Dear Friends of Doe Bay,

This is a difficult newsletter to write. After 6 years, we give up. The Porcine family of Eastsound made us an offer we couldn't refuse. When family patriarch, Key Porcine, approached us, we said we would consider a sale, but we wanted to make sure certain Doe Bay values were maintained. I emphasized that Meditation Point has the most tranquil and beautiful camping in the San Juans and that guests have reported life-changing experiences there. Mr. Porcine laughed saying, " I hope those birkenstock-wearing, non-tax-paying, long hairs don't mind a few hogs in the next tent."

I next told him about the Doe Bay cafe, which is now known as one of the finest organic gourmet restaurants in the western US. He patted his ample belly protruding from his overalls and said, "Son, you are preaching to the choir; do I look like I have missed a meal?"

When I mentioned that I was an avowed vegetarian, he lowered his glasses on his nose, stared at me and said, "If you don't eat meat, then, what do you eat?" Notwithstanding this rough begining, we were able to make a deal. I couldn't get a vegetarian commitment, but I did get him to agree not to rename the cafe "Poor Key's Hot Dog and Weiner House." I had to give on his request to convert Retreat House in the upper field to a rendering facility and sausage factory, with signage featuring the Porcine Family Motto, "We use everything in the pig, except the squeal!"

The takeover will be complete when hell freezes over and pigs fly. Happy April Fool's Day! Was anybody fooled, even for a moment? The quote on the masthead should have been the first clue!

Other News from Doe Bay:

General Manager News -

Harreld Dinkins - In the last newsletter I announced Harreld's departure which will soon be a reality. I join the many guests, as well as staff members and Orcas neighbors in wishing HD continued success. H will celebrate his birthday at Doe Bay on Easter weekend and then, ignoring Horace Greeley's advice, will head East, young man! Harreld is considering graduate studies in law, journalism, or literature in the next year or two. Currently, he's sifting through opportunities in New York City and Washington, DC and will probably be moving to the East Coast some time in the next month or so. He will miss the looming evergreens and clear waters of the Sound, but is looking forward to being back in a world of paddling whitewater, visiting museums, and contemporary theater. He will be back from time to time to eat salmonberries and to paddle the Rosario Strait.

Please feel free to join H as a friend on his Facebook page or to drop him a note at Harreld@DoeBay.com. Feel free to follow him on Twitter too... and while you are at it, follow Doe Bay on Twitter and befriend us on Facebook!

Pliny Keep - Part two of the General Manager news is the welcoming of our new General Manager, Pliny Keep. Pliny and his wife Rene and daughter Penelope will arrive in early April. I will make a more formal introduction to this wonderful family in the May Newsletter. There is a photo of them hidden somewhere in today's newsletter!

Until next month,
Wishing you Health Peace and Prosperity… Everything you could need or want,
- Joe
The Proprietor
Joe@DoeBay.com

I know you are curious so here is the plan… Tickets will go on sale in person only at the Doe Bay General Store on May 1st. They will be attractively priced and will not have any service charge. In June, we will open up sales through BrownPaperTicket.com. There will be many new features this year including:

• Friday night shows on the mainstage in addition to the Noon until ten activities on Saturday.
• Several intimate shows in the café and the studio.
• An afterparty in the café with music and comedy… (This is after the sheriff reminds us that outside music must stop at 10PM.)
• A killer Sunday Brunch at the café and the Courtyard. MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW!
  

Did anybody figure out who the secret non-guest artist shown below is? Write Joe@DoeBay.com!

If you have an act (preferably a band, but jugglers, comedians and tightrope walkers will also be considered), please go to our dbFest 09 Booking submissions page…>>>> dbFest 09 Artist Submission Page

Save the Earth… Vote for Doe Bay! VOTE HERE Contest open until April 13th!

We spend almost nothing on advertising at Doe Bay, even though, you will hopefully agree that, we have a really cool product. Given that print and magazine ads require chopping down trees combined with the fact that one reason Doe Bay is special is because of the abundance of huge trees, it seems too contradictory to buy news and magazine ads.

Our approach has been word of mouth and killing as few trees as possible. Thanks to the internet, the power of your mouth has expanded exponentially. Please write to your friends and send them to Doe Bay. Add folks to our mailing list if you think they would appreciate the news from Doe Bay.

More immediately though you can vote for Doe Bay as a great NW escape on King 5’s web site. Vote for Doe Bay by clicking here We are in the running in the Best Cabins category, although you may be able to vote for us in others. As they say in Chicago, vote early and often. Take the time to tell why DB is the best. Thanks so much!

Tarn, Brenda & Jeff are shown here enjoying breakfast at the Doe Bay Cafe.... and they earned it! They headed down from British Columbia, parked in Anacortes and got on their bikes and headed to Doe Bay. They camped in a beautiful spot just off of Ganesh Way in our lower field area. They had an Orcas holiday with a relatively low carbon footprint.

We are so excited about planning an Easter brunch for our guests and I promise you a feast! Be here Easter Sunday!

We always start the weekend with our open-mic Pizza, Beer and Wine Night on Thursdays from 5-10 pm. You never know who you’ll find making music when you come to open mic night. We run the gamut from old time fiddlers to funk to Dutch reggae. We had a great couple from Port Townsend who played last week, Jerrod & Emily, known as The Solvents (see photo below). They left us a CD so we will be hearing them in the Cafe, even when they are back home.

On Saturday evenings we have been collaborating with Hollow Earth Radio to bring some fantastic regional performers out to brighten up the dark winter evenings. Recent musicians seen in the Doe Bay Café include June Madrona, Shenandoah Davis, and Karl Blau. Last weekend we enjoyed Led to Sea. Please join us this Saturday April 4 for the Subcons!

Finally, on Sunday nights we are hosting the Doe Bay Cinecafe! Join us for movies on the big screen starting at 7:00 p.m. We also offer 50% off all bottles of wine, free popcorn, a “Recession Special” in addition to our regular menu and a great time watching a great film with great people.

We look forward to seeing you in the café soon for some of Orcas Island’s finest local, organic and seasonal cuisine.

Best wishes,
Abigael Birrell
Executive Chef – Doe Bay Café

Cami, one of our three woofers who are still in the first third of a three week stay, reports:

"We are building a worm bin today for composting.
The entire eastern third of the space is prepped for planting. After a hard freeze this winter, the garden veggies are rolling from the greenhouse to the cafe NOW."

As you now probably know, WWOOF is a worldwide organization of people dedicated to Organic gardening who trade labor for accommodations at farms throughout the world. WWOOF USA Website Doe Bay recently joined WWOOF and has already received a flurry of requests for stays. To Learn more, please see our website >>>

Group Work Retreats

Another volunteer option is to come up for a weekend with a group of able bodied folks. We tailor each visit, but the general idea is that we exchange a two-night / three-day stay for you and your group for a half day of work in the garden or on the grounds. The particular jobs are season dependant as well as a function of what the property needs. They may include pure organic gardening, trail or brush clearing, cleaning or painting or even brainstorming. If you are interested, please contact us by writing to DoeBayVolunteers@Gmail.com. Our volunteer coordinator (who is also a volunteer) will get right back to you.

Doe Bay has several positions open for Seasonal and Possible Year-round employment:

Do you know a College Student looking for the Dream Summer Job? Please forward this to them! Applications will be taken until March 31, but positions will fill as qualified applicants are selected.

Doe Bay will be hiring several housekeepers, maintenance assistants, dishwashers and others for work from May through September. The pay is low and the work is hard. Did I mention that you will live in a tent and that there is NO TV on the property? Now, the bad news. You will spend your summer in one of the most beautiful places in the world. You will go hiking, biking and kayaking. You will learn about organic gardening. You will attend, and probably work at, dbFest 09. You will eat the freshest best food at the café at an employee discount. You will meet people from all over the world. You will probably get a taste of America in the 70’s and might even understand why your parents are the way they are, or not. You should be able to save a little bit of money and you will never forget the experience.

To see a sample ad which is posted at many Northwest colleges, Click here for Sample Advertisement!

A Guests slide show - A special thanks to guests who send us photos which exemplify the Doe Bay experience.

To see more of a cute kid in a cool place,

Click here for slideshow of Doe Bay vacation photos

And you will enjoy David Byrne’s soundtrack.

Send photos and movies and links to Joe@DoeBay.com.

Calling all Artists, Writers, Filmmakers, Musicians, and Performers of all kinds!

Doe Bay is a proud to support the arts by hosting artists for performances, staged readings, installations, retreats, or as a space to host classes and workshops.

We are now booking people for the 2009 Season. Please contact office@doebay.com to see if your work might be a good fit for Doe Bay’s guests, you, and your creative output.

Contests - Some of you have said that my challenges were getting too easy. So here is a tougher one. (Remember - Prizes to include a tall double latte at the Doe Bay Cafe and 15 minutes of fame by having your name prominently displayed ion the DB newsletter.) Who are the three musicians shown here in the 1966 photo?

Write to JOE with your guess!

Finally, an offer you can't refuse... TRADE Work for Food! If you re-format this newsletter for easy printing and send it to me, I will buy you breakfast. If you do the last couple newsletters from the website, I will buy you and a guest dinner at the Doe Bay Cafe!!