The Beat Goes On: Picnic in the Park Receives Grant Money

The Crook County Foundation received a $5,000 grant for the 2010 Picnic in the Park concert series from the Crook County Cultural Coalition. The grant was presented at the "Day of Culture" reception this October at the Crook Country Library. The Picnic in the Park concert series is free to the public, and performances are held annually July through August at the Pavilion at Pioneer Park next to the courthouse in Prineville. The concert series has been well received by the community and has grown in attendance every year since it began in 2004.

We are excited that this important family activity will continue through the summer of 2010 and beyond. Wonderful community activities like the concerts in the park are what make Prineville such a great place to call home.

Fall & Winter Golf in Crook County

We all felt the chill in the air this morning - school has begun and fall is on its way. Winter can be a sad time in Central Oregon for golfers; courses covered in snow don't make for good games. However, in Prineville, golf is (almost) a year-round activity!

That's right, our lower altitude and valley protection from rough winter storms means a longer golf season. Take advantage of our moderate weather this coming winter season by trying out Meadow Lakes, Prineville's public green, designed by Bill Robinson. We also have the Prineville Golf and Country club on the east side of town, which offers private memberships, and Brasada Ranch near Powell Butte, which offers homeowner greens designed by Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy.

So, don't despair! Take the short drive to Prineville (or just stay here if you are lucky enough to be a resident) and golf to your heart's desire this season!

Busy Summer in Crook County Isn't Over Yet

The Crooked River Roundup and Horse Races were just the beginning of an action packed summer for Prineville and Crook County. Coming up this weekend is the much-anticipated Crook County Fair - with a 2009 theme of "Open Spaces, Happy Faces." We're sure you'll be smiling when you take your family down to enjoy carnival rides, curly fries, animal barns and so much more. Best of all? Admission, parking and many of the fair events are absolutely FREE! View a complete schedule here of fair events, which run through August 9, 2009.

It’s Hot. And Crook County Has Great Ways to Cool Off

Photo from The Oregonian

Have you seen the weather forecast for this week? It’s more than 90 degrees every day in sunny Central Oregon. Two days in Prineville, Oregon are calling for 3-digits (that means 100 degrees!!) Good thing that Prineville and Crook County have some great ways to beat the heat. In fact, we’re known around here for great water sports and places to cool off.

Prineville Reservoir State Park welcomes visitors who want to boat, swim, fish or just picnic or camp at the reservoir. We’ve been wakeboarding on these waters lately, and it’s a great way to cool down. It’s also a great way to find out about muscles you forgot you had. Ochoco Reservoir is another great watery spot that offers camping and fishing just six miles out of town. In fact, we hear that this campground is one of Oregon most popular!

Just minutes out of town, the Lower Crooked River has been designated as one of the BLM's National Wild and Scenic Rivers. It’s pretty darn cold too – put your feet in and enjoy the scenery. If you’re into fly fishing, just leave those pesky waders at home. That will keep you cool.

Marie Melsheimer

541-815-3951

@mariefayandre

Prineville Farmers Market

Local Food for Local Folk can be found at the Prineville Farmers Market, located at the Plaza downtown Prineville across Third Street from the Courthouse.

The market has a large variety of local offerings as stated on localharvest.com.

"We strive to keep our market true to the region and not bring in outside produce and thus have taken on the added task of educating our community about availability.

At the market we offer a variety of goods ranging from greenhouse plants, a wide variety of produce (including organic varieties), eggs, grass-fed beef, lamb, lavender and more."

The Market has been open every Saturday since 6/6 and will continue through 9/19. A full calendar of the event is listed on the Bend Bulletin's Calendar.

We hope to see you there with baskets and green bags in-hand!

Enjoy Central Oregon!

Fourth of July is Huge in Prineville, Oregon

Famous for its Independence Day celebrations, 2009 promises to be no different in Prineville, Oregon this year. For a little taste of true Americana, check out these great events on July 4 in Ochoco Creek Park in the center of town.

The Splash N Dash race, which is a fundraiser for high school sports, starts at 8am and is followed by a festival in the park. The festival includes dance, music and BBQ, plus a bunch of downhome favorites like corn on the cob eating contest, horseshoe toss, race games and more.

First Annual Chamber of Commerce Night @ the Rodeo

The Prineville-Crook County Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first annual rodeo party this Friday, June 26th to coincide with the great, the only Crooked River Roundup! The Chamber party will include:

• Dummy roping contest!
• Stick Horse barrel racing!
• Lots of fun giveaways!
• Live remote by KSJJ

Check out www.visitprineville.com to see where you can pick up a $2 off admission coupon.

After the rodeo, you can dance the night away at the free After Pary with Joe Shinkle and 99West. Fun! email info@visitprineville.com for details

Crooked River Roundup 2009

The Crooked River Roundup is just around the corner, starting on June 26th! Around for decades, this has become one of the premier rodeo events in the West!

Rodeo Ticket Information!

Don't forget to mark your calendars on July 8-11 for the Prineville Horse Races (IronHorse is sponsoring the "IronHorse Corral", where all the horses rest pre- and post-races).

Prineville Farmer's Market

Great news for IronHorse owners! The Prineville Farmer's Market starts this weekend, June 6, 8:30 - 12:30pm at the Prineville City Plaza. Another great and fun activity for our community.

Crooked River Dinner Train is Back! And Better Than Ever!

This Saturday, May 30th, a Central Oregon icon returns with a fresh approach. The beloved Crooked River Dinner Train is hitting the rails under new management. Starting this weekend, the train will run on Saturdays with more dates being added as the summer continues.

No time for a ride? The train will also be transformed into the Cougar Canyon Whistle Stop Tavern from 3 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, while it is parked in its location off Lone Pine Road between Redmond and Terrebonne.

The food will feature a northwestern homemade theme, with new menu changes occurring often. Diners can expect to feast on smoked tri-tip, chicken or salmon, along with vegetarian options, and finish up with a variety of homemade pies. All meats and produce will be locally sourced, and the train will feature Oregon wines and beers.

The scheduled Saturday night runs will continue the murder mystery entertainment tradition with a new and improved twist. Upcoming dinner train themes include wine tasting and family entertainment evenings, comedy night and guest celebrity night.

The Crooked River Dinner Train is also available for weddings, reunions, corporate retreats/meeting and other special events. The Saturday night dinner train ride is $79 for adults, with special pricing for seniors, children and groups. The full schedule and pricing can be found online at www.crookedriverdinnertrain.com or by calling 541-447-6251.

First Time Homebuyer Seminar

Saturday, May 16th from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Meadow Lakes Golf Course in Prineville, a first time homebuyer seminar is being presented by IronHorse, Community First Bank and Evergreen Home Loans.

Learn from local experts about the $8,000 tax credit offered on all first-time home purchases through 2009, low rates on new loan programs and co-signer opportunities. Now is a great time to purchase a home and start investing in your own future, not your landlords!

Call 541-416-8888 for details about purchasing your first home. Your RSVP is requested and will ensure you have a seat. Visit ironhorseprineville.com to RSVP

Hope to see you there!

Maverick

Central Oregon Artist's New Sculpture Installed in Prineville
"Maverick", a new metal sculpture by Central Oregon artist Greg Congleton, was recently unveiled Prineville's City Plaza on April 25. Maverick features two horses and rider, paying homage to Prineville's Western roots. The sculpture was donated by Phil and Penny Knight, art patrons and Oregon philanthropists.

Congelton, who grew up on a ranch on the Crooked River, has coupled his ranching "fix it" skills with a passion for art. He creates metal sculptures that have been exhibited all over the West.

Visit Prineville.com had the event listed on it's website and today, April 29, the story made the cover of the print edition of Central Oregonian. To read an archive of this story in the Central Oregonian, click here.

Photo credit: Kelly @
http://www.vermilionmedia.com/blog/

Location: City Plaza
Address: 387 NE 3rd Street, Prineville, OR 97754

Prineville Ranked in Twenty Top Places to Live the West

Popular magazine American Cowboy has ranked Prineville among the best places to live and play for active Western lifestyle enthusiasts. What does that mean? It means Prineville epitomizes a Western community: authentic cowboy culture and charm, a healthy respect for history and heritage, abundant recreational, leisure, and outdoor activities, and a strong sense of community coupled with a freespirited, rugged independence. According to Bill Garrels, publisher of the magazine, American Cowboy chose places that “embody the magic and spirit that is the great American West.” Each town was also judged for its commitment to honoring, celebrating, and preserving its Western history and heritage. Want to read more? Check out the April/May issue of American Cowboy or go to www.americancowboy.com.

IronHorse Holiday Bonfire

Despite frigid single-digit temps, friends and families gathered in IronHorse to celebrate the holidays. Thanks to the handiwork of Mark Nyman and Cameron Craig, the bonfire was big, bright and toasty! The Crook County High School Jazz Choir braved the cold air and graced our ears with beautiful holiday melodies as we sipped hot chocolate and munched on snowman-shaped cookies.

One of the highlights was being "discovered" by the Prineville Police Dept. who apparently didn't get word of our approved blaze. One look at our permit and a chat with the Fire Department and they were on their way. Apparently you could see the blaze from the grade coming into town. Talk about impressive!

The Fire Department gave kiddos of all ages tours of their truck in all its flashing glory.

Thanks to our residents, owners, builders and friends who came to celebrate with us. We hope this will be the begining of a great tradition at IronHorse (with a little more cooperation from Mother Nature next time!).

Happy Holidays!

Christmas in Central Oregon

If you're adventourous or just looking for the true Christmas tree experience, then Cental Oregon is the place for you. "Christmas trees are in our backyard," states Kevin Gaboury, contributor to Prineville's own Central Oregonian. ABC news affiliate, KOHD News, also agrees that cutting down your own Christmas tree when you live in Oregon, is really - just what you do! Click on the links in this article to read more on Christmas in Central Oregon.

Autumn in Central Oregon

One of the best perks of living in the North West (especially Central Oregon) is the year round natural beauty that we are surrounded by. On your way to Mt. Bachelor, there is a turn off to The Big Eddy and Dillon Falls. In the summer the trails are always full of people mountain biking, hiking, fishing and of course - white water rafting on The Big Eddy. In the fall, the trails are almost bare and trail-running is the perfect activity to take advantage of the crisp air.

Congratulations GridIron(Horse) Giveaway Winner!

IronHorse (Prineville, Oregon) has a winner! Deana Watkins of Newburg won an all-expense paid trip to the OSU vs. Arizona football game in Tempe on November 22, 2008. She and three guests will enjoy paid airfare, lodging and tickets to the game, courtesy of IronHorse and OSU. Deana won the giveaway out of more than 800 entries received in an online contest promoted through http://www.osubeavers.com/.

2 New Homes Under Construction!

IronHorse 2, Phase 1 has some new homes under construction! Come visit IronHorse and take a look!

Featured Home in Prineville

Built by Viking Construction, this home is called the Beldame model. This 1305 square foot single story, 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is the perfect place to enjoy the Central Oregon lifestyle. Included is a well-designed kitchen with tile back splash, gas range stove with microwave hood above, gas fireplace and furnace, master with walk-in closet, 24 foot wide oversized double garage with enough area for a work bench. Also a covered front porch, front and back landscaping with sprinklers. IronHorse is the place to be!

Green - Never Too Much for Your Home

Green this and green that - it seems that these days, you can buy just about anything in "green." While all this talk may tire you, you can't go wrong choosing "green" for the most important purchase of your life - your home. When you buy a sustainably built home, you can feel good about:

• Lessening your impact on the global environment
• Improved indoor air quality through the use of natural, low toxic materials and efficient ventilation systems
• Reduced utility bills of up to 15% annually
• Owning a home that will retain lasting value

Green building isn't just a trend anymore. It's a powerful force that is driving the way new homes are built across the nation. At IronHorse, all of our homes are built to Earth AdvantageTM standards for energy efficiency, environmental responsibility and indoor air quality. Learn more!

Summer Time in Prineville

July 4: Prineville's Old-Fashioned 4th of July Fireworks are only part of the Independence Day celebration - enjoy a full day of family fun with a pancake breakfast, Splash-N-Dash Race, park vendors and live music. Call 541-447-6304. July 9-12:Crooked River Pari-Mutuel Horse Races presented by IronHorse Thrilling, no-holds-barred, fast-paced excitement. The Pari-Mutuel Horse Races offer the real thing, actual betting and winning. This exciting event sparks the enthusiasm and attention of all ages.

Cafe, Spirits and Spa

Just what Prineville's been waiting for! Visitors and residents can now pamper themselves with great food and beverages plus a full menu of spa services, including hair, nails and body treatments. All this is in one location at 310 NE 7th Street in Prineville - the home of 7th Street Café and Spirits and Body & Soul Spa. The café offers an elegant atmosphere, outdoor seating, up-to-the-minute foods, adult beverages and espresso bar. At the spa, pick your pleasure - whether you need hair color or nail color, or just a relaxing massage - you can find out more at Body & Soul's website.

Top National honors for Prineville's Own teacher

Michael Geisen, a Crook County Middle School teacher, recently received the National Teacher of the Year Award from the White House. He won the top honor in part due to the unique teaching methods he uses to get messages across in his science classroom - an approach that has raised test scores dramatically for Prineville area students. As part of the award, he will spend the next year traveling around the United States, meeting with other top teachers and policymakers. IronHorse is pleased to offer its own congratulations to Mr. Geisen - having teachers like him at our local schools benefits our whole community! For more on this story, you can visit this website.

Garden Terrance Bistro

Diners, critics and everyone who visits this new Prineville restaurant are raving about the food. Diners are raving about lunches at the new Garden Terrace Bistro in downtown Prineville. An avocado-mandarin salad and a chicken salad sandwich with cranberry raisins and walnuts, both priced under $7, are among the house specialties, along with homemade soups and desserts. It's just another place that makes Prineville a great place to live and visit! Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Friday. 419 N. Main St., Prineville; call 447-5069 or visit the Garden Terrace Bistro website.

Custom Homes Display IronHorse Diversity

With the first custom home in IronHorse complete earlier this month, we are excited that several more plans to break ground are in the works. Homesite owners in our first phase lots are moving forward on their own unique homes in IronHorse - you can see progress just off Wayfinder on the east side of the community (see the included map). While these homes will meet the IronHorse design guidelines, each will have its own special features and reflect the personality of its owners. We are looking forward to more of these homes taking shape this summer. Come up and have a look - we may be able to give you some great ideas on building your own custom home on a beautiful IronHorse homesite. Call 541-416-8888 now or email us, or visit our website.

Prineville welcomes great new amenities

If you haven't heard, we recently welcomed some great new amenities to Prineville that all of our residents are enjoying. The Pine Theater opened earlier this year and is showing newly released films. We also have a new nightclub, several new cafes and specialty shops. This summer, we again have a full docket of fun events, such as the Crooked River Roundup and the Prineville Horse Races presented by IronHorse. Has anyone visited a new business in Prineville lately? Any comments?

At IronHorse, you create the definitions...

A new mixed-use community right here in Central Oregon. Plans include a school, parks and paths for playing, exploring and connecting with friends and family. For more information visit http://www.ironhorseprineville.com/.