A Little Taste of Oregon!
The Holstein World is in Oregon this weekend to cover the Western Fall National Holstein Show being held in conjunction with the Oregon State Fair in Salem, OR. Before the show takes place on Monday, there was time for a quick trip to out to Tillamook and the Oregon coast.
Tillamook is the home of the Tillamook County Creamery Association which produces and markets the aptly-named Tillamook Cheese. Farmer owned since 1909, the organization has built an award-winning Visitor’s Center as part of their production facility. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Oregon and welcomes nearly 1 million people a year. If you feel the general consumer is no longer enthusiastic about dairy products, you MUST stop here! On this beautiful afternoon, the parking lot was jammed, there were lines inside to buy ice cream, cheese, fudge – everything!
The first thing you notice when you walk in is the very sizeable line of people waiting to buy ice cream cones!
The Visitor’s Center offers plenty to see and do – from a self-guided tour of the cheese making area and cheese sample counter to a cheese store and gift shop. The gift shop features a wide variety of housewares, home decor and things for the kids. An impressive variety of apparel touts Tillamook Cheese!
Another very, very popular stop was the sample counter. Two lines handle the steady stream of people flocking in to partake of the samples.
Perfectly placed at the end of the sample counter…is the cheese store where you can buy any variety of sizes of your sample favorites. The staff was very friendly and constantly working to keep the presentation immaculate.
Throughout the center, the Association constantly reminds consumers of the cows and farmers that produce all of these dairy products. There was a notable emphasis on educating the public about dairy producers’ efforts in the realm of animal welfare, responsible environmental practices and agriculture’s role in conservation.
The observation area upstairs continued the educational theme as it explored the history of dairying in the Tillamook area, explained the cheesemaking process and tracked the historical highlights of the creamery. The production line was very limited because of the holiday weekend, but visitors did get an idea of the scope of the business.
Another ice cream counter upstairs in the observation area and another long line!
The beautifully-designed company logo is another constant reminder of the ladies behind the production of all these delicious high-quality products.
A dairy producer’s dream: group after group after group of people ALL eating dairy products! That’s the reality here at the Tillamook Cheese Visitor’s Center – everywhere you looked!
The obvious lesson is that the general public is in love with our dairy products. They want to enjoy them and they want to feel a connection to the cows and to the dairy farmers. When the production from the farm to the factory is explained in an interesting and engaging manner and when the product is served at an appropriate temperature in a beautiful setting – the public cannot get enough!
Full of cheese and feeling fantastic about the positive message presented about the dairy industry…it was time for a visit to the Pacific Ocean! Tillamook is only about six miles from the ocean and you see dairy cattle scattered throughout pastures along the way.
Netarts, Oregon – where the Tillamook River meets the Pacific Ocean.
The pretty little village of Oceanside, Oregon overlooking the water.
Oceanside Beach Recreational Area
Labor Day Weekend at the beach – a great place to be a kid or a dog!
Come to think of it…it’s not a bad place to be a grown-up either…
Hope your weekend is just as enjoyable!
