Fall is approaching fast, and even with the looming presence of the fires and all this smoke, we are getting ready for the 2023 Holland Roundup, coming up on Sunday October 8th, at the Holland Store outside of Cave Junction. The plans are in the works right now! See below for more details. Also, follow the event on Facebook.
The Third Annual Holland Roundup Revival will be much more than a music show! The past 2 years, my inspiration was driven by the music, but while that is important and will still be great, special, and unique, the times we are in are calling for more participation, education, and lifestyle inspiration. One of the underlying themes of reviving this old, traditional gathering has been to resurrect and develop a truly rural, self-sufficient community around the unincorporated town of Holland. The store is the last building standing from the town days, and it needs to be considered the center of our little Holland town, not just an address on the Holland Loop Road. Just as Kerby, Selma, O’brien, and Takilma are towns independent of Cave Junction, so too should be Holland.
The third annual 11 mile Run through the Woods will begin at 10 am. The workshop events will start just after the run: these are our new events focused on rural community and self-sufficiency, The music show will start at 12:30, along with the afternoon competitions: 3 on 3 basketball tournament, horseshoe competition will be similar, as well as the two-person cross-cut competition. See below for more details.
Announcing the 2023 Music Lineup!
- 12:30 Jo-el: Welcome & Roundup Song
- 1:00 Beem’N Company
- 2:00 Colton Ort
- 3:00 Brothers Reed
- 5:30 Modelo Citizens
- 7:00 For the Next Step
- 8:30 Fox & Jones Original Songs
T-Shirts
This year’s T-shirt is off to the printer shop and it’s our best yet! It’s a limited first edition shirt, with only 50 being printed, but we’re taking pre-orders now, and if we get enough pre-orders before Tuesday September 26, we may order more. The pre-order price is $28; shirts the day-off will be $33. These new shirts feature original artwork by Jo-el and graphic design by Justice. Printing is being done by one of the best screen printers in the region: ZsTs Custom T-Shirts out of Grants Pass. It’s a 5-color print on navy Bella Canvas ringspun cotton, unisex. Order here.
Volunteers Needed!
Contact us if you would like to volunteer, either with organizing before the event, or pitching in on the day of. Volunteers get in to the music show for free!! It’s worth it! Call Jo-el at (541)592-9254.
3-on-3 Basketball
New this year! We’re organizing teams for a bracketed 3-on-3 competition. You can sign up on the day of the Roundup, but better yet, let us know in advance if you are interested in participating or if you are trying to find a team to join. Call Jo-el at (541)592-9254. $5 to enter; winning prize is 75% of pooled entries! More details here.
Horseshoes Tournament
Have you seen the grand new horseshoes pit in the grassy area past the Store parking lot? Join the first ever horseshoes tournament at the Roundup this year! $5 to enter; winning prize is 75% of pooled entries!
Cross-cut Saw Competition
Pit your skills against the sawyers of the valley! Sign up with a partner for this 2-person saw competition. $5 to enter; winning prize is 75% of pooled entries!
Rural Skills Workshops
The newest addition for the 2023 Roundup is several rural skills workshops. These will take place starting at 10:30. This year’s workshops will be:
- Serenity Horse Training will have an hour long horse training & energy healing session! Check out Brook’s Facebook page for more information!
- Heavenlee Farms will butcher a chicken and teach viewers the steps of butchering your own meat. Amber usually has delicious chickens available to purchase, check out her page for availability!
- Jo-el of Talking Woods will present Firewood with Hand Tools, with a discussion of the possibilities for working in the woods with maximum mindfulness and low impact.
Epic Fun Endurance Run: 10 am
The Run is an 11-mile course that winds through the hills above the Holland Store. Most of the first half of the race is uphill! And most of the second half is downhill. The two halves combine to make one of the most challenging 11-mile races in the area, according to some of last year’s runners. Along the way you’ll run through a diverse cross-section of the natural areas of this beautiful region, including open serpentine areas with fantastic views of the entire valley, dark woods and newer forests, and small creeks. You’ll be amazed by the beauty of the course!
Feel free to join us in a form other than running, if you’d like! Last year we had runners, walkers, bikers, and a relay team. Horse-back riders are also invited. We’ll provide water along the way. The race will begin at 10:00 am sharp!
The $40 race entry fee include an event T-shirt and admission to the afternoon’s music concert.
If you want to run and stay on for the rest of the afternoon, there is a lovely outdoor shower behind the Holland Store. Bring a towel.
The $1000 prize money will be divided out amongst the categories as*:
First Place Overall: $250
First place, age 18 and under: $150
First place, age 19 to 39: $150
First place, age 40 and up: $150
First place overall winner from the Illinois Valley: $150
First place overall women’s winner: $150
* Each runner can win only one prize even if they fall into more than one category.
The Firewood Madrone Project
For the Roundup Revival, where we awaken old spirits of the past, old ways of living, and all the beings, both human and tree, that we have lost over the year, we will honor Mother Madrone by burning one special majestic tree that snapped with the weight of a late spring snow 3 years ago.
This tree was 20 inches in diameter where it snapped 10 ft. up its trunk. The tree in total was more than 70 ft. to the top of its crown. I cut this tree up with my hand saws, axes, sledge, and wedges. Afterwards, it remained cracked open where it lay for a month. It has now been moved down to the Holland Store for a couple weeks now, awaiting its time to brighten our spirits, warm our bodies, and cook our food. What we do not burn at the Roundup, will be donated to a special elder or other community gathering.
I am looking for a person seriously interested in learning my woodsmanship, to help cut the madrone into firewood pieces ahead of the event, possibly during, and as well afterwards. I am also looking for money donations to pay for my time, energy, and art. Cutting up this tree with hand tools takes 2 or 3 times longer than doing it with a chainsaw. As well, it requires a huge amount of physical labor and skill. With the money, I can acquire more saws and other tools to expand my ability to teach and work with others.
The Brothers Reed played at our First Annual Holland Roundup Revival in 2021, and they’ll be back again this year!
We hope you can join us! If you have questions, or would like to help out, or perform, please do contact us, or join our mailing list.
Directions to the Holland Store are here, in case you’ve never been here before.