Among the heroes of these unprecedented times are Oregon’s farmers and ranchers. These hard-working families have continued togrow their crops, care for their animals, and provide food for society, along with other vital agricultural products.
Now more than ever, Oregonians are searching for locally grown vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, honey, and other products like flowering baskets, vegetable starts, and bedding plants.
Oregon’s Bounty, at OregonFB.org/oregonsbounty, is a searchable directory of nearly 300 family farms and ranches that sell food, foliage, and other ag products directly to the public.
“Oregon’s Bounty includes farm stands and CSAs from across the entire state, and the directory includes contact information,” said Anne Marie Moss, Oregon Farm Bureau communications director.
“It’s important to check with a farm online or by email or phone before visiting to see if their opening date has changed. Farms and ranches that are selling to the public will be taking every precaution to make sure their products, their customers, their employees, their families, and themselves remain as healthy and safe as possible. Some farm stands may have specific instructions for customers, such as online ordering or pickup options,” said Moss.
Spring favorites that are in season now include asparagus, rhubarb, salad greens, artichokes, radishes, mushrooms, flowering baskets, bedding plants, vegetable starts — with Oregon-grown strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries not far behind.
Oregon’s Bounty allows visitors to do keyword searches for specific ag products — such as blueberries, cucumbers, honey, or eggs — and/or search for farms and ranches within a specific region of the state.
“While so much of society has come to a stand-still, Farm Bureau members are #StillFarming and #StillRanching, and for that, we are all very grateful,” said Moss. “A lot has changed but the love Oregonians have for locally sourced food has not. We encourage everyone to support their local farms and ranches and to continue enjoying Oregon’s incredible agricultural bounty.”