A Guide to Bounty Hunting
When you’re traveling, it’s not always easy to discover and enjoy the food and drink bounties of an unfamiliar town. Unless you’re in Roseburg and jump on The Great Umpqua Food Trail.
Story by Brian Staffield Photos by Jonathan Cummings
One of the best things about travel is the opportunity it offers to discover and sample local food, beverages and culinary experiences in general.
But sometimes the challenge of finding hidden gems can wear you down enough that you settle for a seat in a booth in the same chain restaurant you could find in Anytown, America.
In Roseburg, the Great Umpqua Food Trail will help you avoid that fate. It’s a map to the culinary treasures of the Umpqua Valley (featuring suggested routes and itineraries) that will lead you straight to local restaurants, wineries, eateries, breweries, farms and other local artisans that take full advantage of the harvest of the valley.
And that harvest is abundant. Our temperate climate and rich soil types contribute to a diversity of crops that include berries, nuts, melons, apples, plums and, of course, the grapes and hops that have earned the Umpqua Valley its reputation as an outstanding destination for wine and beer tasting.
The Great Umpqua Food Trail includes several farms that offer U-pick produce for anyone wanting to harvest their own fruit and vegetables. (Due to COVID-19 some farms have updated their public picking procedures, so calling ahead is a good idea.) You’ll find plenty of produce stands as well.
So what’s in season, when? You’ll find cherries, blueberries, peaches and apricots in July, and some will carry over into August, which also brings some early apples, pears, plums, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes and cucumbers. When the weather cools in September and October look for pumpkin, corn, hazelnuts and winter squash.
Of course, if you’re more in the mood to just relax and have someone serve you great food, much of it from local sources, you’ll find plenty of great local restaurants on the Great Umpqua Food Trail as well.
Whether you’re a local or visitor, great fresh produce and local restaurants and wineries are among the many natural wonders of the Umpqua Valley, and you can find them easily with the help of the Great Umpqua Food Trail.
Wine tasting at River’s Edge
A Weekend on the Trail
Here’s one way to enjoy the Great Umpqua Food Trail.
Start your adventure at the Umpqua Valley Farmers’ Market in Roseburg. On a typical Saturday, the market features local honey, pasta makers and other local artisans, in-season produce, fresh baked goods, food trucks, local meat, live plants and much more. In a single trip you’ll be able to take home breakfast, lunch and possibly dinner ingredients for a week.
Now you’re off to any of the nearby wineries. Foon Estate Winery is just a short drive from the farmers’ market. From there you’re a short hop over the South Umpqua River to Season’s Wine Cellar and Oran Mor Artisan Mead, the ideal place to try a flight of meads produced with local honey and other ingredients.
Next stop is Growing Miracles Lavender Farm where you’ll find lavender-based items and hazelnuts. Swing by JosephJane Winery for more sampling or to pick up a bottle of lavender-infused wine.
From there, enjoy the scenic drive along the majestic Umpqua River out to Elkton where a stop at Tomaselli’s Pastry Mill & Café for lunch and pastries is a must. Grab your food to go, if you wish, and enjoy them at one or all of three in-town wineries— River’s Edge, Brandborg and Bradley Vineyard. Another great dining option, Outpost Café, is inside another local attraction, the Elkton Butterfly Pavilion.
U-pick produce at Brosi’s
By now, it’s probably time to head back to Roseburg. On the way, be sure to stop by Estill Farms near Drain and grab some fresh or frozen blueberries.
Once back in downtown Roseburg, swing by Umpqua Sweets and Treats and grab some tasty and sweet souvenirs to bring back to friends and family. Then it’s a short walk around the block to Old Soul Pizza, where the outstanding wood-fired pizza pairs nicely with local beer or wine.
If you’re looking for truly unique accommodations for your weekend, pre-book a stay at legendary Steamboat Inn (thesteamboatinn.com) and enjoy a spectacularly scenic
40-mile drive along the North Umpqua River. Sunday morning, enjoy a full breakfast menu accompanied by local coffee from Takelma Roasting.
Over breakfast, plan another full day along the Great Umpqua Food Trail. Maybe pick your own produce at Brosi’s Sugar Tree Farm or grab a growler for home from Two-Shy Brewery or Backside Brewery.
Given the options are almost limitless, your best plan at this point may be to just slow down and spend another night in the Umpqua Valley.
Create your own weekend food trail itineraries or follow one of three suggested journeys at greatumpquafoodtrail.com. Explore other Oregon Food Trails at oregonfoodtrails.com.
Share and show off your Great Umpqua Food Trail selections by hash tagging your social media posts #ExperienceRoseburg and #GreatUmpquaFoodTrail.
