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SAFE SNUGGLES L O C A L LY C R A F T E D B A B Y N E S T S
DIY TEARDROP TRAILER A Project for Summer Fun
BAKERY BARN
Delicious Delights in the Applegate
BORN IN THE PNW Sunday Afternoons Hats
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GRAPHIC DESIGN Paul Bunch & Amy Tse
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N O R T H W E S T
PUBLISHER & CEO Steven Saslow
EDITOR Jenna Benton ASSISTANT EDITOR Alisha Vosburg
SALES SUPERVISOR Laura Perkins CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jenna Benton Buffy Pollock Alisha Vosburg CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Lahna Marie Photography Steve Johnson, Visual Images Gallery Christine Sarah Photography Sunday Afternoons Hats Amanda Schmeck
Distinctly Northwest Magazine is published by the Rosebud Media Advertising Department 111 N. Fir Street, Medford, OR 97501
It’s Summer! What a crazy ride 2020 has been. I’ve had the privilege of working as the Editor of Distinctly Northwest Magazine for a full year, and I am more convinced than ever that we will never run out of inspiring stories to tell. I’m so proud to live in Southern Oregon, and I’m consistently blown away by the tenacity and commitment to excellence that I see in the businesses who have put down roots here. I’m also grateful to work with an amazing team here at Rosebud Media. I’d like to introduce you to one of DNW’s new graphic designers, Paul Bunch. Paul used to be part of the Rosebud family, and has recently come back to us. He is an accomplished professional, and we’re lucky to have him on staff to continue to create the gorgeous layouts our little magazine has become known for. It’s a difficult time for many, and our love and support goes out to every hard working entrepreneur, employee and business owner in our beautiful valley. This edition is a bit different because we weren’t able to access our usual print services. But we carried on, and we stayed committed to bringing you the content you’ve grown to expect from our little magazine. We hope to bring you another beautiful print issue for the fall, but for now please enjoy this online edition. And as always, please support the businesses you find here. It’s because of them that we can continue to celebrate our region with great stories and gorgeous photos. May you find many things to be thankful for, and may you and your loved ones be healthy and strong.
@jennabentonwriter
GENERAL INFORMATION: 541.776.4422 To advertise in this magazine, contact Laura Perkins 541.776.4447 • lperkins@rosebudmedia.com Reproduction is prohibited without the permission of the publisher
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RICH IN PIE AND PEOPLE
Pennington Farms
SOUTHERN OREGON CAMPING IN STYLE
DIY Teardrop Trailer
CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR BABIES / f eat u re
Amelia Rose & Co.
HATS FOR OUTDOOR LOVERS
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SUSTAINABLE FARMING IN ASHLAND
A Family Owned Business in Talent
Uproot Meats
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CHECKING IN ONE YEAR LATER
Forage Coffee Co.
ON THE COVER: Piper (left) and Penelope (right) kick back in their baby nests by Amelia Rose & Co. Photo by Amanda Schmeck.
Photography by Amanda Schmeck
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PENNINGTON From Peonies FARMS to Pies D I S T I N C T LY
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hen I arrive at the bakery barn, Sam Pennington is heading out to the fields, his wife Cathy is packaging jars of jam for a mail order, and their daughter Sloane is finishing a batch of cookies.
After Cathy tapes up the last box, we move to a table near the bakery entrance. A woman enters to pick up a birthday cake for her daughter’s thirtieth. Cathy waves her hand at the counter laden with berry pies on doilies and layer cakes in glass display cloches. She smiles, “Relationships are my favorite part of this.” Cathy loves imagining people receiving gifts of baked goods. Recently, a man bought his mother a Pennington cake for her 93rd birthday—she hadn’t had a birthday cake since she was a teenager. Cathy recalls her own childhood and says her love of baking likely began when she baked cakes for her brothers, who paid more attention to her when cake was involved.
Sam & Cathy Pennington
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Even in the time of quarantine, Pennington Farm’s sliding door opens consistently with people coming for pies, pre-ordered birthday cakes, or maybe an impulse Americano from the new espresso machine.
She laughs, “Bakers are the ultimate people pleasers.” And hard workers. The huge chalkboard behind the counter displays a hand-written menu and “Sam’s thoughts.” Today’s thought reads: “No coulda, shoulda, woulda.” Many of Sam’s thoughts end up on the Pennington T-shirts. Their merchandise— like all aspects of their business—grew bit by bit. Pennington Farms as it is today wasn’t
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the original plan. Cathy laughs, “Most businesses have a business plan. We’re the opposite of that.” In fact, if you had stopped by the farm when it opened in 1993, you wouldn’t find pies. You’d find flowers. After Sam and Cathy married in the ‘80s, they moved from Sam’s home state of Hawaii back to Cathy’s home state of Colorado, where they started working for her family’s company. They had a mortgage to pay and kids to raise. Then Cathy gave Sam the book, Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow. Sam said, “You know what I love to do? Propagate plants.” In Hawaii, everything had grown. In Denver—well….Sam started by planting their entire suburban yard
with lilies. Then he approached the top florist in town who said she needed hydrangeas and peonies— so he planted those. The flowers sold, and soon, the Pennington’s were wholesaling to nationwide distributors. When Sam and Cathy bought what is now Pennington Farms in the Applegate Valley of Oregon, they intended to continue planting flowers and selling them at the local growers markets. On a whim, Sam planted berries because he thought the family would enjoy them. And then he planted more berries. They began selling tayberry and loganberry jam at the growers market. But people kept asking for raspberry and blackberry jam, so Sam kept planting. Even after selling berries, there were too many for even a family of seven
to eat. With the excess fruit, the Pennington’s started making jam. Then pies. Though they still sell flowers to local florist Penny & Lulu, the farm is now known for its berries and baked goods. It was a slow evolution. Cathy says, “Almost twenty years in, and it still feels like we’re only half-way there.” And new ideas keep coming. Like the nods to Hawaii: Lion’s coffee, Pali sandals, and the Palaka plaid used on gift boxes. This red-andwhite plaid was worn like denim by workers on Hawaiian plantations in the early 1900’s—a good fit both for the Pennington’s signature red logo and for celebrating their own workers. As Cathy mentions this, she adds, “We always want to keep our crew employed and pay them sustainable wages.” And they do; the same continued on page 9
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berry pickers have worked on the farm for decades. A couple walks in, and Cathy greets them by name. While they shop, she tells me, “You can buy great jam anywhere. But it’s all about the relationships.” From their crew to their customers, the Pennington’s love the people of the Applegate. It’s a distinctive nook in the Northwest, where regulars might be long-term ranchers or tattooed #VanLife hipsters. The Pennington family offers something sweet to anyone who walks through their door, stops by their farm stand, or places a mail order. “We’re all given gifts,” Cathy says. “When we use those gifts for others—that’s success. You wouldn’t start a farm or a bakery for riches. It’s about the lifestyle and relationships.”
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Author’s Note: I can vouch for the wonderful relationships the Pennington’s create. Once upon a summer growers market, I met my fiancé at their farm stand. Of course, we’ll be serving Pennington pie at the wedding. ■
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Like their Instagrammable treats, the Pennington lifestyle is a rich one—rich in pies and people and everything in between.
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BUFFY POLLOCK
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STEVE JOHNSON, VISUAL IMAGES GALLERY
TEARDROP CAMPER DIY
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devoted lifelong tent camper, Southern Oregon renowned photographer Steve Johnson “leveled up” in the world of tent camping last year when he built his own custom “teardrop camper.” Not looking for a full-on RV experience, the teardrop was a way to hone in on all the things he loved about tent camping (albeit with more comfortable sleeping quarters) and the ability to set up for summer camping convenience without the tiring setup-take-down hassle each and every time. An avid fisherman and cyclist, Johnson saw his first teardrop two summers ago at Hyatt Lake and couldn’t shake the notion that he could probably build one. What ensued was both a fun family project for Johnson and his wife and teen daughter and a unique opportunity to design his ultimate camp setup. Beginning with a basic utility trailer, Johnson drew his design idea on graph paper and perused Pinterest for ideas. Teardrop campers have their own cult following and a myriad of groups and DIY sites for enthusiasts.
Steve Johnson “You can buy plans online, but I made my own. It’s basically a covered frame with plywood. I cut out the sides. I used a fire door from a home theater. I took my drawing inside and set up a screen and projected my drawing onto the actual plywood,” says Johnson. Heavily insulated plywood layers and sheet metal siding finished in red and black – to match Johnson’s beloved Jeep – provide a color scheme. Even his lawn chairs and extension cords are continued on page 12
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in red and black, he quips. From end to end, Johnson designed his teardrop camper for comfort and convenience. “My concept was that I wanted to be able to have everything I needed for camping – down to the ice chest and lawn chairs that tuck inside – ready to go,” Johnson says. “I wanted to be able for us to come home on a Friday afternoon, decide we wanted to go camping and all we would have to do is drive to Albertson’s to get food and then leave.” Perhaps most importantly, the camper shell is large enough for a full-size memory foam bed.
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Johnson says his 6’2 frame sleeps – surprisingly – comfortably. From start to finish, the project took four months. A visit online to sale sites revealed that Johnson’s $4,000 project would have cost him closer to $22,000 if purchased from a lot. The advantage to building his own, in addition to saving money, was to be able to add custom features. A focal point of campouts, the teardrop’s kitchen is accessorized with a DeLonghi espresso maker and accompanying bean grinder, stacking Magma stainless steel cookware, a 10day Yeti cooler and a freezer, both purchased to fit beneath the counter area.
Countertops at the rear of the camper, inside a compact kitchen area beneath a metal hatch, are decked out with vintage style boomerang pattern Formica in contrasting shades of red and grey. A white Baltic birch over maple frame contrasts the color of the Formica and deflects heat on hot afternoons.
A novelty for most, Johnson was surprised how easy and fun it was to build the tiny camper and is fielding build requests from close friends and family. Even campsite rangers are intrigued with his custom camper.
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“The first day was beautiful. Second day was cold. The third night we woke up and there was snow on the ground. We went to bed in our sweats and woke up at 3 a.m. and we were roasting. Everyone else got rained on and they were so cold. We didn’t say a word because we were just so warm and cozy and dry!”
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“We started building in mid-February and June 6, Howard Prairie was our maiden voyage,” Johnson says.
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A Marshall speaker rounds out the offering of good food and cold drink with quality music sound for ambiance. A large marine cell battery provides power when plug-ins aren’t available offering several days of power. Low power LED lights for porch lights and interior lighting use minimal power while high quality insulation rivals that of quality RV campers.
“I’ve had rangers come up when I pull into a tent site and I think, ‘Oh, boy, here we go,’” he says. “But they’re like everyone else. They just want to see it!” Johnson says he and his wife have yet to miss the days of air mattresses, cold weather and setting up camp. “We tent camped for years but after this… there’s no going back! It’s a game changer.” ■
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JENNA BENTON CHRISTINE SARAH PHOTOGRAPHY
HANDMADE in Southern Oregon
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Monica Burton world full time. Amelia Rose & Company was born. “My biggest challenge was with finances,” says Monica. “There was no budget for marketing, advertising, or extra wiggle room to have a stockpile of supplies. I learned to do almost everything by myself. I listened to podcasts about business, and how to market my business on social media. I watched YouTube videos on how to make my own fabric labels instead of buying them from someone else. I did anything and everything I could to cut my expenses.”
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Meanwhile, Monica and her husband welcomed baby Amelia Rose to their family. At night, the couple would use rolled blankets and pillows to create walls between them and their infant in bed. Feeling a little nervous about the arrangement, Monica decided to research safer co-sleeping alternatives. She found an option for a beautiful baby nest online that was way out of her price range, so she got to work designing one of her own. It took roughly 5 different designs using eco-friendly fabric, but eventually she created one that worked perfectly. Monica was still on maternity leave from her job and before she knew it, she started receiving requests from friends for their own custom baby nests. On March 18th, 2019 Monica applied for a business license and dove into the entrepreneurial
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hen Amelia Rose & Company’s founder, Monica Burton, was pregnant with her fourth child (and first girl), she started dreaming about all the fun, girly things she wanted to buy for her new baby. She was a little strapped for cash, so the Southern Oregon mom purchased a used sewing machine for $40 and decided to teach herself how to sew. She started with burp cloths and blankets, then moved on to bibs and car seat covers.
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talker, and I stand there awkwardly and just smile and wave.”
“It was a major challenge for me to find my voice,” says Monica. “I’ve never felt like I’ve fit into a certain group, or belonged with any clique. So being the face and speaker of my own business and trying to convince people that I had something awesome to offer was terrifying! Still when we go to conventions, my husband is the salesman and smooth
“My oldest told his teacher that he was thankful for my sewing, because I was able to fix a pair of his favorite pajamas,” laughs Monica. “I love that my boys get to see their mom work hard. My 6 year old asks me if he can help me almost daily, and he even brings his own business ideas to me so I can set up his own shop for him.”
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Like most modern entrepreneurs, Monica realized that her biggest opportunity to reach new customers was through social media. She launched a gorgeous feed on Instagram, and began connecting with her followers through beautiful posts and videos. She also recruited her husband to accompany her to conventions and other live selling opportunities.
Working from her dining room table has been a good thing for Monica’s family. Her husband was in the fire academy full time when the pandemic hit, but Monica was able to offer a stable business for her family while staying home to care for them.
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Monica acknowledges that starting a business is not for everyone. She admits there were moments she was tempted to give up, but the drive to serve other moms and the ability to work from home far outweighed the risk and fear. “I love when a customer sends me pictures of their sweet baby using my product,” smiles Monica. “And I love getting an email from a mama expressing how impressed she is with the quality of my
products. At the end of the day, I’m offering peace of mind with my products, giving mamas an extra hand by supplying a safe space to lay their baby.” To learn more about Monica’s company, you can connect with her on Instagram @ ameliaroseandco or you can visit her website at www.ameliaroseandco.com. Readers of Distinctly Northwest Magazine can save 15% off any website order by using code DNW15. ■
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ALISHA VOSBURG PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUNDAY AFTERNOONS HATS
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SUNDAY AFTERNOONS
Hold on to your hat
I challenge you Rogue Valley, to do a quick online search of outdoor hats. You won’t need to hunt for long before you discover a company called Sunday Afternoons. Their hats are found in familiar and reputable stores like REI and L.L. Bean, but they are LOCAL. That’s right, 100% born and based in Southern Oregon. Headquartered in Talent, with a retail shop in Ashland, I was an immediate fan of this incredible company. When I say, “immediate fan,” I mean I bought four hats the first time I visited their website. True story. What is it about them that’s so impressive? For starters, as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, they quickly procured 200,000 face masks for our regional hospitals. TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND. This company gives back to the local and global communities like no other. Sarah Sameh, CEO of Sunday Afternoons says, “We wouldn’t be in business if it wasn’t for our love of the outdoors. Now more than ever, wild places need our help.” As a result of this mindset, they avidly support conservation of “the land, water, and skies that sustain us all” and donate to many local organizations. Among them: Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center (KS Wild), Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, Rogue
Sarah Sameh Valley Farm to School, Bee Girl (see Bee Girl feature in the winter 2020 issue of Distinctly Northwest) and The Freshwater Trust. This company doesn’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk. In fact, they donated all online Earth Day sales (100%) to KS Wild, whose mission is to protect and restore wild nature in Northern California and Southern Oregon. What else do I love about Sunday Afternoons? Their hats! Known for their innovative technical designs, Sunday Afternoons creates headwear that protects from any outdoor element. Most of their continued on page 25
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Choice Award to the “Adventure Storm Hat,” designed for the rainiest of weather. Sunday Afternoon hats have been featured in Outside Magazine, The New York Times, Gear Junkie and Runner’s World just to name a few of the notable places you can find them reviewed and recommended.
As they near their 30th Anniversary they are still a family-owned company, who most values the team of hardworking, optimistic people creating products to celebrate the outdoors and “enhance everyday adventure.” Sarah explains, “Family is incredibly important to us and that includes our employees, customers, partners, and suppliers around the world.” They now have over 140 unique hat styles, can be found in 51 countries, and continue to receive accolades from leading global publications. Backpacker Magazine recently awarded its coveted Editors’
Did I mention the “Hold on to Your Hat” guarantee? As if I wasn’t already their biggest fan they went and guaranteed materials and workmanship on their hats FOR LIFE. Yep, you read that right. LIFE. Sarah is grateful to the community and says, “Southern Oregon residents and businesses are incredibly loyal, and we wouldn’t be here without them.” That may be true, but only the best businesses earn our trust and respect. It’s easy to see why Sunday Afternoons is one of the best. ■
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The history of this humble, homegrown business began in a family garage. And it didn’t start with hats – it started with blankets. The “Adventure Blanket” sold out as fast as Robbin and Angeline Lacy could make them. They had so many fabric scraps from
blankets, they decided to make them into hats. Business exploded and they shifted their focus to hats where it has remained ever since. It’s been 28 years since the Lacys founded Sunday Afternoons and today their children, who played on those original blankets, all have leadership roles in the company.
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hats offer UPF 50+ sun protection and many are water-repellent and insulated with wide brims or protective neck capes. My personal favorite are the beautiful Artist Series Trucker hats. Each one is the equivalent of wearing a work of art. Inspired by seasonal color palettes, each showcases a different artistic style like wood blocking, illustration or watercolor. When my son and I wear ours (he has the “Shorebreak” and I have the “Mountain” style) we can hardly get out of the house before they are complimented. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, you need to see them to believe them.
Sarah, who has been at the helm of the company since 2015, understands that “Along with unprecedented growth comes considerable responsibility—to take care of our employees, give back and protect wild places we love, and reduce the impact we have as a brand.” To that end, they collaborate continuously with vendors, third-party auditors, and industry organizations to lessen environmental impacts and improve employee wellbeing at their manufacturing facilities. They are proud members of both the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and are committed to making meaningful changes, whenever and wherever possible.
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TASTING SUNSHINE D I S T I N C T LY
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rista Vegter grew up in Santa Clara, California and relished growing up amidst a sea of endless orchards and rich agriculture. As the region began to step into the computer revolution, the Silicon Valley took center stage, and Krista watched as towering tech companies took the place of her beloved rows of fruitbearing trees.
“In college I was exposed to the concept that the food we choose to put in our bodies directly relates to our physical and mental health,” says Krista. “I wanted to educate others and provide my family with organic food, while also offering it to others within my community.” Krista found an oak meadow hillside in Ashland, Oregon and decided to start her farm, Uproot Meats. It’s the perfect place where beauty meets function, and Krista has built a small scale, sustainable business model that serves the Rogue Valley with free range, slow grown chicken and pork.
Krista Vegter
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After the loss of her father to lung cancer, Krista also grieved the loss of their shared dream to move to Oregon and grow food together.
“In today’s world, it’s hard to find clean protein that is locally sourced and ethically raised,” says Krista. “We help take the guesswork out of mealtime by delivering clean, nutrient-dense meat to our customers’ doorsteps.” Krista says her meat is lower in fat and doesn’t have the fillers that imported pork may contain. Her secret? She doesn’t use cheap fillers to speed up growth or increase size. continued on page 28
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“We use locally grown crops to feed our animals,” smiles Krista. “We care about the planet, and we do everything we can to promote health for the land and the people who live here. You can actually taste the difference.”
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Krista has taken care to care for her soil like she cares for her pigs and chickens. She says her pigs have a sweet tooth and are drawn to the sugars on the sweet tops of their root vegetable pasture. “This dual purpose hardy taproot system provides a double dipping effect,” says Krista. “And this gives our taproot and soil system the ability to repair and regulate soil health.” On any given Saturday, Krista can be found in her trademark overalls, serving her customers at the Saturday Market in Ashland. During this time of Covid-19, she also offers local delivery for a fee to those who are immune compromised. continued on page 31
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Additionally, you can learn more about their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box. This is a great way to support a local farmer by signing up for a monthly delivery of quality meat. One of Krista’s CSA members said it best when she exclaimed, “You can taste the sunshine.” ■
WILD!
Plenty of space to stay safe and explore!
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If you’d like to know more about this thriving local business, or you are looking for links to some delicious recipes such as “Jalapeno marinated grilled pork chops” and “Peruvian style grilled chicken,” check out Krista’s website at www.uprootmeats. com. They currently have a limited supply available of their 50 pound seasonal chicken boxes, and have just opened up their pre-purchase reservation list for whole and half pigs for the fall and winter season.
Explore the
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“I’ve always wanted to be a farmer,” says Krista. “Some day I hope to have the ability to provide access to people who don’t have the privilege of affording locally raised and organic nutrients such as my meats.”
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JENNA BENTON LAHNA MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY
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Circling Back to
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ast summer Distinctly Northwest Magazine went through a time of transition and rebranding, and we decided to highlight and celebrate the businesses that serve our region with excellence. We went on the hunt for members of our Southern Oregon community who were doing interesting things in unique ways. They all exhibited the kind of “can do” spirit that is so prevalent in the Rogue Valley. It has been an incredible year for our little publication, and we have enjoyed getting to know our neighbors by listening to what they love and where they shop, visit and eat. In June of 2019 when we were looking for a good cover story, we stumbled upon a new little coffee shop in Medford. This former Texaco station had been transformed into a light and bright space, where delicious pastries and amazing coffee were served up in style, alongside an assortment of beautiful plants. A place where we could buy plants and coffee? We were hooked. A year later we checked back in with the boys over at Forage Coffee Company to find out what they’ve learned and what they still love about serving up delicious
Jacob Terando & Mason Faulconer coffee to their neighbors. Jacob Terando and Mason Faulconer are still working their tails off, and they still have smiles on their faces. They must be doing something right! We were intrigued, so we sat down and asked Jacob a few questions. DNW: What have you learned over the past year? Jacob: Partnerships can be hard...unless continued on page 34
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you make it easy. What I mean by this is that, for us, the partnership has been hard at times and very easy at times. The key to success is communication and respect. The key to hardship and frustration is miscommunication and lack of respect. Every time we start to think that the other is less important or less valuable we run into strife. We, however, have never had any problems ever because we love each other so, so, so much! DNW: So what would you have done differently, if you were given the chance? Jacob: Basically everything except for all of it. For Forage it was a "Is that gonna work? I don't know, let’s try it
anyway!" kind of operation. Having little to no idea what we were doing allowed us to "break all the rules" of what it means to run a successful business. However, we have learned to do the conventionally wise, dutiful aspects of running a business (bookkeeping, taxes, payroll, spreadsheets etc.) that have allowed our uniqueness to shine even brighter because we now have the proper business acumen. So we would have done a lot differently, but the experience and wisdom we gain by failing and making mistakes is so cherished that I probably wouldn't change how it all happened. DNW: What do you think you did right? What are you proud of ?
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Jacob: For us the proof is in the pudding... or the coffee. We serve an excellent product, have a great atmosphere, and and have incredible employees. We have wonderful relationships with people in the community and we love what we do. But anyone can do that really. What we really did right is try. We gave this place everything, literal blood sweat and tears and also allllll of our time. It is our baby...we love it...so what we did right was love and care for our baby. To learn more about Forage Coffee Company, you can find them on social media or visit their website at www.foragecoffeeco.com. â–
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