For most, hearing a creek flow over cobbles and viewing the wildlife present along its banks delivers a reviving feeling. Here in the Rogue Valley, there are many opportunities to absorb the peacefulness that is provided by its natural areas. However, in order for creeks, rivers, and lakes to continue providing these opportunities, uninhibited, we all must play a role in preserving, maintaining, and restoring our local waterways.
To keep our waterways clear of excess algae and overbearing aquatic plant growth, we as homeowners can adopt Stream Smart yard and garden behaviors, such as: mowing high, mulching lawn clippings, using the appropriate amount of fertilizer in the correct place, properly disposing of yard waste, installing efficient irrigation systems, and removing turf and replacing it with native plants.
We love our dogs and going for walks with them, but we don’t always, if ever, enjoy picking up their poop. Pet waste that does not get picked up often gets washed into the storm drainage system, which empties into the nearest waterway untreated following rain events. With enough pet waste present in creeks and rivers, the water becomes contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can threaten human health. On your next walk, remember to bring a bag, bag it up, and dispose of it in the nearest trash can.
Using “Earth-Friendly” cleaning supplies instead of conventional cleaners can keep harmful chemicals out of our waterways. While conventional cleaners will first enter wastewater treatment facilities, these chemicals are not always completely removed from the water before being emptied back into our rivers. Some “Earth-Friendly” suppliers include: Planet Earth, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, and ECOS, which can be found at most grocery stores and online at Grove Collaborative.
While car maintenance is not a particularly welcome way of spending money, by responding to oil, coolant, and transmission fluid leaks, less of these fluids are able to reach our local waterways. Additionally, the actions that you take when washing your car can impact water quality. To protect our waterways, follow these suggestions: wash over a permeable surface, such as gravel or your lawn, limit the amount of water used, or take your vehicle to a car wash facility, such as Wash N’ Go Depot,Crater Car Wash, or Yellow Submarine Car Wash.
If we want to ensure the continued feeling of serenity in the presence of our local creeks, rivers, and lakes, it is important that we adopt these actions. Take a pledge to do your part and be Stream Smart: www.stream-smart.com/pledges. For more information about Stream Smart: A Rogue Basin Clean Water Project, visit: www.stream-smart.com.
Fall is here and that means OCTOBER and that means HALLOWEEN and that means BATS!
Bats are victims of BAD public relations, specifically because of that FICTIONAL guy, DRACULA!
Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. With over 1,400 species, they are the second largest order of mammals, and those species cover six continents. Globally, bats provide vital ecosystem services in the form of eating insect pests, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, making them essential to the health of our planet.
Making a bat-friendly place in your backyard supports the essential role bats have in the environment. All 15 different species of bats in Oregon eat insects…..mosquitoes, gnats, night flying beetles and moths.
Here’s a few BAT facts: 1. One Little Brown Bat can eat over 1000 bugs PER HOUR! 2. The world’s smallest bat is the Bumblebee Bat measuring 1.5 –3 inches in length and weighing 2 grams as a full-grown adult. 3. The world’s largest bat is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox with a wingspan up to 6 feet! 4. The oldest known bat was a male Brant’s myotis who lived 41 years. 5. Of the 1,400+ species of bats in the world, only three are vampire bats that drink blood. They ONLY live in Central America NOT TRANSYLVANIA!
It’s time to help our BUG EATING friends….THE BATS!
Here’s your chance – Build your OWN BAT-HOUSE – STEM kit.
You get it ALL…..pre-cut ALL weather re-purposed plywood, screws and nails along with FULL detailed instructions to build your own BAT-HOUSE. Measures 16 in. tall, 8 in. wide and 2 ½ in. deep when finished. All you need is a hammer and screwdriver.
Features galvanized mesh for inside the house…..gives ‘em traction to climb up inside. Will hold about 35-50 little brown bats. They will use it as a roost as well as a NURSERY!
This package also includes a BAT coloring page and detailed 3 page educational fact sheet about all 15 Oregon bats and why bats are SO important.
If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] with quantity and your address.
This is a PERFECT activity for scouts, homeschoolers or ANYONE who wants to invite these AMAZING mammals to your property.
Our trip to go snow tubing at Diamond Lake was a BLAST! We had been planning it for weeks and the kids were ecstatic. Truth be told, Brooke and I were just as giddy to go! Between the two of us we have 6 kids total, including two sets of boy/girl twins, and each a singleton girl!
We decided ahead of time we were going to make it a day trip and pack lunches for a little snow pic-nic together. There is lodging options as well and it would be fun to stay a day or two next time! The drive was nice, only about 2 hours from Grants Pass. There is also a little store with food and snow gear just in case you forgot something like I always do! There is also a few dining options located by the store, hotel and cabins.
At the tubing hill they also have a few snacks available and snow gear if needed. One fun thing we didn’t expect was the music playing outside and families eating what they brought in and bbq’n in the parking lot!
The entire atmosphere was family friendly. When we got to the hill, we selected our tubes. They have single or doubles to choose from. While riding the conveyor belt to the top we all realized how fast everyone was going, we were terrified and excited all at the same time! The ride down is about 25 seconds but feels like 5! Little did we know that about 1 hour before closing it’s less, maybe 20 seconds to the bottom and you start to go further and further past the finish line!
That last hour was probably my favorite. Most the crowd had left or went to the parking lot to bbq so the line was shorter. We had gotten over the initial anxiety of going down and we’re having a blast by then! The kids were going down backwards and on their stomachs and my friend Brooke was able to record her and I going down together, best video ever!
Both of our families are from California and have lived in Oregon 10-12 years and this was by far one of the funnest things I have done in Oregon! There were no electronics involved besides a fun video with lots of laughs and amazing family memories made! I highly recommend going to Diamond lake for your next family trip!
The season usually starts in December to March, but depending on the weather conditions may extend to April.
It’s that time of year again to lace up your skates and hit the ice! The Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink will officially open on Thursday, December 2019 through February 17, 2020. The outdoor rink, a division of Ashland Parks & Recreation, is located at 95 Winburn Way, across from the Lithia Park playground, around the corner from the Plaza, and at the corner of Nutley Street and Winburn Way.
The 2019-2020 Season will feature something for everyone… Bring the whole family! For more information on prices, schedules, lessons, programming, hockey, scholarships and all we have to offer you, visit AshlandParksandRec.org or call the ice rink directly at 541.488.9189. You may also call the Ashland Parks and Recreation office at 541.488.5340. Watch for details on the annual First Frost event that will be held in December this year. This gala celebration culminates the spirit of the outdoor rink and the holidays! Psst kids, tell your parents Chilly the Snowman and Santa’s elves will be at First Frost on Saturday, December 14. Complete details online at AshlandParksandRec.org.We hope you can experience one of the most magical places in Ashland… that little outdoor rink in beautiful Lithia Park, where the air is fresh, the white lights are twinkling and the music blends with the sounds of nature and blades on the ice… “Let’s skate!”Be sure to check the online schedule BEFORE coming out to the rink – ashland.or.us/IceRink. And, look for the holiday schedule for Christmas break.Follow us on social media… Facebook & Instagram @AshlandParksandRec
Join in the Victorian Christmas Celebration activities in Jacksonville, Oregon.
Holiday Festivities continue on weekends up to Christmas
Christmas Tree Lighting, caroling at 5pm. and visits with Father Christmas from 11am-4pm on Novemer 30th, 2019.
Experience an old fashioned Holiday Season every Saturday and Sunday in December when Historic Jacksonville is transformed into a 19th Century village celebrating Christmas in Victorian style. Enjoy the buildings decorated with greenery and lights. Listen to and join in with strolling Carolers. Sip some hot cider from a street side stand. Take a horse drawn wagon ride.
Don’t miss the Victorian Christmas Parade at 10am.
Stop by Dan McGeorge Photo Gallery to visit Father Christmas. Bring your camera to take photos of your kiddos
Take a ride on the Holly Jolly Trolley for just $1 as it makes a short loop around town and lets you off to shop and eat.
Make sure one of your stops is the 1873 Beekman House Museum at 470 E. California. It’s decorated for a Victorian Christmas in the late 1800s. Costumed docents share the origins of holiday traditions during 1- hour tours between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. every weekend. Find the good luck pickle on the Christmas tree; steal a kiss under the mistletoe; and sample one of Mrs. Beekman’s sugar cookies.
You also can step behind the counter of the Beekman Bank Museum, the oldest financial institution in the Pacific Northwest. Peer in drawers, walk in the vault, and interact with docents sharing stories of late 19th Century banking practices, gold shipping, and handshake deals.
A classical Christian community of parents dedicated to educating our children at home. We support and encourage parents so that they can feel empowered to homeschool through High School. We desire “To know God and to make Him known.”
A homeschool community that meets in Ashland, Central Medford, Central Point, and Grants Pass weekly during the school year. During the year, we also offer informational meetings and some free parent equipping events.
Located in Eagle Point, Oregon at 12988 Hwy 62, you may have passed this rustic beauty which is an attraction for Historians, photographers and artists.
The home is circa 1870, homesteader was a wounded Civil War veteran Marvin Sylvester Wood, discharged as a corporal from the United States Army in 1864. Marvin along with his brother Dennis Wood came to Southern Oregon in 1868, Dennis passed away in 1869 leaving Marvin to manage the homestead and land patent. Marvin married wife Susan in 1876 and they had 3 children. Their son Walter Wood born in 1881 living in the house his entire life until he passed away in 1974. All three are buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Central Point, Oregon.
The home has been in jeopardy several times from the widening of Highway 62 and being moved to the present location to abandonment, bad weather, vandalism and real estate sales.
The Wood House is operated on a very small annual budget supported strictly by donations, all work is done on a volunteer basis by The Woodhouse Preservation Group (a non-profit organization). You can learn more about the history and how you can support by visiting : oldwoodhouse.org.
Since 1870 The Wood House still remains to welcome you to come and visit to see how primitive living really was in the 1800’s.
Please bring your family for the upcoming festivities:
May 16 & 17, 2020
150 Anniversary of the Wood House – Farm Festival. Vendors,music, house tours. 12988 Hwy. 62 Eagle Point.
October 3 & 4, 2020
Harvest Festival. Saturday 9-5pm & Sunday 9-4pm.. Collectibles, jewelry, wood products, food vendor, crafts, music.Enjoy a free cookie baked on the wood stove in the Wood House kitchen by the “Cookie Lady”. Admission is $2 for ages 13 and older, ages 12 and under are free.
October 24, 2020
Halloween Open House. 5-9pm. Come and enjoy, it’s spooktacular. Free tours of the Wood House and candy. Free admission.
December 19, 2020
Old Fashioned Christmas Open House. 2-8pm. Free gifts from Santa for the kids. Free photographs with Santa. Free admission.
Southern Oregon is ready to celebrate with some Autumn Adventures.
Find family favorite Harvest Festivals and Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, Haunts and more. Bring the family and join in for all the fun Fall Festivities.
Harvest Festivals and Pumpkin Patches
Pheasant Fields Farm Harvest Festival. Pumpkin Patch, Hay ride, Corn Maze, Music, Local artisans and more! Located at 1865 Camp Baker Rd in Medford, Oregon. facebook.com/pheasantfieldsfarmoregon
Fort Vannoy Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze. Open Daily in October from 11am-6pm. Farm stand, pumpkin patch, kid’s activities. Weekends : Hay rides, zip lines, pumpkin chunker, cow train, monster truck rides, camel rides, petting zoo, bounce house, food vendors. Located at 5791 Lower River Rd. in Grants Pass Oregon. www.fortvannoyfarms.com
Haunted Maze at Fort Vannoy Farms. Located at 5791 Lower River Rd in Grants Pass, Oregon. www.fortvannoyfarms.com
Scarecrow Festival. In the centuries-old tradition farmers used to save their crops, you can make your own scarecrow. When you’ve completed your scarecrow you can enter it in the Scarecrow Contest and compete for a People’s Choice Award, OR take your scarecrow home with. Everything you need to make a scarecrow is available in a kit available for purchase. While you’re at the farm plan to take a hay ride, paint a pumpkin or bob for an apple, browse the Hanley Mercantile, enjoy lunch prepared by the Jackson County Master Food Preservers, or tour the Hanley House . Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Scarecrow Festival Weekend! 1053 Hanley Road, Central Point. http://www.sohs.org/node/185002
Grants Pass Shopping Center Halloween Festival. Trick or Treat at participating store, BugsRUs, Bounce Houses, face painting, kid’s costume contest, balloon animals. 959 NE D St, Grants Pass.
Kruse Farms Pumpkin Patch. Weekends in October from 10am-4pm. Pumpkin Patch, Hayrides, Corn Maze, Hay Maze, food and more. Located at 532 Melrose Rd. Roseburg, Oregon. http://www.krusefarms.com/
Mahaffy Ranch Pumpkin Patch. Pumpkin Patch, Hay Maze, Corn Maze and more. Located in Coos Bay, Oregon.http://mahaffyranch.com/
Klamath Basin Potato Festival. Parade, food, vendors, Spud Run, music, exhibits and more. Located in Merrill, Oregon. http://www.klamathbasinpotatofestival.com/home
we as homeowners can adopt Stream Smart yard and garden behaviors, such as: mowing high, mulching lawn clippings, using the appropriate amount of fertilizer in the correct place, properly disposing of yard waste, installing efficient irrigation systems, and removing turf and replacing it with native plants.
Our trip to go snow tubing at Diamond Lake was a BLAST! We had been planning it for weeks and the kids were ecstatic. Truth be told, Brooke and I were just as giddy to go! Between the two of us we have 6 kids total, including two sets of boy/girl twins, and each a singleton girl!
Both of our families are from California and have lived in Oregon 10-12 years and this was by far one of the funnest things I have done in Oregon! There were no electronics involved besides a fun video with lots of laughs and amazing family memories made! I highly recommend going to Diamond lake for your next family trip!
Watch for details on the annual First Frost event that will be held in December this year. This gala celebration culminates the spirit of the outdoor rink and the holidays! Psst kids, tell your parents Chilly the Snowman and Santa’s elves will be at First Frost on Saturday, December 14. Complete details online at 
We hope you can experience one of the most magical places in Ashland… that little outdoor rink in beautiful Lithia Park, where the air is fresh, the white lights are twinkling and the music blends with the sounds of nature and blades on the ice… “Let’s skate!”
Be sure to check the online schedule BEFORE coming out to the rink – ashland.or.us/IceRink. And, look for the holiday schedule for Christmas break.
Follow us on social media… 
Flashlight Nights at Pheasant Fields Farm Corn Maze.
Fort Vannoy Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze
Haunted Maze at Fort Vannoy Farms.
Grants Pass Shopping Center Halloween Festival. Trick or Treat at participating store, BugsRUs, Bounce Houses, face painting, kid’s costume contest, balloon animals. 959 NE D St, Grants Pass.
Kruse Farms Pumpkin Patch.
Youngs Fall Festival.
Mahaffy Ranch Pumpkin Patch
Klamath Basin Potato Festival
