FARMERS MARKETS & ARTISAN FOODS FROM THE LOCAL BOUNTY The Willamette Valley is one of the most agriculturally diverse regions on earth, so you’re never far from enjoying the area’s bounty. Several farmers markets serve fresh fare straight from the farm. The Corvallis–Albany Farmers’ Markets run April– December, as does the Lane County Farmers Market in Eugene. The McMinnville Downtown Association Farmers Market runs May-October. Each boasts dozens of vendors selling cheeses, meats, produce, baked goods and other items. In addition to fresh produce, you’ll enjoy artisan foods at markets, farm stands, restaurants and other appetizing stops. Caravan Co ee roasts ethically sourced beans, a level of care that visitors can taste at its shop in Newberg. Outside Dundee, Briar Rose Creamery crafts a spreadable fromage blanc and other small-batch cheeses—available at an onsite farm store and local markets. In St. Paul, try one of the region’s biggest exports at Ken & June’s Hazelnuts. Around Eugene, Euphoria Chocolate Company produces tru es and other decadent confections. willamettevalley.org | 5 CRAFT BEVERAGE PRODUCERS FIND SUCCESS IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY Wine isn’t the only thing we’re sipping here in the Willamette Valley. Whether growing apples for awardwinning ciders, hops for qua able craft beers or even plants for handcrafted tea, the Willamette Valley boasts an acclaimed array of craft beverages. Salem is home to a thriving Latinx population, and that influence is at the heart of the city’s La Familia Cider Company. The craft cider maker, noted for ciders influenced by Mexican agua fresca fruit drinks, has earned a devoted fan base with its inventive flavors—including a Jamaica hibiscus cider and another sporting tropical notes of guava. Dozens of craft breweries dot the Willamette Valley, pouring a variety of styles sure to please even the pickiest of palates. For instance, since opening in 2016, Eugene’s ColdFire Brewing has produced some of the region’s most popular ales and lagers—including pilsners, IPAs, stouts and barrel-aged o erings. Since 1988 Minto Island Tea Company has cultivated some of the area’s best-loved tea varieties—all certified organic—on one of Oregon’s only dedicated tea farms, just outside Salem. In fact, each of Minto’s teas are grown, picked and processed at the company’s farm. Since 2011 the veteran-led 4 Spirits Distillery has poured a variety of small-batch spirits—like its habanerospiced rum and cucumber gin—at the southern edge of Corvallis. Founded in memory of four Oregon National Guardsmen, 4 Spirits routinely donates to statewide veteran reintegration programs. FARM TO TABLE EATERIES DISH THE BEST OF THE REGION With fruits, vegetables, herbs and more growing around the Willamette Valley, it’s no wonder restaurateurs have made “farm-to-table” the cornerstone of their outposts. Since 2013Pura Vida Cocina has served Latin American-inspired food and drinks from several countries— including Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador and Argentina—in downtown McMinnville. Each dish on the restaurant’s seasonal menu is prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The Salem-based Willamette Valley Pie Company processes more than 10 million pounds of fresh, locally grown fruit every summer; hosts a local store and cafe; and ships its desserts to grocery stores, farm stands and restaurants all over Oregon. Just about everything is scratch-made at Sybaris Bistro in Albany—even the ketchup. The award-winning restaurant prepares a popular menu of globally inspired dishes, all with a Pacific Northwest twist, that changes with whatever’s in season. The Willamette Valley’s ar san food scene showcases the growers and producers who power the re on. Lane County Farmers Market
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