Kirk Johnson - Interview with an Oregon Contributing Editor

This is the third in a series of monthly articles featuring the Contributing Editors on Suite101.com who hale from the Beaver State, Oregon.

Kirk Johnson has been the Contributing Editor for Garden Design since January of 1998. In addition, Kirk is the Managing Editor for the entire Gardening Topic. He writes to us from the Southern Oregon coast. He lives in Sixes between Port Orford and Bandon. Sixes consists of a general store with a post office, a grange hall, and the Sixes Hotel. Cape Blanco, Bandon and Port Orford are coastal towns in Curry County, with Gold Beach being the county seat. The recently built Bandon Dunes Golf Course deserves a special mention. It is gorgeous and the views are breathtaking!

In order to introduce you to Kirk, his topic and the Southern Oregon coast, I asked him the questions I thought you would. Here then is our conversation:

Sue Barton: Kirk, Tell us about the Cape Blanco area: What's your favorite restaurant, place to visit, thing to do?

Kirk Johnson: Cape Blanco doesn't have any restaurants. It has an historic lighthouse and an historic home - the Hughes House. Both are open to the public. Cape Blanco is as far west as you can drive in the contigious United States. Port Orford and Bandon have restaurants, and because I am a vegetarian, I only eat in Bandon's Panda's Oriental restaurant. When you come to stay in Port Orford head over to Home by the Sea,, a wonderful bed and breakfast inn. Check out their very informative website. Their page on Port Orford is excellent.

SB: It sounds like you probably enjoy the bounty from your own vegetable garden for dinner then. What do you grow there?

KJ: I don't grow a lot of vegetables, but the garden keeps me supplied with peas, broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce. I have quite a few asian pears, I planted 7 more last year. I can grow snow peas and lettuce all summer, but beans don't do well in my cold clay soil. You can read more about my garden, in my column on Garden Design.

SB: If you wanted to send somebody from out-of-state a gift that is the essence of the Southern Oregon Coast, what would it be and why?

KJ: Huckleberry jam. It is made from our native evergreen huckleberry and has an intense flavor. There is a business between here and Bandon named "Misty Meadows" that makes and sells it. There are also a lot of cranberry farms between here and Bandon and there is a place in Bandon that sells Cranberry Sweets. Another idea is something made from Myrtle The Wooden Nickel is a myrtlewood factory and shop in Port Orford where you can get some great gifts.

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