This year’s Friends of Yamhill County annual farm tour and picnic will be held on Sunday, May 31, at The Eyrie Vineyards’ Outcrop Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. This farm sits at the apex of some of the most significant historical land use successes and some of the current challenges facing farmland preservation today. The afternoon will begin with a 2:00 PM farm tour, followed by a potluck picnic. Look for additional details later this spring.

Jason Lett, the proprietor/winemaker of The Eyrie Vineyards, which his family founded in 1965, has served on the board of 1000 Friends of Oregon and been a vocal proponent of strong land use laws that protect designated farm land from non-agricultural activities. Lett grew up in Yamhill County and has seen the changes as more grapevines have been planted and more wineries have been established. The land use laws established with Senate Bill 100 created opportunity for small farmers to increase their holdings incrementally while providing for their families. This is what also gave the Letts and others the chance to plant, tend, and make some of the most sought after wines in the world.