2018 Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival Dates: March 23 - April 29
Mt. Hood Territory has some of the best farm experiences around if you ask me. Being as it was just down the road from my grandparents' house, I visited Fir Point Farms often and it holds a special place in my heart. Their bread and butter is during the Fall season where they offer a full u-pick pumpkin patch, Charlotte's Web corn maze and friendly goats, but their offerings are wonderful year-round. The Country Grains Store is popular for the farm-fresh apple cider donuts and pies that bring a smile to any child (or adult child's) face, as does the full-service greenhouse, u-cut flowers, fresh produce, old-growth fir trees and fury farm animals.
Speaking of snugly animals, Alpacas at Marquam Hill Ranch in Molalla has some of the cutest around and bonus, you can take a yoga class with them! Yes, you read correctly, they offer alpaca yoga on Monday evenings from May through September and it, is, life. Picture a pasture on the glorious land of the Willamette Valley, practicing the Warrior One pose, surrounded by the happiest alpacas. Then picture completing the class feeling rejuvenated and sampling some award-winning wine to congratulate yourself on your awesome decision making skills.
Another great decision is to experience the power of the flower at one of our world-famous flower festivals, the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival running March through April, and the Swan Island Dahlia Festival running August through September.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm has the most colorful array of tulips in the state and people from all over the world travel here every year to take their picture in front of these beauties. If you want to see for yourself, check out their Instagram account and within two minutes you'll be looking up flights to Mt. Hood Territory in the Spring. It's just that impressive and worth the trip not only for the stunning flowers but also the family winery. They are in Willamette Valley wine country, Wine Enthusiasts Wine Region of the Year, so its fitting to put their farm to both these great uses.
If you are a dahlia lover then Canby's Swan Island Dahlias is a two-fer....that's right, a two-fer, because it will delight and amaze you. We've visited the last several years to get some video footage and their offerings just continue growing and impressing. The dahlias come in every color of the rainbow, the grounds are impeccable and the gift shop has tripled in size with the cutest pieces. For instance, I bought a pink insulated water bottle with a watercolor painted alpaca on the wrap...absolutely adorable. Plus you can bring your own food and beverage and picnic at one of their many tables for free while enjoying the calming surroundings. The 2018 festival takes place on the weekends of August 25 and September 1, Friday through Sunday.
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