(Photos above courtesy of High Desert Food and Farm Alliance)
High Desert EATs presents five themed farm tours in Jefferson County on five Saturdays from 9am–1pm. You are invited to smell fresh lavender, taste hydroponically grown cucumbers or learn how barley is turned into beer. Each tour has three farm or agriculture business visits where tour members learn from the farmers directly.
The next farm tour, Farm to Flask, is this Saturday May 27.
Come tour Jefferson County’s first full circle distillery. Don’t miss this unique opportunity for you see first-hand what it takes to produce delicious craft spirits. The tour takes you first to the William’s family farm, where you will learn about custom growing rye for use in making distilled beverages.
Rich Affeldt, from Central Oregon Seeds, Inc. (COSI) will join you to share growing and sowing seeds in Jefferson County including germination, pollination, and sustainable soil and water use on farm. From there, the tour goes to New Basin Distilling, a local producer of craft gin, vodka, and whiskey made with the rye from William’s farm. During this tour, you will get to see New Basin Distilling’s towering, custom made, copper still and sample a delightful flight of tastings: gin, vodka and whiskey and famous Madras Mule cocktails.
The tour lasts 3-4 hours and costs $10/person, which includes free shuttle van service. Shuttle van service departs from Sahalee Park in Madras (park in the lot on Sixth Street between B + C Streets). Register for tours online: www.hdffa.org. Also like us on Facebook: High Desert EATS.
The tours are a project of an all-volunteer committee, local farms and agri-businesses: OSU-Extension, Madras Saturday Market and the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance (HDFFA). Thank you to our sponsors: OSU Extension, Jefferson County Seed Growers Association, Symons Beef Company, HDFFA and through an Oregon Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant.
HDFFA is a 501(c)3 non-profit serving Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties. The mission is to support a community-based food system in Central Oregon to increase access to fresh healthy food, support sustainable farm land use and foster relationships among farmers and consumers.
541-390-3572
www.hdffa.org
