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A Closer Look at Our Cities: Sherwood

March 6th, 2012 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan

The Lavender Tea House transports visitors to a bygone era.

Located in the southern part of Oregon’s Washington County, minutes from the college town of Newberg, is the small city of Sherwood.  With a population of more than 16,000, this city is steeped in tradition, and the historic “Old Town” is the community’s center. Antique and specialty shops, a tea house and historic buildings all serve as reminders of Americana and small-town living from another era.

Dine
For breakfast, lunch or dinner, visit  Fat Milo’s Family Kitchen, which prepares its entrees with seasonal ingredients. Or enjoy a spot of tea, scone and finger sandwich in a 126-year-old Queen Anne Victorian cottage at the Lavender Tea House (pictured). (For a complete list of restaurants in the area, visit our “Dining” section.)

Shop
Located in the rural landscape of Sherwood is Sleighbells Gift Shop, a year-round Christmas and all-season holiday gift shop featuring collectibles, decorations, gourmet food and fudge. Antique shops in Sherwood include the Railroad Street Antique Mall, set in the heart of Sherwood’s Old Town.

Sip
Sherwood is making a splash in with its award-winning and celebrated wineries. With six wineries (and counting), this burgeoning wine destination is worthy of exploration.

Alloro Vineyards, in Sherwood, Oregon, is one of several wineries in Washington County offering special Valentine's weekend tastings.

• Alloro Vineyard  (also pictured) (open Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment)
• Anam Cara Cellars (open during special events and by appointment only)
• Barron-Wahl Vineyards (starting in July, open Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., please call in advance)
• Beckham Estate Vineyard (contact winery for information)
• Blakeslee Vineyard Estate (open by appointment only)
• Hawks View Cellars (open by appointment only)
• Quailhurst Vineyard Estate (open Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you’re more into suds than grapes, visit Two Kilts Brewing Company, Sherwood’s only brewery tasting room.

Explore
Rich, fertile soils–perfect for growing various produce, plants, flowers, and, yes, wine grapes–give way to several “U-pick” farms featuring berries, flowers, gourds and more, depending on the season.  Check out these agriculture-related attractions to explore in Sherwood.

Oregon’s Washington County’s only national wildlife refuge, the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, also resides here. This national refuge features restored habitats, walking trails and is home to more than 200 species of birds, mammals, reptiles and insects.

Play
Each year, Sherwood plays host to various events that showcase the fun, quirky spirit of this small town.

• Tualatin River Bird Festival (May 18-20) is a three-day event featuring speakers, hands-on activities and photo opportunities for all ages.
• Robin Hood Festival (July 20-21, 2012) is a two-day event featuring a parade, games, medieval court, archery competitions, contests, crowning of a Maid Marian and more.
• Dressage at Devonwood (July 20-22), of one the most prestigious horse competitions in the state, is held annually at the DevonWood Equestrian Centre.
• The Great Onion Festival returns to Sherwood this October, and features activities centered around onions, such as cooking contests, and eating contests (keep the tissues handy).

There are plenty of reasons to visit Sherwood while in Oregon, and dozens of reasons to come back! Use our Trip Planner tool to plan your Oregon’s Washington County and Sherwood getaway today.

Tags: alloro vineyard, Anam Cara, antiques, Barron-Wahl, Beckham Estate, brewery, DevonWood Equestrian, Dressage at DevonWood, Events, farm store, farms, Fat Milo's Kitchen, Hawks View Cellars, horse events, Lavender Tea House, Old Town, Oregon wine, Oregon's Washington County, Quailhurst Estate, Railroad Street Antique Mall, Robin Hood Festival, Sherwood, Shopping, Sleighbells Gift Shop, Sleighbells of Sherwood, tasting room, tea, teahouse, Tualatin River Bird Festival, u-pick farms, washington county, wine, wine tasting, Wineries, winery
Posted in Attractions, Events, Nature, Restaurants, Shopping, Wineries | No Comments »

Hidden Treasures of Washington County

January 27th, 2009 by Rhiannon

Last Friday, I gave a colleague who is new to the area a tour of Washington County, which I touted as a “Hidden Gems of Washington County” tour. The purpose of this tour was to show-off parts of the region that, for one reason or another, seem to be overlooked.

What I didn’t expect was that I was going to be amazed by this tour. I discovered new things about the places I’ve been talking about for more than a year. Because I have a child-like enthusiasm for things, I will share these discoveries with you.

Did you know that Tigard, Ore. based Stash Tea (yes, the same Stash Tea you find in your local supermarket) has more than 200 loose-leaf teas in its retail shop located near Bridgeport Village? There you can taste the three selected teas of the day. Also, the tea company has a personal relationship with the farmers from whom it gets the tea leaves, rather than purchasing the leaves in bulk from a wholesaler. In addition, Stash Tea doesn’t use any artificial ingredients in the teas, so I can sip my cup of “Double Bergamot Earl Grey” tea with a clear conscience.

The “hidden gems” tour also included a stop at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. This sanctuary for migrating and indigenous birds, waterfowl and mammals is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I enjoyed the interpretive center, which opened nearly a year ago. The display gave a nice overview of the U.S. refuge system and the history of birds and mammals in the Portland area and how the development of the area by humans has affected many indigenous species. And, because I love to shop, I didn’t leave the gift shop without purchasing a couple of books about the birds of Oregon. 

For lunch, we stopped in the Lavender Tea House in Sherwood, Ore. This quaint tea house, located in the heart of Old Town, is a renovated home and serves traditional “high tea” staples, such as scones, tea sandwiches, and, of course, tea. However, what makes this place unique is its new baker program.
 
The concept allows entrepreneurial bakers to use the Lavender Tea House’s new industrial kitchen – for a fee – and showcase their creations at the tea house’s bakery. So far, a handful of stay-at-home mothers have signed up for the program. More information about this program is available on the Lavender Tea House website.

The day of exploring ended with a wine tasting at the new Barron-Wahl winery, also in Sherwood. Owned by Gordon Barron and Bill Wahl, with the wine created by renowned Oregon winemaker Joe Dobbs, Barron-Wahl’s pinot noir is one to keep your eye on.

Don’t just take my word for it, come explore for yourself. Or, better yet, tell us about your hidden treasures of Washington County.

Tags: bakery, Barron-Wahl, Lavender Tea House, new wineries, Stash Tea, tea, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Wineries
Posted in Family Fun, Food & Drink, Shopping, Wineries | 1 Comment »