Owner/Operator
Hollyaire Farm
In the Pacific Northwest farming community of Junction City, Oregon lies a historic farm that years ago was left abandoned. Its name – Hollyaire. A 110-acre property planted to sour cherries, blackberries, and holly, it was owned and operated by Vaughn and Mary Ball as their second home after retirement. Mary felt the most rooted and experienced the best memories of her life on this property. The holly, used for Christmas wreaths and holiday décor, was mailed around the globe. After 50 years of marriage, Vaughn passed away, at which point the farm was split up and sold. And left without care. Two decades later, a young pair of identical twin sisters stepped in…
Ladonna Avakian and Heather Paterson grew up in Oregon, went to college locally, and decided they wanted to do something greater. With a desire to serve in the military, and a history of uncles and great uncles who also served, it only felt natural. So they looked up recruiters and went to the Air Force office together.
Ladonna spent four years as a dental technician in the Air Force. A self-described tomboy, she studied Environmental Science in college. Heather served in Japan and in the Iraqi Conflict as an Emergency Manager. Both women returned home with service related injuries.
At that time Heather went into finance, applying her Masters in Business and Finance to a position with the city of Eugene. Ladonna’s path led her to the abandoned Hollyaire property when her husband purchased the land. But his day job didn’t allow him to commit to farming. So Ladonna took it on.