Trey and Dave may be on the same cyclocross team, but they have different tastes when it comes to football champs.

If you’re not from Oregon, it’s possible that you haven’t heard about the big game today and the rivalry involved. Each year, our two major state universities, Oregon State and University of Oregon, battle it out in the Civil War for bragging rights. This year, however, the Civil War yields a better prize than simple bragging rights- a chance to compete in the Rose Bowl on January 1^st.

photo courtesy of North 45 Pub http://www.north45pub.com/2007/11/

Will it be the Oregon State Beavers or the U of O Ducks that take home the title of champs this year? Two of our cyclocross team members, Trey Winthrop and Dave Geiter have long debated the skills of their respective teams and showed up in game day attire today. We couldn’t help fueling the fire by making them pose together. Who are you rooting for?

Us? We’re very proud of everyone and excited to see an Oregon team make it to the Rose Bowl.

The Milwaukie, Oregon Flag

It got a little hectic today at the Whole Grain Store during our Bon Voyage party for the Golden Spurtle team. Oats were flying, pears were sizzling and sugar was dripping down the sides of mini-ramekins. We welcomed over a dozen special guests and media representatives to join us for Oregon Orchard Oat Brulee (whew! what a long name!!). Milwaukie, Oregon Mayor, Jeremy Ferguson presented Matt Cox with a City of Milwaukie flag and Jeremy’s very own lapel pin- right off of his jacket- to properly represent Milwaukie in Scotland. Thanks, Jeremy!

With only 11 days until our competition, practice sessions have been heating up with only a few minor burns (that sugar gets HOT when it melts!).  We’re practicing every day to be sure we represent Bob’s Red Mill, Oregon and the United States with the finest batch of oatmeal we can muster.

Watch our progress as we fly from Oregon to Scotland and enter the competition by subscribing to this blog, following us on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Now for the last pre-competition give away!

To enter to win a beautiful myrtle-wood spurtle and package of Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats- simply guess how many competitors will be strutting their stuff before the Golden Spurtle judges. Closest to correct will win the prize! Just post your guess in the comments section below. If we get too many correct submissions- we’ll randomly select from those who nailed it.

Matt Cox receives Mayor Jeremy Ferguson's lapel pin.

Nancy and Polly were so helpful and happily toured me around the farm.

Part of the Golden Spurtle competition is plating your gastronomic creation. Not only does your oatmeal concoction need to taste amazing, it needs to look beautiful too. As part of our plating, we wanted to highlight the beauty in all of our Oregon ingredients- deep green pears, rich red cherries and fresh hazelnuts.

Hazelnut in the husk still on the tree.

Oregon provides 99% of all hazelnuts grown in the United States. Yesterday, I had the privilege of visiting Rich and Nancy Birkemeier at their hazelnut farm, Birkemeier Farms, in Canby, Oregon. I was on the hunt for the beautiful hazelnut husks to use as part of our plate presentation and was rewarded with a bounty of green, husk covered hazelnuts. Upon arrival, I received a warm welcome from Nancy. Polly, from the Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board, who had so kindly set up my visit, met me at the farm and together they explained all about hazelnut farming in Oregon.

Hazelnuts being harvested.

I was very lucky to visit during harvest season and was witness to the hustle and bustle that takes place for six weeks of the year.  The beauty of the farm- rolling hills of tree upon tree- was breathtaking. The ground had a golden sheen from the thousands of freshly fallen hazelnuts, no doubt representative of their immense worth to these people. I learned all about how hazelnuts are grown, harvested and the challenges the farmers face each year.

Thanks again to Rick, Nancy and Polly for giving me the grand tour yesterday!

Giveaway:

Hazelnuts are delicious on their own, but they can also be used to turn an average dessert into something truly decadent and a savory meal into something out of this world. This week, we’re giving away our second spurtle set. To enter- simply post a link to your favorite or any delicious sounding hazelnut recipe in the comment field. On Friday, we will randomly select a winner from all who post.

Jan Chernus, Jessica Olson, Bob and Fans at the Grand Re-opening of Hawthorne Fred Meyer

On Friday, July 31^st, Hawthorne Fred Meyer celebrated the Grand Re-opening of their newly remodeled store. The new “Green Living” store is the first of its kind in the Fred Meyer family (owned by Kroger) and is designed to be an Earth-friendly grocery experience. The store is certified under the US Green Building Council’s LEED program. New store features include an expanded Nutrition Center (where our products are found), a fresh sushi bar, gourmet cheeses and desserts, an expanded deli and even an electric car charging station!

Bob was asked to come out and celebrate the Grand Opening. With Jan Chernus and Jessica Olson (both from our Western sales team) in tow, Bob made a grand spectacle by handing out samples of our Gluten Free Brownie Mix (which was a big hit) and taking photos with customers. The event had a great turnout and Bob was the star of the show. People were continually amazed that he is indeed a real person and right in their own back yard.

For those of you in the Portland area, there are still Grand Opening events going on through the end of next week. Visit FredMeyer.com for a schedule of events.

 

 

Crowds gathered to show support and raise funds for autism awareness.

On Sunday, April 19th, 11 Bob’s Red Mill employees along with their friends and family (making a total of 34 walkers) joined together to support the Autism Society of Oregon by participating in the ASO walk-a-thon. The walk-a-thon took place at Oaks Parkhere in Portland, Oregon on a beautiful, sunny day. Over 4,000 people walked to show their support for the ASO and raise money for their programs. The ASO has many beneficial programs that assist families living with autism, including everything from support groups for parents, Respite Care Programs to aid caregivers, and assistance with therapy and school programs for children on the autism spectrum.

The Bob's Red Mill Team

Bob’s Red Mill is proud to support the ASO and Autism Speaks and bring more awareness to autism spectrum disorder. As a team, we raised $1271 for their programs. If you are interested in helping support ASO or Autism Speaks, there are many ways to get involved. Visit the websites below for more information. We are sponsoring a walk in Portland with Autism Speaks in September. Watch for ways that you can get involved this fall!

This was our youngest walker, Josephine, all tuckered out from the sun.

Autism Society of Oregonwww.oregonautism.com

Autism Speaks:www.autismspeaks.org

 

Have you checked out the fan page for the Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross Team yet? It’s a great way to cheer on our team without braving the elements. Stop by and post some support for the guys, I know they’ll appreciate it. The page is also a fabulous way to track our fundraising for the Community Cycling Center and see updated photos from the races.

There were many flat tire mishaps yesterday at Villebois in Wilsonville. Only two out of our three riders completed the race. Trey Winthrop (pictured right) took 11th out of the 100+ racers in the Men’s Beginner category. Way to go Trey!

To add to the excitement, the guys have raised over $1000 for the cycling center- that’s 20 bikes for kids in need! We’re aiming to raise enough money for 80 bikes this year.

The next race is Sunday, October 19th at Rainier High School in Rainier, Oregon. Parking for the race is $5, with all of the money raised going to scholarships for Rainier High School students. Come on down, show your support for the races and Rainier High School, and get some hot oatmeal!

A steely gray sky laced with rain clouds greeted me as I groggily got ready for work on Sunday morning. Yes, I admit it, despite my anticipation for Cyclocross to kick-off this weekend- I was not overly eager to leave my warm bed so early.

Once set in motion, however, my body caught up and was ready to go by the time I pulled up to the Alpenrose Dairy. I got to our booth almost an hour before the first races and was astounded by the number of people and bikes everywhere I looked. It began raining upon my arrival and I could tell that it was going to be a perfect day for hot oatmeal.

To my surprise, Cyclocross is a very family-oriented event. Husbands, wives, children and dogs shivered and cheered for their riders. The sound of cowbells filled the air when racers flew by on the course. We were fortunate to be located near some of the obstacles and got to watch riders carry their bikes up the stairs, hop on, ride around, hop off, jump over hurdles, get back on… it was a spectacle to say the least.

 

Riders splattered with mud flooded our booth in droves for the oats- some coming back for seconds and thirds. It was a lot of fun to reward their racing efforts with something as comforting as hot oatmeal. We dished out approximately 500 bowls of hot steel-cut oats to muddy, cold riders and their family and friends. On top of that we raised approximately $478 for the Community Cycling Center to help get more kids on bikes. (Bob’s Red Mill is matching every dollar donated by the public and $10 for each lap our riders complete.) Our first race raised enough money for almost 10 bikes for kids in
need!

 

We’ll be there this coming Sunday at Villebois in Wilsonville- stop by and say hello! Get some oats, help us raise money for the CCC and cheer on our team!

P.S. The Bob’s Red Mill team came in 31st, 37th and 93rd out of a field of 139 riders in the beginner’s category. Way to go, guys!

This weekend marks the beginning of the seven-week River City Bicycles Cross Crusade Cyclocross. If you’re anything like me, you just scratched your head and said “Cyclocross? That sure sounds like it involves bikes, but what is it?”

According to Wikipedia, Cyclocross is a form of bicycle racing. The racing typically happens during autumn and winter. The course features pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the bike while navigating the terrain and remount. As defined by some of the Bob’s Red Mill participants, “it’s a whole heap of fun, mud and exercise on a cold, drizzly morning.”

No matter how you look at it, it’s sure to be a spectacle. We have three employees who will be participating in the Portland races this year and we are decking out in our rain gear to support them. The first event is being hosted by Alpenrose Dairy in Southwest Portland on October 5th. Races begin at 9 am and continue through the day with the last rast beginning at 2:30 pm.

I’ll be there cheering on our folks throughout the day. Come on down and show your support for these driven athletes! More information about River City Bicycles Cross Crusade can be found here.


photos courtesy of River City Bicycles Cross Crusade Cyclocross