After living in Hawaii for the past three years, I looked forward to having a real Oregon fall. While I enjoyed warm weather and fresh papaya, banana and pineapple, I did miss my fall favorites; the squash, pears, carrots and potatoes so readily available in Oregon.
To fulfill my fall needs I went to the Beaverton Farmer’s Holiday Market this past Saturday. The majority of the vendors were the summer regulars, with a few vendors selling holiday products. Smelling fresh pine greens from the vendor who sold holiday wreaths put me in the holiday spirit. Last Saturday was the final day for this year’s Beaverton Farmers Market, but the Hillsboro Winter Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through December 12th and is located on Main Street between the Civic Center Plaza and the Courthouse.
There were so many varieties of squash available: Spaghetti, Carnival, Heart of Gold, Sweet Dumpling, Buttercup and Delicata–but I couldn’t bypass the butternut squash I needed to make my new favorite soup. This soup has great anti-inflammatory benefits and tastes great! Try it for yourself:
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
This recipe can be altered; the smaller amounts will yield a more mild soup.
1 T. olive oil
2 T-1/2 C onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 med. carrots, peeled and diced
2 t-1 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 -3 t yellow curry powder
1 Large Butternut squash, peeled and cubed (3 large yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, can be substituted)
1 t salt or to taste
1 qt. chicken broth
1 can lite coconut milk
Put the olive oil in a large pot and add the onions, garlic, carrots and ginger. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions become translucent and the carrots are softened. Stir occasionally.
Add the cubed butternut squash, salt, curry powder and chicken broth, adding water if necessary to cover the squash. Bring to a moderate boil, then reduce and simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer, covered, until squash is tender, about 15-25 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Puree the soup with a hand-held immersion blender, or ladle the soup into a blender and puree in small batches. Use caution when pureeing hot soup—cover the blender lid with a towel, and push firmly on the lid.
Autumn is by far my favorite season: the crisp, cool air; rust-colored leaves falling from the trees; the bright orange and green hues of the pumpkin patches. Indeed, ’tis the season to get out and explore fall in Washington County, Oregon. On Saturday, my family and I hopped into the car and did just that.
First stop was the Beaverton Farmers’ Market, a cornucopia of fall vegetables, colorful gourds, scrumptious apples and pears, and hearty potatoes and onions, all awaiting shoppers who ventured out on the brisk Saturday morning. Free coffee and fruit samples provided us the energy – and warmth – needed to navigate the market.
With our newly acquired produce in hand, we ventured off to our next stop, the Smith Berry Barn in Hillsboro. Each year, I make the pilgrimage to the Smith Berry Barn to stock up on apples, and this year is no exception. I loaded up my basket with freshly picked Macintosh apples, perfect for making caramel apple treats.
On a whim, we decided to head over to Baggenstos Farms in Sherwood, to check out the corn maze. Growing up in the desert, corn mazes were something I had only seen on television, or in scary movies. In reality it was not scary at all. Granted, it was a bright and sunny mid-afternoon. (However, my ever-adventurous daughter suggested we return and try the maze at night.) About a half hour after we entered, we mastered the maze, which, visible from the sky, is carved to look like Abraham Lincoln.
Before we left, we decided to try our hand at pumpkin bowling. This was a blast. We each had three tries to knock down the pins while throwing a ripe, orange pumpkin down the makeshift lane. On my second round, I threw a spare!
After our day in rural Washington County, we were exhausted; but, it was worth it to spend a memorable and fun day with my family. (And, yes, we will be going back to the corn maze … at night.)
So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to make your own autumn memories this October. The Beaverton Farmers Market, as well as the pumpkin patches and corn mazes at farms throughout the county are open through October 31. And don’t miss this year’s Apple Fest at Smith Berry Barn, Oct. 18. For a list of other autumn-inspired events, check out our event calendar.
Washington County, Ore., has a storied history, with eerie tales from pioneer days of the area’s earliest settlers. The most bone-chilling stories, however, are about ghostly spirits from more recent times.
The Haunting of Knight Hall
Pacific University’s Knight Hall (which is now the admissions building), reportedly is haunted by a young woman named Vera. As the legend goes, Vera, who was a music student at the university, died in Knight Hall. There are various stories about this eternal student and how her spirit came to inhabit the university, including one tale that she took her own life over an ill-fated love affair.
What is known about Vera is that for several decades there have been many sightings of her. She has been heard singing and playing piano and voicing her displeasure at some students’ performances by audibly sighing or telling the budding pianists to “please stop.”
Each Halloween, Pacific University students hold an event, “A Night in Knight Hall,” where students spend the night in the building and attempt to communicate with Vera’s ghost.
Haunted Hotel
McMenamins Grand Lodge is a stately European-style hotel with a storied past. Built in 1922 as the Masonic & Eastern Star Home, the property originally served as a rest home for Master Masons, their widows and orphans. It has since become synonymous with many strange happenings, aided in part by the colorful décor of the walls of this hotel, which are adorned with Masonic imagery and symbols and historical photographs, giving the hotel a uniquely eerie feel.
Various locations throughout the property have been witness to alleged paranormal and unexplained activities. Perhaps the best-known spirit at the Grand Lodge is the “Lavender Lady,” whose presence is known not just by the guest room named in her honor, or by her likeness painted on a wall mural. When the “Lavender Lady” is around, an unmistakably, strong scent of lavender permeates the hallway.
Stories of the Grand Lodge’s haunting have flourished for years and have become folklore for ghost hunters . The hotel’s guests and staffers have shared their tales and sightings in the “ghost log,” which is kept at the front desk to record the strange happenings at the property.
The Phantom of the Theatre
The Venetian Theatre and Bistro, a movie and live performance theatre, bistro and wine bar, has been a site for recent paranormal activity. The history of the building, located in downtown Hillsboro, is unknown, and the disturbances within it — unexplained water leaks, lights and music magically being turned on, apparitions and more — spooked enough people to warrant bringing in professional ghost hunters.
This summer, a team of paranormal investigators were called in to check out the otherworldly happenings in the building. During the investigation, one especially chilling event happened in the projection room of the theatre. The lead investigator asked the spirit in the only climate-controlled room in the building, to change the temperature. The spirit obliged, and raised the temperature from 70 degrees up to 78 degrees, then down to 68 degrees, the preferred temperature for the room.
So intriguing was the story of the haunted theatre, the Hillsboro Argus ran an article in August detailing these paranormal events.
Long after Halloween is over, these spooky spirits remain, with sightings year-round. So grab your gear and check it out for yourself. The next time you smell lavender, it just may be the Lavender Lady welcoming you to Washington County.
As summer sunshine extends into fall, this coming weekend offers perfect conditions for fair-weather hiking, biking and tracking in Washington County.
Saturday, Sept. 26:
* Stub Stewart State Park hosts its final guided Saturday hike of the year at 10 a.m., and all are welcome.
Explore the area’s natural and cultural history in this free hike. A park ranger leads participants on a trail in the Stub Stewart State Park forest.
* Join author and walking guru Laura Foster for a Fanno Creek Greenway Trail walking tour. Participants in this free event, sponsored by Metro, will stride along the paved multi-use trail bordering Portland Golf Club, ponds and marshes. To join in, meet at 8:45 a.m. at the Garden Home Recreation Center’s main entrance. Foster is the author of several guidebooks, including “Portland City Walks: Twenty Explorations In and Around Town.”
Sunday, Sept. 27:
* Enjoy a two-wheeled outing in the Second Annual Hillsboro Tour de Parks, where all are invited to tour a sampling of Hillsboro’s parks by bike. This family-friendly ride offers 3 route choices: 15 miles, seven miles or three miles. To participate, meet at Civic Center Plaza, where there will be tire pressure checks, brief riding rules discussion and final route maps. Start times are between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. based on which route riders are taking.
The event emphasizes the rules of the road for cyclists, and offers leisurely stops at the city’s parks, such as Shadywood and Shute. At the finish line all will receive ribbons and enjoy festivities.
* Join Metro naturalist and animal tracker Deb Scrivens at Cooper Mountain Nature Park for a workshop to learn the basics of animal signs, track identification and interpreting animal movement. Learn the stealth skills needed to watch wildlife at close range then make plaster casts of tracks to bring home. Practice your skills the following Sunday during a special tour of the park. Meet at the Nature House. Suitable for ages 10 and older.
Registration and payment required in advance; call 503-629-6350. Hosted by Metro and Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District.
This fall, as the leaves are turning, the grapes are gathered and farmers’ fields yield to the harvest, it’s time to discover Oregon Bounty. Come meet vintners, chefs, and farmers; travel down roads you’ve never driven; sample what these artisans make, grow and catch; and spend a night or two so you can discover more. There are myriad ways to get a taste of Oregon Bounty in Washington County:
VISIT A WINERY
Tour Washington County wineries— more than 20 in all—many of which are conveniently located along the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route. Follow the signs on this driving journey that winds through quaint towns in the county known for their ideal grape growing conditions and outstanding finished products: wines!
SEE WHAT CHEFS DO
Taste the autumn bounty that’s abundant in Pacific Northwest flavor palates. Visit our site for details about the restaurants in the county that specialize in regional cuisine.
BE TOUCHED BY SPRITS SakéOne, the world’s only American-owned saké brewery, produces Momokawa brand premium saké and Moonstone brand fruit-infused saké. These high quality Ginjo sakés are intended to be enjoyed cold on their own and with your favorite foods. Sakétini Saturday happens on the third Saturday of each month; the tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
October 10:Great Onion Festival, Sherwood. This classic community event pays homage to the onion farmers of Sherwood, with a barbecue and assorted activities. Visit sherwoodchamber.org.
October 10:Oregon Heritage Farms hosts its annual Apple Fest. Enjoy the harvest of apple season with this festival–complete with country music, face painting, pony rides and hay rides. Plus, all proceeds benefit local students.
October 18:Heirloom Apple Festival, Hillsboro. Sample more than 20 varieties of heirloom and modern apples and pears fresh from the orchard. Enjoy freshly dipped caramel apples, hot apple cider and homemade apple pie made from an assortment of different apple varieties, all while enjoying live music. Kids’ activities will include a straw maze, face painting, petting goats and pumpkin gathering. Visit www.smithberrybarn.com.
October 31:West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, Tualatin. Come cheer on 1,000 lb. pumpkin boats as people paddle across the lake at Tualatin Commons in races that are often wet and always entertaining. Visit ci.tualatin.or.us.
For a comprehensive culinary planning resource, visit TravelOregon.com/bounty, where you’ll find all that there is to see, do and taste. Oregon Bounty is produced by the Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, in partnership with Oregon’s many destination marketing organizations and industry guilds. Discover Oregon’s Bounty with special fly/stay/drive packages from Horizon Air.
One great thing about being in the heart of Oregon’s agricultural country is that the country is stunning in the fall, and there is an abundance of fun, family activities throughout the area. From corn mazes, pumpkin patches and hayrides, to festivals and a cornucopia of food, Washington County comes alive with a bountiful spirit each October.
‘Tis the season where the “u-pick” fruit of choice is pumpkin, mazes are crafted from corn and hay fields, and farms throughout the county open their fields to families for harvest-time fun – including Roloff Farm, which is featured on the television reality series, “Little People, Big World,” and is only open to the public in October.
This October, check out the fun, fall offering at these
Washington County farms:
Saturday, Sept. 12: A demonstration of “Artisan Cheese of the Pacific Northwest: A Discovery Guide” by Tami Parr. Parr’s Pacific Northwest Cheese Project blog has become the preeminent source for local cheese news, producer profiles, and cheese reviews. Her guide, Artisan Cheese of the Pacific Northwest, was released this spring, and she will be signing copies.
Saturday, Sept. 19: The 52nd Annual Beaverton Celebration parade kicks off at 10 a.m. and can be viewed from the west end of the market.
Saturday, Sept. 26: The market transforms for “Medieval Market Day.” Enjoy medieval activities, games and demonstrations.
Saturday, Oct. 3: A demonstration of “Deep, Dark Chocolate” by Sara Perry, a food columnist for The Oregonian and author of 12 cookbooks, including the latest about chocolate–what she calls “one of the most important food groups.”
Paddling on the Tualatin River is a fun outdoor recreational opportunity during the summer months, and recently some of the WCVA staff and our guests went on a guided canoe trip on the Tualatin River led by the Tualatin Riverkeepers. If you haven’t heard of the Riverkeepers, they are a terrific community-based nonprofit organization working to protect and restore the Tualatin River watershed through education, restoration, advocacy, and facilitating public access to nature.
The paddle trip was also intermingled with a good cause: habitat restoration. Some of my coworkers started the day by helping the Riverkeepers hand-clear some invasive, non-native plant species. Hand pulling weeds may be hard work, but it protects the nearby watershed and wildlife from herbicides and other chemicals, to give native, soil-stabilizing plants a chance to recover.
Pulling invasive species for a good cause.
We all had a great time on the river, and although I personally didn’t catch many glimpses of wildlife during our two hour trip, the little pirates in my canoe claimed sightings of Crocodiles, Chilean Sea Bass, and Harry Potter.
The 'pirates'.
Takin' in some shade before heading back.
After the paddle trip, we hit the South Store Cafe for a delicious lunch, and then headed across the street to shop and pet the goats behind the Smith Berry Barn. *Tip*: remember to bring some quarters for the goat-treat dispensing machine if you head back there. These cute little goats love their treats!
Resources:
The Tualatin Riverkeepers website www.tualatinriverkeepers.org is chalk full of information, including a down-loadable paddler’s map of the Lower Tualatin River with river access points, hazard zones, and estimated paddling times.
Canoe Rentals The Tualatin Riverkeepers has limited canoes available for participants on their organized paddle trips. Check their website for further information, including their guided trips and events schedule. Other local canoe rental sources include:
Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe 503-285-0464 *Easy Alert*: They offer family friendly paddle-away boat rentals right on the Tualatin River from their location in Browns Ferry Park during the summer months.
More than 20 lavender farms throughout the state opened their doors during the annual Oregon Lavender Festival. And what a weekend for this annual fest to explore the many lavender farms of Washington County! During the festival you can tour lavender farms, nurseries, and celebrate with a lavender-based Artisan Fair.
First we headed out to Mountainside Lavender Farm in Scholls, which has amazing views of the Cascade Mountains. There was a good-sized crowd at the farm, who were enjoying some live classic folk music while shopping the booths featuring local artisans and lavender products.
The kids really got a kick out of picking their own lavender(“U-pick” farms make for a great distraction for younger ones). The fresh-picked flowers are now proudly displayed on my kitchen counter. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to participate in the various ‘classes’, such as bouquet arrangement, wand and wreath making. We did have time, however, to catch a live demonstration on how lavender is distilled into oil.
Next up, was Helvetia Lavender Farm, in Helvetia, which overlooks the scenic Tualatin Valley. The farm was abundant with activity - people were in the u-pick fields, visiting artisan booths and enjoying tea time on the deck. We made a stop by the kids’ craft area, where we made paper lavender cards. The visit was accentuated with live music from a local country/folk musician singing fun songs that left us in stitches.
The highlight of the day, as the kids will tell you, was the zip-line, where they swung through the tree lines. How cool is that??!!
Are you and your kids fans of cute and cuddly baby animals? Come on, who isn’t? For a chance to “ooh” and “ahh” over some particularly adorable characters, visit Alpacas of Oregon now to see their seven new baby alpacas, or crias, in a variety of colors. There are even four more crias on the way, so if you’re lucky you could see a live birth! Visitors are welcome to stop by for a tour, a cuddle with the babies, and to check out the shop filled with beautiful alpaca wool products. So, now that the kids are out of school, what are you waiting for?!
This recipe can be altered; the smaller amounts will yield a more mild soup.
Washington County, Ore., has a storied history, with eerie tales from pioneer days of the area’s earliest settlers. The most bone-chilling stories, however, are about ghostly spirits from more recent times.
* 
October 31: 
Are you and your kids fans of cute and cuddly baby animals? Come on, who isn’t? For a chance to “ooh” and “ahh” over some particularly adorable characters, visit