It’s January and while the fruit trees may lie dormant, this orchard is anything but sleeping. Mountain View Orchards is not only home to 40 acres of cherry, peach, pear and apple trees (and blueberries too), it’s also home to a spacious and beautiful tasting room and restaurant, The Grateful Vineyard. Here, they serve farm-to-table pizzas, gourmet salads, home-brewed beers and ciders, and wines made by her family at Elkcove Vineyards. To say that they’ve got a lot going on is an understatement.
Mountain View Orchards and The Grateful Vineyard is owned and managed by Katrina “Trina” McAlexander, who happens to be a part-time nurse-practitioner as well. Now you may be asking yourself, how does a nurse practitioner also own and operate a top-notch orchard, brewery, cidery, restaurant and winery? Well, that’s exactly what I asked her. The answer? Family.
Mountain View Orchards and the Grateful Vineyard is very much a family-run business. Trina’s mom (in her mid-70s now) runs the orchard and daily farming operations. Trina’s brother works the restaurant and is the master-mind behind their delicious pizzas. Tina’s cousin (also owner of Elk Cove Winery in Gaston, Oregon) makes the wine. And Trina? Well, she does the rest, from overseeing weddings held on the property to the financial and business side of things
While interviewing Trina, I was immediately struck by how down to earth and approachable she is. Trina has a laid-back disposition and her perspective on farming and the “ag life” is approached with equal ease. “Some years it’s a boom and some years it’s a bust”, she tells me. “There’s a lot that you can’t control in farming and you just have to get comfortable with that.” I suppose that explains how Trina has taken this latest set of challenges, due to COVID, in stride. Being a nurse practitioner, she is well aware of the safety measures that are important to keeping people safe. It’s just part of her daily thought process. And, one step onto the property and you are reminded of this. The restaurant offers take-out food and drink as well as outside (and heated) seating with spectacular views of the farm and Mt Hood. It’s a perfect place to stop off for a bite after a day of skiing.
Grateful Vineyard is located just 3.5 miles off of Hwy 30; conveniently located for tired and hungry ski bums or those just out for a drive through the scenic valley. And, thanks to the abundance of high-quality, fresh foods from the farm, you will not be disappointed that you made the stop. The food is fantastic! Just ask Carlos, the resident Texas Longhorn and mascot of the orchard. At 21 years old, he’s had a long life of eating an abundance of nutritious farm fresh foods. Carlos’ favorites? Pears, fresh pumpkin and spent grains from the on-site brewery. My favorites? The Meat Lovers pizza and a cold pint of Mt View Brewery IPA. After a day of skiing, you can’t get much better than that.
Mountain View Orchards and Grateful Vineyard are located at 6670 Trout Creek Ridge Rd, Mount Hood, Oregon. Their hours are from 4 – 7pm Monday through Friday and from 2 – 7pm on Saturday and Sunday. Make a reservation online through their website, https://www.gratefulvineyards.com, or place a to-go order by calling 541.399.6665. Enjoy the views and a farm fresh meal and make sure and tell them that The Steady Cook sent ya.
