A Greater Applegate Wraps up the Year
A Greater Applegate has a lot to report on the “Holiday and Arts” theme! The Applegate Artists Working Group have had an exceptional year. They teamed up with multiple wineries…
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Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair Week!
Enjoy a week of art, food, live music--and paragliders, pickleball, roasted peppers, poetry, peddling and paddling (with pastries!) A Greater Applegate is proud to present Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair Week 2025.…
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Ready to recreate
With a shoreline surrounded by wilderness, hiking trails, and wildlife, Applegate Lake is the cherished summertime idyll of southern Oregon residents. The most centrally located of the region’s three reservoirs…
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Log Town Cemetery: A historic hidden gem at risk
Log Town Cemetery is easy to miss. It’s on Highway 238, up the hill from Jacksonville, nestled among trees, where the road, as it straightens out, invites the restless to…
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A fresh new start for the Upper Applegate Grange
The Upper Applegate Grange was officially chartered in 1936 in a vertical-log building near McKee Bridge. After this building burned down in September 1955, members worked hard to build the…
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Flying High Together
Paragliders will showcase Applegate farms and small business for this year's "Rat Route 238". by Christina Ammon Did you know that the Applegate Valley is home to one of the…
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It Takes a Village: Reflecting on the Success of Pilot Joe at 10 years
The Applegate Valley boasts a growing list of successes in wildfire preparation and active forest management, in part due to the nature of Applegaters themselves. The first Community Wildfire Protection…
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Applegate Valley: Past, Present, Future
Vitality and resilience have become some of the core principles for A Greater Applegate’s community building work. Vitality is the capacity for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence,…
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(Not) Ready to Recreate
A Greater Applegate draws attention to accessibility-issues at Applegate Lake. by Christina Ammon With a shoreline surrounded by wilderness, hiking trails and wildlife, Applegate Lake is the cherished summertime idyll…
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Lunar New Year and Open House Celebration
ANNOUNCEMENTS and NEW YEAR OFFERINGS Sang has moved her clinic! Sang has her own space again and is looking for another wonderful person or persons who practices massage, a counselor,…
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Ruch Library History: Part Two
Here’s to the next 40 years! From the earliest grassroots efforts to form a library in Ruch in 1982 through the subsequent years of creating and sustaining our little library,…
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Applegate Non-Profit Seeking Members for Board of Directors
My name is Katie Walker, and I recently founded Sticks and Stones Studio, a nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible art programs for children from rural and low-income families. Our mission…
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Lifting Each Other Up
Applegate businesses gather for a presentation about online and affiliate marketing. A handful of Applegate small business owners gathered in the large barn of the Applegate River Lavender Farm on…
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Trading Cards
Applegate builders, caterers, contractors and other local tradespeople gathered for an evening of connection and fun at A Greater Applegate's recent Business Network Event. Some Applegate businesses are easy to…
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Get to know the Applegate Valley
‘A Week in Jacksaphine Count(r)y’ will showcase Applegate Valley highlights. What is the Applegate Valley? A 500-square mile watershed defined by the Applegate River? A wine region with over 22…
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Finding Grace in Place
Building community is more than hosting block parties and managing emergency phone trees. It’s about working on yourself. by Christina Ammon Some time ago, I assembled a little altar…
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The 800th Mile
by Diana Google My goal for my 80th birthday, on July 20, 2024, was to have hiked 800 miles during the year. By June 18 I had hiked 796.2 miles.…
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What a Wander-full World: The Applegate Valley’s new destination website
Our Valley’s new "Wander Applegate" website was a community effort. By Christina Ammon I’ve always considered writing a solo pursuit, consigned to corner café tables, quiet libraries or to the…
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Review: ‘In a Landscape’ Piano Concert
The water, the music, the mountains, and the clear, warm air came together for music in a landscape. by Diana Coogle Pianist Hunter Noack founded "In a Landscape" as a…
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‘IN A LANDSCAPE’ CONCERT COMING TO APPLEGATE LAKE
Pianist Hunter Noack will bring his piano to the shores of Applegate Lake on May 26th. By Christina Ammon Last summer, I joined some friends headed to a concert on…
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Local Partnerships, Inspired Food
The Lindsay Lodge recently partnered with Troon Vineyard to source their vegetables. The result? A creative and locally inspired menu. A big part of the joy of going to The…
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Climate consciousness climbs in the Rogue Valley
By Alan Journet “Firmageddon” may sound cute, but it identifies a serious problem in the Applegate Valley. Our experience of this condition involves the hundreds of Douglas-fir trees that we…
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A Place-Inspired Space
An Open House at Wooldridge Creek Vineyard will inspire and support Applegate vacation rental hosts. by Christina Ammon Close your eyes and imagine one of your favorite travel memories.…
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Familiar Problems. Fresh Energy.
Applegate business owners gather to examine obstacles through the lens of "regenerative economics." The word “regenerative” is popping up all over the place these days, and for good reason. The…
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Making Friends with the Dark
Mystery is a resource, like coal or gold, and its preservation is a fine thing. -Tim Cahill by Christina Ammon Over the years, I’ve hosted many guests on my Ruch…
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Peach Pie Perfection
Raven Brault's pie won first prize at the Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair. What's her secret? by Christina Ammon Entering a pie contest isn’t something Applegate resident Raven Brault normally would…
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Sandy Shaffer retires from the Applegater
Sandy Shaffer has been part of the Applegater team almost since the beginning—not only as a regular contributor of fire-related articles but also as an editorial committee member. She is…
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Striving for Healing
The Dragonfly Place at Cantrall Buckley is a place to honor the Applegate Valley's Indigenous People. Although the Applegate Valley was the original homeland of the Shasta and the Dakubetede,…
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A Flourishing Education
The Ruch Community Outdoor School uses a garden for learning. Strolling the well-tended grounds of the Ruch Outdoor Community School (ROCS), it’s hard to imagine that in 2010, the school…
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Jacksaphine Count(r)y Fair
Let's celebrate the abundance of the Applegate Valley! The Applegate Valley may be split across two separate counties—Jackson and Josephine—but residents feel united by their shared watershed and rural lifestyle. So,…
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Innovation Stories: A Sports Court in Williams
Jenny Van Winkle used her Innovation Grant to support the installation of a sports court in Williams. Out in the country, the last thing we want to do is “pave…
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Nothing New Under the Rainbow
Our local Pride Festival was progressive, but visible gay communities in the Applegate are nothing new. by Christina Ammon When LongSword Vineyard held a Pride Festival a few…
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A Stand Up Guy
Rather than retire, Applegater Randy Bogardus started a business. Clearwood Paddleboards keeps him inspired, fit, and flush in “fun money.” "Standup Paddleboarding is "the single best fitness activity I've ever…
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Thalia Truesdell’s Last Ta-Da
The retired branch library manager teamed up with the Ruch Outdoor Community School for one last project before retiring: A beautiful Cantrall Buckley Park Environmental Coloring Book. by Christina Ammon…
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Internet in the Applegate
"...success in Oregon's rural communities literally depends on reliable broadband access."-Senator Ron Wyden What is the cost of having poor Internet access in the Applegate? One resident had to shut…
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Concerned about Safety on Highway 238?
Hold the blame. Take action. Highway 238 is a beautiful road, tracing our Applegate River past vineyards and old barns. It’s also a dangerous road. Anyone with the PulsePoint App…
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Mapping the Applegate River
The new Applegate Paddle Club focuses on safety, respect and stewardship—and fun! by Christina Ammon I’ve launch my kayak into the Applegate River only a few times over the years.…
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The Maddening Search for Morels
Morels are everywhere... but impossible to find. by Christina Ammon It’s a sign of the season each spring when at the end of my dirt road, mushroom buyers park…
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Say it Out Loud
After eight years with A Greater Applegate, Seth Kaplan talks about community, rural equity, and the importance of showing up. (Interview by Christina Ammon) Several years ago, I heard rumbles…
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Giving back to A Greater Applegate
Posted below is A Greater Applegate's spring fundraising letter. A donation to AGA is a donation to your community. Please consider giving! Dear Community Members, Thank you for all you do…
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41st annual Quilt Show coming up in May in Grants Pass
By Brenda Ferrario Article originally published in spring 2023 Applegater Newsmagazine The Rogue Valley Piecemakers, including members from the Applegate Valley, will hold their 41st annual Quilt Show on Friday…
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A New Season for A Greater Applegate
New people means new ideas and new energy for A Greater Applegate It's a new season for A Greater Applegate. Co-Executive Director, Seth Kaplan, is retiring, but Megan Fehrman…
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ReWild Yourself
How do we become 'People of Place'? by Christina Ammon If forest restoration was an engineering problem Tomi Hazel Vaarde’s new book could’ve been titled, Three Ways to Heal…
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New Garden Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Event Details: Friday, March 24th, 11:00 a.m. at Ruch Outdoor School Community Garden ROCS staff, students and community members are gathering to celebrate former ROCS student, and current South…
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Mingle with Applegate Artists…
These Applegate Artists will be featured at Talk of the Town in Jacksonville on Thursday, March 16th at Art Presence Art Center in Jacksonville. Prepare yourself for lively conversation--and wine…
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The Poetry of Planning
Max Gimbel, from the Ford Family Foundation, recently shared planning strategies with Applegaters. by Christina Ammon Last Thursday, I attended an event the Ruch library and was surprised when…
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Rockhound
Applegate jewelry-maker Ron Skog talks rocks, teaching ...and whether there’s still 'gold in them thar hills.' When I pick up a rock, that rock in my hand is transformed into…
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Embracing the ‘Groan Zone.’
Collaborative efforts in the Applegate Valley are on the rise. Vince Smith, from Southern Oregon University, shares tips on how to work together. Instructor Vince Smith cautions groups against rushing…
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Meet Charlsie
As Manager of Vista 222, Charlsie MacWillaims, has brought new vitality to Applegate Valley's social scene. (Interview by Christina Ammon) I was first dazzled by Vista 222 at…
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A Mud Manifesto
Local builder, Conrad Rogue, shares the nitty-gritty on earthen construction interview by Christina Ammon Applegate Valley soil isn’t just good for farming; it’s also great for building houses. Longtime resident,…
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Looking to Build Community in the Applegate? Attend these workshops!
A Greater Applegate will hosting a community-building workshop series this winter at The Ruch Library. Community Building 101 on Thursday, February 16th, 6:00-8:00pm Learn about the 4C's of Community Building--…
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“Applegate is breaking ground…”
Reinventing Rural recently came to visit the Applegate Valley. The group is "focused on helping rural communities in the Pacific Northwest embrace their rugged culture of innovation and entrepreneurship." The…
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Country Culture
The Little Apple Players offer fresh, relevant, homegrown theater... by Christina Ammon I’ve always accepted that there are certain things you give up to live in the country: Art museums,…
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You know you’re an Applegater when …
… the tumbleweeds are actually weed. -Maluhia Ose … you see turkey vultures circling above your property in spring and immediately take a head count of your cats. -Diana Slater…
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Understanding Climate Change: SOCAN offering a 10-week course.
by Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN) From rising temperatures and heatwaves to water shortages and drought, to reducing snowpack and increased wildfire risk, the evidence that a climate…
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A Letter from AGA Director, Seth Kaplan
2022 brought big accomplishments, and big changes... I will never forget 2022. For A Greater Applegate it has been a year of tremendous accomplishment. With your help, we wrestled through…
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Why is the Applegate so sunny in the winter?
by Christina Ammon (www.footlooseintheapplegate.com) Before the pandemic, I mostly spent my winters away from the Applegate Valley, in places where bougainvillea grows. That bright, sun-loving vine seems a harbinger of…
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Pulling Together
Applegate farmers and food producers have been trying to join forces for years. Is this their moment? "We're honing in on action," says AGA co-Director, Megan Fehrman. by Christina Ammon…
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How I Got Here: Dorothy Paredes
From Austin to Applegate The naturally photogenic landscape is heaven. by Dorothy Paredes We always knew we were going to leave Texas. Oregon was on the list, although not at…
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OPINION: A Medical Condition Not to Be Ignored
Applegater Mike Dickenson grapples with his daily commute... photo by Tim Daw (www.timdawphotography.com) by Mike Dickenson I was commuting home from work the other day when I realized that my…
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OPINION: Democracy Under Fire
Are we frittering away our power on social media? (An Op-Ed by Gabrielle Pullen, MFA) When I walked through the door of the recent board meeting of the Applegate…
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The Fire Chief and the District Part Ways
Dozens of community members turned up at a recent Fire District Board meeting looking for an explanation. Community members wait outside The Applegate Fire District Building for the October 19th…
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All Geared Up to Eat Spaghetti
While we dined at the Applegate Fire District’s fundraising event, the firefighters trained in full gear. An Applegate firefighter trains for the world’s largest on-air stair climb competition to raise money…
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Driving the Siskiyou Loop: Wrong Car, Wrong Dogs, No Sense of Direction. It was wonderful!
by Christina Ammon (www.footlooseintheapplegate.com) Last week my partner Conrad and I decided to take a local driving adventure: The Siskiyou Loop. From the Applegate Valley, this 85-mile drive starts near…
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Enriching Our Valley
Business networking, Applegate-style. When I arrived at Valley View Winery for the Applegate Business Resources Fair on September 15th, local reggae artist, Fyah Harp, handed me a flyer for his…
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A Vision-Driven Future
15 listening sessions, a 90-page plan, and 500 steps for action. Megan Fehrman explains. No one has their finger on the pulse of the Applegate more than Megan Fehrman.…
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A Right Relationship with Fire…and Each Other
by Becca Deysach, Nymph and Woodsman (written 3/31/21) About a month ago I noticed billows of smoke coming from the field on the other side of our cottage. Residual trauma…
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Applegate Valley Pride in Place Survey Results
Most residents agree: Life is pretty good in The Applegate! Applegate residents have a pretty positive attitude toward where we live. During the last two months, A Greater Applegate asked…
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Getting High in The Applegate
Want to experience free flight? Local tandem paragliding pilot, Will Taylor, explains what is involved. "To…
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Are we the New Napa?
Our region is sometimes referred to as "Napa North". How similar are we? Could our boutique-style wine country become more Napa-like in the future? Photo taken on the terrace of…
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It’s not just about Netflix: Rural Internet Access
If the community meeting with Spectrum Internet felt more like a grilling than a Q&A, it’s because there is a lot at stake. Last Wednesday, July 20th, Spectrum Internet…
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How to Connect in The Applegate: Boredom isn’t a problem, but isolation can be.
As anyone who lives on property in the Applegate knows, there’s always plenty to do out here. There’s repairing, stacking and trapping, straightening, tinkering, and mowing. There’s also pruning, weeding…
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Anatomy of Charcuterie: What it is, how to pronounce it, and where to find a good one in The Applegate Valley
A good charcuterie is a work of art--a mosaic of color and of savory and sweet. It should make you pause a minute in admiration before digging in.…
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Movie Night Under the Stars at Red Lily: The Magnitude of All Things
The movie, The Magnitude of All Things, will be screened outdoors at Red Lily Vineyards in The Applegate on Tuesday, July 12th at 7:00 pm. Before we get into…
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Fast Internet Reaches The Applegate
Rural residents react to Elon Musk's newfangled Starlink satellites. by Footloose in The Applegate One night sitting around a fire with my friends, four blinking lights paraded in a neat row across…
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What makes a place, a Place?
by Christina Ammon (www.footlooseintheapplegate.com) When people ask where I am from, I respond: “The Applegate Valley in Oregon.” Of course, this requires a little clarification. So, I continue: “The Applegate…
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West Coast Flavors Features Paulazzo Pasticceria!
Wonderful reviews on our own Applegate Valley owned and operated Paulazzo Pasticceria! Check out the local news feature for more details. Follow this link for the full story.
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Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Update
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Temporarily Closes Two Ranger Districts for Public Safety Extremely dry conditions, heat, unusually high winds, and thousands of downed trees have created unprecedented…
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RRS National Forest Fire Danger Update
Effective August 19, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Moves to Extreme Fire Danger As high daytime temperatures and increasingly dry conditions persist in southwest Oregon, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is…
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Mind Body Soul: A Three Part Series on Self-Care Techniques
Each Friday beginning May 1, one of the three modules will be released. To gain access to this series, we are asking for you to please pre-register (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/103640688088) so we…
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Applegater update
With the new year the Applegater came under the leadership of new Editor in Chief Bert Etling, succeeding Barbara Holiday. After editing the Applegater for 15 years, Barbara decided to…
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Write a Story for Applegate Valley Connect ‘News and Stories’
Hey, welcome to Applegate Valley Connect Your community website. We are excited to share a new feature with you, the News and Stories section. Look here for articles from local…
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Multimodal Path in Williams Receives Grant
The Williams Multiuse Path Committee got a grant! In collaboration with Josephine County Planning and Williams Elementary School, we've been selected to receive a $65K grant from a state program…
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Channel 12 news coverage of A Greater Applegate grant award
https://www.kdrv.com/content/video/507067772.html
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A Greater Applegate awarded $225,000 grant from The Ford Family Foundation for community building in Applegate Valley
APPLEGATE, OR (MARCH 11, 2019)—The Ford Family Foundation awarded Applegate Valley-based A Greater Applegate (AGA) a grant of $225,000 over two years for “Capacity for Connection, Visioning, and Action.” The…
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Applegate Valley Nonprofits Form New Network
A Greater Applegate wants to support nonprofit organizations in the Applegate Valley as they carry out their missions and work in our community. Through the newly forming Applegate Nonprofit Network,…
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CANTRALL BUCKLEY PARK GOLDEN JUBILEE
Live music and more than 50 exhibitors and vendors top the festivities at the Cantrall Buckley Park 50thbirthday party From hot dogs, beer and wine, Applegate Valley history, native plants,…
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