(Locally-grown produce sold at the Bend Farmers Market | Photo courtesy of High Desert Food and Farm Alliance)
Hot off the presses! The High Desert Food Trail, created by High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA), is thrilled to announce a brand new edition and map, complete with new foodie-focused events, delicious culinary businesses, and self-guided itineraries to follow. The High Desert Food Trail is a collaboration with Travel Oregon and Visit Central Oregon as a part of the Oregon Food Trails Program celebrating Central Oregon’s farms, restaurants, cafés, breweries, distilleries, and culinary experiences to taste your way through the region and have engaging, unique experiences with working area farms. Central Oregon is known for outdoor adventures, and one of the best ways to connect to the land is through food.
The High Desert Food Trail helps visitors and locals alike experience the culinary and agritourism opportunities that make this region unique. The trail features 48 businesses including farms, ranches, restaurants, farmers markets, craft food and beverage makers, and lodging. All of these stops along your journey will help connect you to the high desert’s diverse businesses, landscapes, and cultures.
Trail visitors can choose their own path, or follow one of the three highlighted themes and itineraries —Stunning Landscapes, Artisan Offerings, and Resilient Agriculture. Visit hdffa.org/hdft to download the full trail map in both English and Spanish and explore an interactive map of trail businesses at hdffa.org/hdft-businesses.
One of the most exciting parts of the HDFT i showcasing businesses who source from, sell to, and collaborate with each other. You can find local products in markets and on menus across the region. For example, Deschutes Produce, like many others, has its own farmstand but also sells products at Central Oregon Locavore, The Stand, Well Rooted Farmss, Bend Farmers Market, and more. Funky Fauna Artisan Ales, Lazy Z Ranch, and Bonta Gelato all utilize farm-fresh lavender from Tumalo Lavender to add local flavor to their products. Arome, an artisan market specializing in teas, spices, and wines, collaborates with local makers and businesses to put on classes – such as the recent cooking class with Schilling’s Garden Market on making summer mocktails and salads. The stories of our local food system can be found across the High Desert Food Trail and tied throughout Central Oregon.
While the trail is accessible year-round, some businesses are only seasonally open to the public. With the summer season in full swing, now is a great time to look into one of these itineraries and explore these self-guided journeys at your own pace. Follow the itineraries of High Desert Food Trail by checking out these video features on YouTube.
Learn more about the High Desert Food Trail and find your adventure at hdffa.org/hdft. You can also find brochures at welcome centers across the state, participating High Desert Food Trail businesses, and at HDFFA booths at farmers markets throughout the summer season.
This project is funded by the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant [grant no. 2020-70017-32426]from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture with support from the Oregon Food Trails program, Visit Central Oregon, Travel Oregon Wine Country License Plate program, and our sponsors, Bonta Gelato, Brasada Ranch, and The Old Mill District.
About High Desert Food and Farm Alliance:
HDFFA is a 501(c)3 non-profit serving Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties as well as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. HDFFA’s mission is to support a healthy and thriving food & farm network through education, collaboration, and inclusion. For more info visit hdffa.org.
