Tag: Alesong Brewing and Blending

Sweet Lorane Community News, July 18, 2019

July 18, 2019Newspaper Columns, , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Sweet Lorane Community News
July 18, 2019
By Pat Edwards

Such a busy, busy time in our area right now. From what I have heard, the Crow Car Show was a huge success this past week. They had more entries than they’ve ever had—144 this year, and the community support, according to Marissa McNutt Cooper, was exceptional.

Imprimis mailing labelThe Best of Show winner was Ken Jones with his lime green 1955 Chevy Nomad.

This year’s KidZone was especially popular with an inflatable obstacle course, a bounce-house, a National Guard rock climbing wall, face painting and yard games. Home Depot even came out and made tool boxes with the kids—a huge hit as well!

The proceeds of this annual event goes to assist all of the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District schools and students and a warm thank you is being extended to all of the sponsors and volunteers as well as attendees who made it possible.

I told you about our big Art in the Country Fine Art and Author Festival taking place on Saturday and Sunday, July 27 & 28, in last week’s column, so I wanted to give you some more information about the other area events being planned.

We just heard of a very interesting program that is being held at Alesong Brewing and Blending in Lorane called “Learning from Our Tribal Partners.” It’s being sponsored by the Siuslaw Watershed Council, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, and Alesong. It will take place on Wednesday, July 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

A description of the program was provided by the Siuslaw Watershed Council:

As we work with the goal of watershed restoration we must remember to listen to and work with those that managed it for thousands of years sustainably before we got here. The Siuslaw and Kalapuya people lived alongside each other in this area for thousands of years, hundreds of generations. Their cultures’ of respect and observation led to Ceremony that sustained the surrounding area for future generations. Come listen to Tribal Members of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians as they share knowledge of their watersheds, culturally relevant plants, and integrating traditional knowledge of their Ancestors into cultural and scientific practices to reach cooperative goals for the future generations of all our people…

https://www.facebook.com/events/2238503836262938/

On Saturday, August 3rd, the community of Lorane will be holding its Community-Wide Yard Sale. Anyone who wants to hold their sale at their own residence can be included on the map for free if you will register with the organizers. The Lorane Grange will also be renting tables for $10 each for those who want to sell their wares there. If you want to be included on the map, please send a Facebook message to Louise McClure or email her at LoraneSale@yahoo.com, or if you want to rent a table at the grange, call Jeri Porter at 541-942-2448

The Crow Grange will also be having their 11th annual Chicken ‘n Pickin’ Barbecue on Saturday, August 3rd. It will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the grange, so you can make it a full day of fun by going to both!

Music will be provided at the barbecue by the Poodle Creek Pickers and a mini-Classic Car Show featuring the Bent Rods Car Club will be on site. For more information, contact Connie Suing at csuing@hotmail.com or 541-556-2609.

Be sure and attend some of these local events. By doing so, you’ll be promoting and supporting your community in so many positive ways.

Sweet Lorane Community News, October 11, 2018

October 11, 2018Newspaper Columns, , , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
October 11, 2018
By Pat Edwards

How exciting! 4-H is coming back into the area… not just an individual club here and there, but a 4-H Community Club is forming in the Crow area. They’ve already held their open house this past Saturday at the Crow Grange—I didn’t hear about it until after I had submitted my column last week—but there’s still time to check out the groups that will be forming for kids K-12.

It brings back lots of good memories… I headed up a 4-H Community Club in Lorane in the 1980s. As community coordinator, it was my job to find out what interests kids in the area had and to find leaders to form groups. We had kids and leaders both signed up for not only livestock and cooking clubs, but sewing, leathercraft, dog obedience, guinea pigs, small engine repair, horsemanship, knitting, etc. Each of these groups met separately, but were all part of one big community club. I put out a newsletter each month telling about what groups were forming and which ones still needed leaders. Many members displayed or showed their projects at the annual Lane County 4-H Fair held at the fairgrounds. Those 10 years were one of the most rewarding parts of my life because I was able to work with so many of the kids and leaders. For more information, contact Jessica Colwell at 458-315-5946.

The Lorane Grange’s Spaghetti Dinner and Bingo is back on Friday, October 19 for a short fall run before the holidays. It begins with dinner at 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., immediately followed by bingo. Lil Thompson wants me to remind everyone to “Come enjoy a delicious meal and lots of fun and laughs at bingo.”

Applegate Elementary in Crow is hosting this year’s Harvest Festival on October 26th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The fun will include free carnival games, costume contests, trick-or-treating and a haunted house. If you would like to volunteer your time to help set-up, run a booth or a trick-or-treat door, please contact Marissa McNutt-Cooper as soon as possible.

On October 27, the large fundraiser for Cody Tripp is happening at the Crow Grange at 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. There will be a Swiss Steak dinner with homemade pumpkin pie ($18 per adult), doorprizes, and a huge silent auction. Cody, a 2013 graduate of Crow High School, is fighting a recurrence of the cancer that sidelined him in his senior year. Proceeds for the event will help defray some of the expenses incurred by his family. Loranian, Patrick Dearth, is serving as chairman and organizer of the event and can be contacted at 541-520-5383 if you have items to donate. The Lorane, Creswell and Crow Granges are sponsoring it jointly. Connie Suing, President of the Crow Grange, can be reached at 541-556-2609 if there are any questions about the event. Thank you to all who are working so hard to make this happen!

Halloween will be celebrated in Lorane on October 31 with the annual “Trunk or Treat” for kids and adults alike. It is sponsored by the Lorane Christian Church and all are invited to participate. Cars will be lined up in the church parking lot and treats will be made available to the ghosts and goblins that show up from their decorated trunks. For the adults, there is usually hot chocolate or apple cider and snacks. It’s a great way for country kids to be able to enjoy the fun of the holiday without being out on the dark roads in the area.

And, don’t forget… there are always bags of goodies handed out to the costumed superheroes, princesses and those same ghosts and goblins at the Lorane Family Store on Halloween night. It’s been our tradition to do that for the past 41 years.

Congratulations to Lorane’s own Alesong Brewing and Blending for bringing home three medals from the prestigious Great American Beer Festival last month in Denver, Colorado.

Sweet Lorane Community News, February 8, 2018

February 8, 2018Newspaper Columns, , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
February 8, 2018
By Pat Edwards

Lorane Country Cafe

Goodbye to the Lorane Country Cafe. Thanks for the memories!

 

We had a major event take place in Lorane this past week. We said goodbye to a piece of Lorane’s recent history when the Lorane Country Café was used for a practice burn by the Lorane and South Lane fire departments. I think that most agreed that although it was sad for those of us who have such good memories of stopping by for a delicious meal, usually cooked by Bette Giles or her son Dale, it was time. It had sat vacant for several years now, only being used occasionally by a private individual. Then the property was sold to Brian and Doug Coombs and veteran brewer, Matt Van Wyk of Alesong Brewing and Blending who built a nice new brew-pub building on the hillside above it. The café was deteriorating rapidly and when representatives of the fire groups contacted Alesong about using it for a practice burn, the owners felt it was the best option. In doing so, it provided the Lorane and South Lane Fire Departments much-needed practice on procedures they may face in real-life situations. There are pictures of the burn posted to the Lorane, Oregon Facebook page. Thank you to the participants for giving its demise a sense of purpose.

Mark your calendars: The Crow Booster Club is having a Bingo and Soup Dinner Fundraiser at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 10. Everyone is invited to attend.

A Little Bit of Lorane History: Lorane Country Café (written in 2006)
After seven long years of working after work and on weekends, Dale and Bette Giles opened the doors of their new restaurant, the Lorane Country Cafe. They located it next to their home and adjacent to the entrance to King Estate Winery on North Territorial Road. The property that had at one time been part of Bette’s family’s homestead. Dale had always promised Bette that someday he would build her a restaurant if she would run it and after moving back to Lorane from Alaska in 1979, they began the fulfillment of that promise. The bright and airy building seated 45 patrons and the full set of windows on the front overlooked fields and vineyards. They catered to local patrons who preferred good basic foods and in doing so, attracted others from Eugene, Cottage Grove, Veneta and other parts of Oregon looking for a good meal in a beautiful setting. They offered 3 daily specials and homemade pies, biscuits and soups. It was always difficult to find help at the store because of the rural location. Bette employed local people and in the summers she hired high school students. But she always believed that it is important for teenagers to participate in school activities during the school year. In an article for the Lane Electric Ruralite, Bette was quoted as saying, “I hate to see them tied up with work. Their high school years should be a special time in their lives. There is lots of time left for work.”

The Giles ran the restaurant for 17 years with the help of their two sons, Dale “Ben” and David, and their daughter Deeann Giles Brewer and eventually closed it in 2003 after not being able to find a buyer. In 2005, Richard Boyles purchased the land and building and at this writing, it is standing vacant, awaiting a new infusion of life. The Giles sold their home and other property at the same time and moved to Arizona where they have chosen to retire. Their daughter Deeann Brewer remains in Lorane with her husband Jeff and son Christopher Davis Brewer, and Dale, Jr. is currently living in Lake Havasu with his family. Their son, David, passed away in 2008. (From Sawdust and Cider to Wine, 2006)