Saturday, September 7, 2019

Outdoor School Curriculum (fishing)

1. LEAVE NO TRACE -

That means not only picking up after yourself, but take a moment to pick up a few pieces of trash that you find this week. Accidents happen, and anglers lose tackle, so it's important to offset our impact on the places we fish by leaving those places better than we found them.

2. NO SWIMMING

Wading up to the knees is okay. Ideally, we don't want to scare the fish, so it's better to be stealthy. 

3. NO THROWING STICKS/ROCKS/ETC -

We don't want anyone to get hurt, break any rods, and again, we don't want to scare the fish.

4. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS -

Don't disturb other anglers. Look before you cast so you don't hook a tree limb or each other. Take in natural observations, what forage the fish might feed on and where fish might hide. Weather patterns, position of the sun and shadows being cast into the water. Enjoying the outdoors and learning about the local flora and fauna we're going to be discovering. Don't harass wildlife. Be aware of plants like blackberries, poison oak, or nettles that could ruin our day, or end the week early. 

5. KNOW YOUR FISH -

- Discuss different species in the area
- Catch and release laws vs. ethics

5. Overview of agenda for today:

- Nature walk
- Observe plants, birds, habitat, (hopefully) fish
- Turn over rocks/observe food sources for fish
- talk about what kind of bait you could find in nature
- how would you imitate that forage with artificial lures?


7. Tackle, Knots, & Rigging -

- Rods, Reels, and how they work, inside and out
- Overview of Line, Weights, Swivels, Hooks
- Fisherman's Knot
- Rigging demonstration(s)

8. 
Fish anatomy and processing

- Dispatch your catch (bleeding out to increase quality of meat and preservation)
- Outer anatomy (fins, scales, etc.)

- Inner anatomy (bone structure, organs, meat)
- Filleting 

- Scaling
- Gutting
- Proper disposal

9. Casting
- Lecture and demonstration


Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Willamette Valley Food Trail Application


A small group in our community is working on creating a new promotional brochure that will highlight culinary and agritourism businesses in and around Benton and Linn CountiesWe are now taking applications to join the Mid-Willamette Valley Food Trail and would love for you to apply or send this along to others who might be interested in this opportunity.

The Food Trail is a self-guided journey to culinary and agricultural experiences in and around Benton and Linn Counties that include the following:
· Printed brochures with a detailed map that lists your business for visitors seeking unique culinary and agricultural experiences. This brochure will be coming out in March 2020.
· Self-guided itineraries that visitors can use for trip planning. Itineraries will be featured in the printed brochure and online.
· Marketing campaign focused on telling the Mid-Willamette Valley's culinary and agricultural story through videos showcasing local stories via social media.

After applying and receiving confirmation, participants of this program will receive:
· Printed maps for distribution
· Listing on the website and possibly the printed brochure
· Part of promotional campaigns
· Access to culinary/agritourism support and resources

We would love for you to participate! Here is a link to where you can learn more about the trail and complete the application https://www.visitcorvallis.com/foodtrail We will be taking applications until November 15, 2019, and anticipate decisions by early January. If your application is accepted, you will be required to attend a business training in January or February 2020, before the official launch of the trail in March 2020, to learn more about the program, marketing, and agritourism best practices. After completing this training, you will receive a free Agritourism Limited Liability sign (required for farms, ranches, and wineries per ORS 30.671 to 30.677).
Thank you for your time and consideration. 
Christina Rehklau and Rebecca Bond
--
Christina Rehklau
Executive Director
Visit Corvallis
420 NW 2nd Street
Corvallis, OR 97330
Ph: 541-757-1544