Welcome New Member!

Umpqua Coffee Company

Proudly serving gourmet coffee & espresso. Quality blends & local friends.

2644 Diamond Lake Blvd, Roseburg, Oregon 97470

Phone: 541-817-3041        Email: umpquacoffeeco@gmail.com

Umpqua Energy EXchange

Don’t Miss this informative energy efficiency program designed to include walk-throughs of recently retrofit business buildings.

Calculate the return-on-investment for your home and/or business building (including incentives and rebates).
Local experts share necessary retrofitting steps, provide resources, and offer educational displays.

Oregon Department of Energy guests speak about Oregon’s 10-year energy proposal. Explore how your input can affect legislation.

Happy Birthday Cash Mob 97457

One Man’s Trash, Another’s Treasure

Reposted with permission from Tammera J. Karr, PhD  of Holistic Nutrition for the Whole You

Our family gives gifts or treasures at Easter like many do at Christmas. You are more likely to get chocolate at Christmas around our house than Easter, but there is at least one bunny that lost his head by the end of the weekend.  This year the Bunny brought me a basket full of gifts from God and my family.  One was getting to spend a day with Dr. James Wilson and friends, learning about thyroid health – more on this later. Another falls into the trash category for those who don’t care for old stuff.

We are now the proud owners of a 1906 edition of Gesine Lemcke’s cookbook “European and American Cuisine.” Now in my mind this is really cool! On the cover page is this simple quote, “Beauty, Health, and Happiness depend upon the kind of food we eat.”

The preface begins with; “What science can boast of having done more for the happiness of humanity and the advances of civilization of the world than the art of cooking? It is strange this, the most valuable, is so often left in the hands of the ignorant ……. for the destiny of the world depends on the food we eat”

I have reflected on this over the days, in light of sharing with clients how food scientists use brain scans, and chemistry to increase the desirability, addictiveness, shelf life, and appearance of foods. There are neuroscientists employed by food corporations that study how tastes like chili trigger opiate (think opium) receptors in the brain, others study how the brain releases neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (you feel pleasure, ecstasy) when ice cream touches the tongue. A great video can be seen on the internet done by the Canadian Broadcasting Service (CBS) called “The Science of Addictive Foods”; Ms. Lemcke had no idea just how far science would be interwoven with food.

There is a growing counter culture in America who thinks of food as “clean”.  This group of largely 20-40 year olds is busy buying from farmers markets, wholefoods, truck stands and artisan bistros – they are also voting with their dollar, and the consumer momentum behind a multi-billion dollar natural food industry.  With spring now gracing our landscape with the promise of autumn’s harvest, farmers markets are opening up throughout. My local farmers market opened  just this weekend, and county “community supported agriculture” (CSA) farms are busy planting and planning for weekly produce deliveries to members.

Contrary to some – this counter culture is not new; it is in fact a return to traditional values of local small farms providing quality foods for their communities.  It is the standard in Europe and in my experience the norm for food purchasing in Argentina, Chili, and New Zealand. The science is in the husbandry of the land, livestock, and lifestyle, not the test tube and petri dish looking for chemical structures that mimic the taste, texture and smell of chicken, onion or butter.

Don Kruse shared with attendees at a Think Local sponsored event in 2011, how when his father started farming in the Umpqua valley and later as their farm grew, they delivered to 6 or 7 small markets on the main street of downtown Roseburg, they took car loads and later truckloads of produce to Reedsport and even Oakridge.  Today they have to compete with asparagus from Peru and apples and berries from Mexico and Chili, their farming costs have escalated and there is always the thought of “will my great grandchildren be able to enjoy the life I have loved in this area”?  Not to mention the idea of local fresh produce being available at a downtown market! 

This last year Neighborworks Umpqua opened a new market in the old Grand hotel, providing an outlet for LOCAL businesses and foods producers; this “counter culture” activity supports local farmers and artisans, preserves local economies, provides healthier food choices and community. Where is the glitz in slow food not from a mega corporation or lab?  Such an old fashioned idea –

New, modern, faster, cheaper …. The mantra of many, but for me, I like the o’l slow, real deal, the value in knowing where my food has come from, traditional and not so traditional foods, and the treasure of learning from the past.  My cookbook and ideas might be old and out dated, but I can whip up one hell of a great meal over an open fire, I know how to grow and preserve foods without electricity or a microwave…  And to me that is far from trash – it is a treasure.

To Your Good Health and Real Food from Real People.

When to plant tomatoes?

Here is  Commonwealth Garden Shoppe‘s latest blog submitted by “Granny Organic”.

Common questions when the weather is nice in March: 

“When should I plant my tomatoes?”  “Do you have tomato plants?”
It shocked Granny Organic to hear that the plants are available in a local “Big Box” store. 
IF you have a greenhouse – go for it. Be prepared to pot them up into larger containers.
“Why can’t I just grow them in the house?”  Well, if you have grow lights you can.  Without adequate light they will become very tall, pale & spindly.

So, When? – May 1 to June 1 are the dates in our community for putting tomato plants outside.  Yes, it depends on your location.  If it is too cool they will either die from frost or just plain not grow.

Do we have plants yet? – NO.  We will have 6 packs & 4″ available around April 1.  Hmmm that’s April Fools day.  Tomato plants will need to stay in a greenhouse until May 1 at the earliest.So, don’t be foolish.  Let Bruce babysit your plants until the weather is warmer.
Watch the blog for a list of our tomato varieties which are lovingly grown by Bruce using organic fertilizers & soil.

Happy Gardening from Granny Organic

Community Supported Fishery coming to Roseburg!

Port Orford Sustainable Seafood has a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) much like a CSA. They will begin making drops in Roseburg April 2013! The location of the drop is Umpqua Local Goods at 736 SE Cass Ave, downtown Roseburg.

Click here for details. Payments can be made online at their website: posustainableseafood.com

Questions? Contact Virginia at velandt@nwumpqua.org or 541-673-4909

Markets of Umpqua

Our goal is to create a thriving network of Farmers’ Markets in the Umpqua Valley. These markets will provide an abundance of fresh local foods to consumers and businesses while creating a space for local artisans to sell their wares.

Upcoming Classes in financial planning, farm direct policy & meat processing: Download the flyer

Brought to you by NeighborWorks Umpqua & USDA

Farm Market Promotion Program

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded NeighborWorks Umpqua a two-year grant to promote five farm markets in Douglas County.  These include Canyonville, Lookingglass, Old Town, Sutherlin and Umpqua Valley Farmers Markets.

Our goal is to create a thriving network of Farmers’ Markets in the Umpqua Valley that provide an abundance of fresh local foods to consumers and businesses while supporting our local agricultural industry. Goals will be accomplished through technical assistance, coordinated marketing/branding strategies and integrating community resources. Besides uniting the 5 markets, the main goal of the program is to increase public awareness of the offerings of the farmers markets. Through an intensive branding/marketing campaign, consumers will become aware of what produce is available, when and where they can access it and be educated as to the many health and economic benefits of buying local produce.

Click the link to read the press release.

 Click on this link to view our upcoming workshops: FMPP Spring Workshops.

Queens of the Umpqua

February 01, 2013
Reposted with permission from Oregon Wine Press 

Story by Nancy Rodriguez | Photography by Gary Leif

This is the land of “A Hundred Valleys.” It’s also the land of numerous wineries and wine varieties, too. The Umpqua Valley is the oldest wine-producing region in Oregon, crafting quality wines for more than 50 years. Now with the birth of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute in Roseburg, there’s a higher level of sophistication in this appellation. Add to that the increase in women winemakers and growers, and Oregon has a story in the making. 

HillCrest Winery & Distillery 

At the helm of the area’s flagship winery, HillCrest, Susan and Dyson DeMara continue to build on the tradition started by Richard Sommer in 1961. After working and teaching in the industry on three continents and 17 countries, the couple put down their roots in the Umpqua by acquiring Oregon’s oldest estate winery in 2003. 

As I drive along the road leading up to HillCrest, a circle of carved Native American heads surrounding a fire pit comes into view, invoking a sense that I’m on sacred ground. For Susan, this hallowed place is her stomping ground. It’s also where she blends family — children include Hanna, Parker and Tucker — and winemaking, in hopes of ensuring the winery’s continuing success and legacy as well. 

The DeMaras reflect Sommer’s philosophy by producing wines reflecting a sense of place or what the French call “terroir.” While growing their own Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay, Susan and Dyson insist on natural methods and low yields, giving HillCrest wines intense flavor and complexity. In addition, the winery’s patented concrete fermenters further solidify the winery’s homage to the Old World.

Their love of Europe shows in the tasting room, too, where they sell gourmet French salts and olive oil from Spain. Inspired by the wine and impassioned by Susan’s love of cooking — she’s a professionally trained chef — these culinary offerings are part of what the couple calls “Our Family’s Table.” What an appropriate name for this family-oriented business that welcomes guests as if they were part of their own.

Abacela Winery

A passion to match varietal to environment brought Hilda and Earl Jones to the Umpqua Valley. Their dream was to produce a world-class Tempranillo in the style of the Rioja region of Spain. After an extensive search and research, they found property at the southern end of the Umpqua Valley AVA in 1992. The land was the perfect pairing of a unique micro-climate to clone. In 1995, they planted the first Tempranillo grown in the Northwest. They named the estate Abacela, an Iberian phrase meaning “to plant a grapevine.” 

Fast-forward to today, and the Joneses now have 20 grape varietals, including other types such as Albariño, Syrah, Merlot, Dolcetto and Grenache, planted to 77 acres of vineyards. 

They also built a Vine & Wine Center at the winery with a stunning panoramic view. The new tasting room is a reflection of Hilda. She’s a woman of dignity and stature just as the building displays. As I stand in the sophisticated space, I realize how this accomplishment took time, dedication and, most of all, hard work, which Hilda notes is the ultimate driver in their business and has kept her “nose in the dirt,” she says. 

From her and Earl’s wine adventure thus far, Hilda says her greatest advice is to “Keep your eyes open. Keep your mind open. And see what is on the horizon.” 

After visiting with her and tasting the wine, I am once again reminded of the Valley’s promising future. 

Glaser Estate Winery & Distillery 

Leaving the South Umpqua Valley, I travel to the Glaser Estate, located on the North Umpqua River. 

During a previous trip, co-owner Sandy Glaser gave me strawberry plants she had thinned from her own garden. I planted them, and they survived despite the best efforts of the deer, who apparently consider them a delicacy, and my rather haphazard approach to gardening. 

The drive to the winery is short. It is just on the outskirts of Roseburg, but as you turn on to the road leading to the estate, you feel you have been transported to another country. The vineyard gives way to a bountiful garden next to a yard with chickens and baby goats wandering about the pen. The tasting room is reminiscent of a charming, European farmhouse. Off the back of the building, a deck overlooks the river, and this is where tasters tend to gather. This is where I landed and stayed for hours on what would become the perfect day. 

From Sauvignon Blanc to Baco Noir, the Glasers produce wine that speaks of the region. On this day, my choice is the rosé — perhaps because I began the morning with the promise and memory of strawberries. 

Sandy is warm and welcoming, a classic beauty with mesmerizing blue eyes. Her passion and love for her work is evident in the details of her life. Sandy and her family moved to the Roseburg area after discovering a feeling of belonging in this family-oriented community — the Glasers are friends with other producers, including the DeMaras. They bought th-eir property in 2003, eventually turning a cow pasture into a vineyard.   

Sandy is the first woman graduate of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute at Umpqua Community College. In bringing the pioneer spirit to this wine region, she has proven herself to be a winemaker and has won awards for her talent — the most recent being the Best of Class and Gold for her Pinot Gris in the Women’s International Wine Competition. As times goes on, she is sure to garner many more.

Brandborg Winery

The story of Sue and Terry Brandborg began like a message in a bottle, tossed into the ocean of circumstance and washed up not on a beach but 25 miles inland from the Oregon coast in the town of Elkton. 

Sue is soft-spoken, sincere and tells her story with a belief in purpose. Her adventure begins with a wine tasting in Jackson Hole, Wyo. It was her first taste of Pinot Noir, a wine made by Terry.. Eventually they met, and a dinner date led to correspondence that began their partnership in life and business. 

Believing they were predestined to work together, they put themselves on a ferris wheel ride, of sorts, searching in circles for the perfect place to grow grapes. In 2001, they found a property in Elkton perfect for planting Pinot Noir. It also had a house at the top of a hill with a view of the Coast Range. 

They named their first five acres Ferris Wheel Vineyard, and Sue named the vines after her children, depending on how each grew, and raised them from bud break to harvest. She compares the love of the vineyard as the love a mother has for her children. In addition to Pinot Noir, the Brandborgs grow Pinot Gris, Riesling and Syrah. 

She defines her role as one of fostering relationships, and to spread the word about Umpqua Valley wines. She wants others to know how this is a region of diversity, including the grapes and the people working behind the wines.

Chris Lake, director of the Southern Oregon Wine Institute on the campus of Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, speaks of the impact of women on the region as it changes and evolves. There is a parallel between the growth of the industry and the increasing number of women in the program. The daughter of Sue Brandborg has been a student SOWI and will be carrying on the family legacy as the next winemaker.

For Sue, family comes first, and the winery is their legacy, a feeling shared by all these women of wine.

Love Your Locals Facebook Contest. You could WIN!

Love is in the air and we need your help to influence the public to Share the Love with local business in Douglas County this Valentine’s Season.

We are offering one free year of membership to one lucky TLU member who helps us spread the most love via facebook.
 

How to participate:

1. You must be a current TLU member

2. You must have a facebook page for your business

3. You must “like” TLU facebook page from your business page

4. Share the following status update on your business Facebook page (Copy and paste with appropriate tags)

5. The winner will be the business with the most fans “liking” their status.
Contest runs from Thursday, February 7 to Friday, February 15, at 10:00pm.

Winner:
The business with the most fans who like their status will win one year free membership with Think Local Umpqua (a $120 value). 
 
Rules:
Must be a current TLU member. Not a member yet? Join here

You may post the status as many times as you would like, we will add the totals from each of your posts. You MUST tag TLU facebook page in your status update to qualify. The winner will be notified via email & announced on facebook on Monday, February 18.

Share the Love. Spread the Love.

Love Your Locals.

Good Luck!