Meat buying clubs in the Willamette Valley

Buying clubs are an effective way for ranchers to sell meat products directly to customers who don't live near the farm. Customers typically place orders via email and pick up their products at a designated time and location. Buying clubs usually operate year 'round.

Spring Gardening Guide for the Willamette Valley

Spring is just around the corner, which means it's time to start planning your garden!

This year's gardening guide features several businesses that offer garden-related services in the Willamette Valley. Many of these businesses also have extensive knowledge about raising chickens, beekeeping, rainwater harvesting, etc. Their advice can be very helpful as you take your garden to the next level.

Our picks for Statesman Journal's Best of the Mid-Valley 2011

Statesman Journal's annual Best of the Mid-Valley contest recognizes local businesses that help make the Mid-Willamette Valley a great place to live. This year's sections are: Food & Drink, Entertainment, Professional Services, Personal Services, Recreation, Local Schools, and Shopping. Hundreds of businesses in Marion and Polk Counties were nominated in various categories.

Here are our top choices for everything food-related. Remember, you can vote once each day. Voting ends on Sunday, April 10th 2011.

Online poll results for home gardening in the Willamette Valley

by Nate Rafn

Last week we asked our readers if they plan to cultivate a home garden this year.

Gardening is very popular in the Willamette Valley. The climate is mild, water is plentiful, and soil is good in most areas. These favorable conditions allow us to grow a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, flowers, and trees.

The following poll results show that the majority of our readers grow gardens, along with many of their friends and neighbors. It also shows that they're interested in a variety of garden projects that significantly reduce waste and increase self-sufficiency. Here are the results:

Local farm shares story of founder, family history

This week E.Z. Orchards celebrates the birthday of its founder, Edward Zielinski, a family farmer who's life-long efforts have had a major impact on business and agriculture in the Mid-Willamette Valley.


Edward's grandson, John, shares this fascinating story about the Zielinski family and the history of E.Z. Orchards.

Founders Day

by John Zielinski

This Valentine's Day marks the 106th anniversary of the birth of our founder, my grandfather, Edward Valentine Zielinski, born February 14th 1905. It was an hour long bumpy wagon ride into the Salem hospital, so like his brothers and sisters before him he was born in the family home on Hazel Green Road. He was the 12th of 13 children in a farm family that was typical of the day. They were self sufficient. They grew almost everything they needed, had their own cows, hogs, chickens, orchards, vegetables, and grain. Surplus beyond what they needed was sold and bartered for the things that they did not grow. Ed grew up working on his father's farm. He also worked on neighboring farms. Education was important but not crucial to survival in those days, so Ed started working full time when he completed the 8th grade.

Hard apple cidre in the Willamette Valley

by Nate Rafn

Kevin Zielinski, co-owner of E.Z. Orchards, is one of a handful of cidre-makers in the Willamette Valley. In 2000 he planted French, English, and Early American apple varieties in a small section of orchard. Since then, he has worked each year to perfect the blending and fermentation process. The cidre was officially introduced in late 2010. 

The following video is a behind-the-scenes look at how E.Z. Orchards makes cidre.

Marion-Polk Food Share introduces new director of community gardens

The Mid-Willamette Valley's regional food bank, known as Marion-Polk Food Share, has hired Ian Dixon-McDonald to lead the community gardens program.

Dixon-McDonald was raised in Polk County, and has lived in Monmouth, Corvallis, and Eugene. He earned a Masters degree in Sustainable Communities from Northern Arizona University.

Dixon-McDonald is taking-on a program that has grown tremendously in the last six years under the guidance of Jordan Blake. Marion-Polk Food Share is currently associated with over 50 gardens in the Mid-Willamette Valley. In 2010, the gardens collectively produced more than 100,000 pounds of fresh produce for local food pantries and participating families.

Visit Food Share's sustainable gardens page to learn more about the program and how you can get involved.

Portland to get a dose of Mid-Valley cuisine

Living Culture now airs on Willamette Valley Television (KWVT) throughout the Portland metro area.

KWVT recently installed a transmitter on Portland's Skyline Ridge. The new signal covers the entire metropolitan area. Viewers will find KWVT on DTV channel 17.2.