Sunday, January 16, 2011

Local Bounty

As mentioned yesterday, Michelle is the inspiration for this post and she'll be blogging about bounty local to her sometime today too. I hope others will join in and showcase some of their local favorites. That's an invite! ;)

Like many folks today I try to buy locally when I can, not just because of all the usual things but also because the products are superior. I am lucky that we have an abundance of small local growers and artisan craftspeople. So, let's get to some of the goods and services that make this part of Oregon special to me at least. I have chosen companies that you too can partake of.

Honey, we have wonderful honey available to us and I love the stuff on toast and bagels and of course, tea and some cooking. Wild Bee Honey and Candles is by far our favorite. The candles are beautiful too and a pleasure to use.

Dagoba Chocolate is still made right here in Ashland OR and I pass by the turn off to their place every time I head to town. They have been bought out by Hershey, but still produced locally and with the same high quality they are known for.

Pickled Planet Sauerkraut makes a kraut (and a kim chee) that are out of this world.

Rogue Creamery cheese is featured in dishes in many of the local eateries and it is wonderful cheese. My favorite is the Oregonzola, although every one of them is delicious and with it's own distinct flavor. If you go to the shop, you can taste the selections paired with local wines. A real treat believe me.

Ashland Sky bags are the best for all sorts of knitting and crochet storage. I have at least five of them for my DPS and circular needles, one or two for things like counters and markers and I plan on getting a few more for the small sewing accoutrement's that never seem to find a good place to be always at hand.

Silver Cloud Farm yarns. The flock lives not to far from me, and the resulting yarn is beautifully spun and dyed. This is good hard wearing, long lasting worsted weight Romney wool. Cables knit up in it just pop. I love this wool. I love that it still has the lanolin in it and a slightly sheepy smell. This isn't next to the skin wool, but 20 years from now, you'll still be wearing that cardigan you knit from it and it will still look great. The only place to get it is The Web-sters and you have to ask for it. It's well priced and has great yardage. Mari sweaters use it a lot. In fact for great patterns, these are also made in Oregon, while not in my valley, not too far away either! Beautiful sweaters.

Lastly, locally we have one of the best non-profits ever IMHO. Dogs for the Deaf. These folks get ALL their dogs from shelters on the West Coast and if suitable, they become helpers for the hearing impaired, if not, they have other programs that these dogs are available through. The dogs that go to the deaf are free. This program is just amazing. If you only decide to click on one of the links in this post, make it this one.

I haven't even scratched the surface of lovely available resources in the Rogue Valley, but this should keep you busy for at least a little bit exploring my part of southern Oregon.

Parting shot: Smoochie: Cairn Yeti of The Greensprings

6 comments:

Life Looms Large said...

Definitely makes me want to go on a shopping spree!! (And makes me long for melting snow....or would that just prolong mud season?)

Stay warm!
Sue

LA said...

LOVE the picture of Smoochie! It's so nice that all the pups are getting some blog time! As for "made locally" products...you're so right! We should try to support the folks in our region that supply great products and services. I'm really looking forward to spring and the Farmers' Market!!!!

Maggie said...

Smoochie is a perfect dog name, and it looks like he might have high-centered in the snow. You live in a wonderful part of the country to buy so much stuff locally. Fortunately, I do, too, and I try to as much as possible. Keep preaching it!

ladyoftheloom said...

Aww Smootchie! You might like Roxy who lives behind us, another cairn but very young and frisky! She has a nice new green wool coat so fancy.

Sharon said...

I couldn't think of local businesses, but I buy eggs from Mim and honey from a man in the next valley. We put $12 in the mailbox with the empty quart jar and our mail lady Jan returns with a quart jar of fresh honey. It doesn't get any fresher than that! I don't even know the man's name.

R. Delight said...

I loved Noble Roasting Company in Ashland, not only for the coffee but the large area for me to sketch coffee house patrons without them knowing.
We are still finding our local resources here but there is Revolution Gardens here and the Blue Scorcher Bakery in Astoria that makes the best organic whole wheat sourdough bread and wholesome food cooked from scratch.
I now belong to the teeny food co-op in Astoria too. Miss the Ashland food co-op. I was almost as good as the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. : )