Amity Character

Real. Craftsmanship.

An eye and a hand only found in Oregon

Tyler Cunningham looks at his family history with immense pride. He admires both his father and grandfather – the senior having built a life and career out of virtually nothing. He came from a rough background, put himself through college, married and became a father, supported them and encouraged all his children in a way that Tyler’s own father now imitates in his support of his son. Tyler feels a strong connection to heritage. To family. To a life that honors the past.

Oregon is famously recognized for its plethora […]

Real. Legacy.

How family knowledge and passion grew a delicious enterprise

When Jamie Lewis was growing up in Amity, her mother, an outstanding baker, taught her the art of pie making. She never thought that this was an extraordinary skill – many people learn such artistry from their mothers. But, she was wrong in that thinking. There is a little something different in the way that Jamie Lewis bakes pies.

Her family story is one of courage and tenacity. When Alphonso DeRaeve arrived in America from Holland and planted his life and profession in the Amity area, he built a farm […]

The Brigittine Monastery

A unique combination of confectionary richness and human selflessness

At the very start of the 1986 year, a small group of Brigittine Monks in five rental trucks, one car, one van and with two dogs, laid roots and began a prayerful life in Amity, Oregon. Today, the Priory of Our Lady of Consolation, is nestled on 44 acres of beautiful land and adds to the wondrous and yet humble culture of Yamhill County.

To attend the celebration of Catholic Mass at the Brigittine Monastery is to realize that this community is very special – the only of its kind in […]

Real. Lifestyle.

Sometimes the second calling is the one to follow

It all began at a class reunion. And with a little alpaca named, Wings. And then a pet became a love, and a love became a business. Life can be funny. Sometimes we start out on a path that just dissipates as another more fulfilling one opens. Such was the case for Barbara and Randy Coleman, owners of Wings and a Prayer Alpacas in Amity, Oregon.

Barbara recounts, “I went to my 25th class reunion in Southern Oregon, and my best friend from high school, who I hadn’t seen since […]

Passion. Humility. Hard Work. Partnerships.

José Arguelles and his family exemplify what is special about Amity

Sometimes an unexpected turn results in a fulfilling life journey. Such was the case for José Arguelles Juan who found himself in Yamhill County in 1998 after departing his home in Mexico. Jose had left behind his wife and children and labored to find a way to survive in a new country. He found his path in his first jobs with the established Janzen Farms in the Willamette Valley. Here, he learned and progressed and in time, he was able to reunite with his family […]