Rogue Valley Culinary & Agritourism Studio

Travel Oregon, in partnership with Travel Southern Oregon, Travel Medford and a local steering committee, will host a two-day workshop series this fall in the Rogue Valley region within Jackson & Josephine counties. This region includes the communities of Grants Pass, Medford, Central Point, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville, Ashland, White City, Gold Hill, Eagle Point, Ruch and the greater Rogue Valley communities.

Date
October 23-24, 2019
Location
Phoenix, Oregon
Register Here

Register for this two-day workshop, designed for those interested in marketing your region’s premier culinary and agricultural experiences as part of a food trail in the Rogue Valley. In addition to identifying strategies to develop culinary & agritourism, this workshop will provide your community a way to showcase local farms, ranches, agricultural businesses, culinary producers and markets.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & WORKSHOPS

Workshop Part I
Weds, Oct 23, 2019 | 9 a.m. — 4 p.m.
Phoenix Plaza Civic Center | Phoenix, OR

Evening Networking & Business Tour
Weds, Oct 23, 2019 | 4:30 p.m. — 8 p.m.
Location & final schedule TBD

Workshop Part II
Thurs, Oct 24, 2019 | 9 a.m. — 3 p.m.
Phoenix Plaza Civic Center | Phoenix, OR

WORKSHOP PRESENTERS

Alexa Carey 
Facilitator

Alexa Carey serves as the Community Based Services Director of Travel Oregon’s Destination Development team. Her role focuses on cultivating regional tourism networks and visions, implementing development strategies, and resourcing locally-led efforts. After earning degrees in Marketing, Management, Business Administration, and International Business from the University Honors College at Oregon State University, Alexa focused her efforts on creating thriving, rural Oregon communities through leadership, entrepreneurship, and economic development training and capacity building programs. In her spare time, she volunteers with Oregon Main Street programs, facilitates rural entrepreneurship events, mentors emerging female leaders, and explores the state by paddle, pedal and fork.

Erika Polmar
Content Expert – Agritourism Policy

Erika Polmar created Plate & Pitchfork Farm dinners to reconnect diners with the people and places that grow and craft their food.  In the process of growing her business she developed a keen understanding of the land use, regulatory and economic issues that often challenge the agricultural and culinary producers. She is committed to developing pathways, partnerships and policies to overcome these obstacles and support the continued development of responsible agritourism in Oregon.  Erika honed her marketing, product development and competitive intelligence experience in positions at citysearch.com, Ecotrust, Eleven, the Oregon Multimedia Alliance and J.K. Carriere Wines.  She’s enthusiastically working to end hunger in Oregon in partnership with Farmers Ending Hunger, and spends her time off in the woods with her loyal Labrador. You’ll find her at plateandpitchfork.com or on Instagram @pitchforkpdx