Happy almost 2025 folks! We love you all for following along with what has been a DOOZY of a year. As Lukas Nelson famously sang “Turn Off the News” and in our industry’s case, I wish I could. What I am about to tell you might shock you: more than 30 Oregon breweries, cideries, and taprooms closed in 2024. We’re not really safe from the icebergs all around. Foot traffic in many Willamette Valley wine and beer taprooms including ours has dropped about 25-30% per year since 2022. That’s right, while *you* may be frequenting our establishment, new visitors are just not (and we’re not alone obviously). We’ve seen an eye-watering decline in numbers coming to the farm of over 50% from 2022! And all this while releasing killer new beers, pulling down OBA medals, and stoking one of the most vibrant music scenes in the region. It has been sobering, challenging, and all the other “ings”. But we’re still standing. Easy to see, this is just not sustainable for any small business without massive su...