Coffee, Community and Climbers

Check out this blog post by Drew. Drew and Alex have been hanging out at the Green Plow this week. Climbers from CalPoly, on a 3 month road trip, they've endeared themselves to the Green Plow staff by moving heavy ladders, unloading a supply run, & reminding us to enjoy this amazing place we call home. These two understand the word community...finding & making it every where they go! Thanks Guys!

Sending Candice on her Way!

So, our Candice will be leaving Green Plow at the end of this week. We’re really sad about it. She brings an amazing amount of wisdom and humor to this little community. Some would say that those two traits are an unlikely combination….but Candice has a unique way of combining humor and wisdom. She can speak the truth, make you laugh and think all at the same time. Candice is following her calling. She’ll be moving on to a job that helps girls get their life on track. Definitely a place that will use her gifts to the fullest!

We’ll miss you, friend, but we’re glad for your journey!

Join us in blessing our friend as she leaves. Take a moment to stop in and write a thought, encouragement, or prayer. Maybe Candice has encouraged you…please share that with her. And if you feel like…. drop in a buck or two in the bucket! She still needs to replace her car window!

Summer Is Here… at Least for Now

We opened the Redmond Farmer’s Market this lat Monday. A dozen or so vendors set up for the first official event held in the Redmond’s new Centennial Park. Graced by the best weather of the summer so far, a steady stream of curious shoppers made their way through. Green beans, strawberries, flowers (cut and potted), soap, honey, jewelry, ostrich meat, jerky, clothing and of course, Green Plow Coffee were available for purchase. The promise of more summer like weather, veggie vendors, and the spray park could make this the most enjoyable Farmer’s Market season Redmond has seen. We hope that our friends will continue to come out and enjoy this wonderful event with us for the Mondays to come.

A Conversation with a Candidate

“What do I think of Western civilization? I think it would be a very good idea.” –Gandhi

We had an interesting afternoon down here last week. Chris Dudley, former Portland Trailblazer and now candidate for governor, stopped by for a Meet and Greet event on the last day before the primary election. When the Chamber of Commerce asked us to host this event, one of my first questions was, “How does this fit with who we want to be here at Green Plow?”

I think it does fit… not because we necessarily agree with what Mr. Dudley has to say or disagree with what any other candidates have to say, but because we believe that politics, like most of life, should involve more conversation and dialogue, and less shouting to get your point across. Sometimes it seems that we are in a bit of a rut, politically. We have the majority party and we have the opposition party, and the opposition party’s job is simply to vote against whatever the other party wants to do, no questions asked. But maybe politics should be more about asking questions, and brainstorming answers, and working things out together, and being willing to give a little here and there to come up with a solution that, while it may not be perfect, is still workable for everyone involved.

We want Green Plow to be a place where conversations like that can begin. So opening our doors for people to meet a candidate face to face, hear a little of what he or she has to say, even ask some questions (we had time for two), fits very well with who we want to be. So Mr. Kitzhaber, or any other candidate, for that matter, if you get wind of this somehow, we want you to know that you are welcome here at Green Plow, too.

The unofficial (and impromptu) Green Plow Art Fest

We weren't sure what to do when our musicians for last Friday had to cancel, so we wnded up throwing open our doors to any and all musicians to meet at Green Plow to, "...mingle with other local artists and make beautiful music together." Well we had at least 2o people show up, and the first ever Green Plow Open Jam was awesome! Thank you to everyone who came to play. We have had good feedback and we will plan on doing it again.

Then on Saturday night we hosted an evening of drama, presented by Redmond's own Children's Theater Company. They treated us to an evening of sketches, scenes, monologues, and reader's theater.

And finally, this weekend was Walk The ArtBeat on Friday night. Our walls are filled with art from local students, and our halls were filled with music by Jacob Looper and Cassia Dawn, along with some help from a couple of friends.

Join us over the next few weeks for music from Burn Pattern, CinderBlue, Eric Staples, and the Prairie Rockets. See ya there!

One Day Without Shoes

Join us today in One Day Without Shoes. Raising awareness for the kiddos around the world without shoes, many of them in coffee-producing countries. Barefoot baristas...... Shoe donation box......

Thanks Jackie!

What a fun Friday night! Jackie Barrett and friends packed 'em in! Way to go Jackie! Looking forward to Dan Shanahan this Friday. Come join us!

Ribbon Cutting

It's Official.....We are officially opened! Actually, we have been opened since September, but today was our Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting. Our kiddo's felt it was important to miss an hour of school and join us for this momentous occasion. (What kid wouldn't?) Our front facade improvement is almost complete...our amazingly GREEN awning arrived yesterday. Pretty cool...just in time for warm weather?

Just another Friday night?

Okay, so last Friday I got to Green Plow around 6:45, a bit later than I wanted. As I drove down the alley I saw Jason Jackson, one half of our evening's duo, packing some equipment into the shop. Or at least it was a guy with a hat that in the dark looked a little like one that Jason wears, even if the guy was maybe a little shorter and stockier than Jason.

When I got inside I realized, of course, that it wasn't Jason. "Strange, I thought Robin and Jason only played as a duo." Then I realized that there was only one musician. It turns out that Robin and Jason had a family emergency and were unable to perform that evening, but they made numerous phone calls and were finally able to find someone to take their place. That was Leif James, the guy with the hat. Among the phone calls they made were one or two to Mandy, which we didn't get because the phone was in the car. I guess you just never know quite what to expect. This week I expect to hear Allan Byer on Friday night, and I am really looking forward to it, but you just never know.

Pat

Finca la Josefina

Today we introduced a new Colombian coffee down at the Green Plow: Finca la Josefina. It is bright and well balanced, with a long and pleasant finish. This coffee came to us courtesy of my friend Bobby at 11 Roasters in Bend. I have been reading about the grower of this coffee and I am looking forward to getting more from them, not just because the coffee is outstanding, but because they also seem to care about treating their workers well.

So far the Finca la Josefina has had a very warm welcome in the shop, but I only have a little bit, so come in and enjoy it while you can, or e-mail me at pat@greenplowcoffee.com and I can send you a pound or so.

Pat

Thank You to the Community of Redmond

We sure love getting to know the wonderful people of this community. We want to send out a thank you to those of you who donated during to the biosand water filter collection during Thanksgiving. We, the community, donated enough to purchase bags of concrete, sand and gravel for a soon to be constructed biosand filter in Rwanda. If you want more info on this organization check out www.biosandwaterfilters.org. Thank you, generous ones!