Rob and Sally Hilles have been growing hazelnuts — also known as filberts — just outside of Corvallis since 1985 and together they built Hazelnut Hill. The vertically integrated business includes a hazelnut orchard, direct-marketing candy operation and a tree nursery. Trees generated through Oregon State’s Hazelnut Breeding Program are varieties that are completely resistant to filbert blight and useful to Hazelnut Hill as a value-added processor.