Local Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

A sampling of Arrow's chocolates on display.

How about some local chocolate for Mother's Day? Arrow Brause of Arrow's Delight starts with the cacao beans and makes her own chocolate before turning it into decadent truffles and other dipped and molded sweets. Kathey Linn of Umpqua Valley Chocolates also makes divine truffles: huckleberry, raspberry, chili pepper, and my personal favorite, strawberry-balsamic. You can find both vendors at the Umpqua Valley Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

If chocolate is not your thing (or your mother's) you could always splurge on one of Jan's (from J & J Farms) exquisitely hand-crafted cutting boards. These are really much too beautiful to cut on, but I fully intend to have one on display in my kitchen before the market season ends.

There are many other hand made gift items to choose from: woven rugs, metal garden art, wood furniture, beaded jewelry. Check it out this weekend.