Farm Dinner and Fundraiser
Hey, everyone...
Just some updates on things and an appeal for support.
If y'all didn't know, Patrick and Kasey came down in 2019 to help out on the farm. Always with the idea that we were going to open a small craft brewery here.
We have wild hops on the back 40.
We have family members involved with brewery construction and beverage making.
We have this iconic, idyllic setting.
We have expertise in hospitality. Patrick and Kasey had been toiling in the Seattle restaurant scene for years.
Everything is primed for success.
However, it is hard to conduct hospitality in farmland in Oregon. What the state terms as "EFU". Exclusive Farm Use.
I am hosting this dinner as a fundraiser as we recently raised a nice amount via SMBX that covers our brewhouse, infrastructure and buildout.
We should already be brewing beer! Creating jobs in rural Oregon!
But the Oregon statute for Farm Brewery states that there must be a setback of 100 feet. From ORS 215.449: https://oregon.public.law/statutes/ors_215.449
"(13)
(a) For the purpose of limiting demonstrated conflicts with accepted farm and forest practices on adjacent lands, a local government with land use jurisdiction over the site of a farm brewery shall:
(A)
Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, establish a setback of at least 100 feet from all property lines for the farm brewery and all public gathering places; and
(B)
Require farm breweries to provide direct road access and internal circulation for the farm brewery and all public gathering places.
(b)
A local government may allow a setback of less than 100 feet by granting a farm brewery an adjustment or variance to the requirement described in paragraph (a)(A) of this subsection. [2019 c.244 §2]"
If you've been to the farm you have probably driven past our two parcels and never realized they were separate properties. And they do not operate as separate properties. They are owned separately. They are owned by Hentze's. They operate as one, but yes... technically they are two different properties.
We want to place our little nano brewery inside the big red barn. You know... the place with the infrastructure. Water, plumbing, electricity... but it's only 60 feet from the property line.
So... basically, we are forced to pay $6,000.00 to Lane County Land Management Division for someone to say, "Yup... you should totally build that little brewery inside the barn. You know... the place with the infrastructure. Water, plumbing, electricity."
It's kinda absurd. It's completely unnecessary, in my opinion, but it is how the statute reads. I think that should be changed and I encourage everyone to contact their legislator and tell them to make hospitality in farmland (EFU) much easier to do.
We are building smiles out here.
We are fulfilling a niche.
We are bringing "farm to table" back to the farm.
If y’all didn’t know, Patrick at The Cook Shack is a veteran of the United States Navy.
If y’all didn’t know, this farm is led by two amazing women in Oregon agriculture, Karen and her daughter Kasey.
If you would like to come to the farm dinner tickets are available here: Purchase Tickets
If you would like to donate to the cause you can do that here: Help A Vet Biz
