus in west Salem.

What is The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast?

The Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield University was created to collect, preserve, share, and continue the narrative of Oregon wine.

The growth of the Oregon wine industry extends from the farmers and winemakers to the marketers, scientists, innovators, and dreamers of the enterprise — all of whom are vital to the industry’s success. It is our aim to link the past, present, and future of the industry in hopes of sharing the story of Oregon wine.

Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.