VERBOORT, Ore. — The small village of Verboort in Washington County will serve thousands of sausage dinners this Saturday in an annual event that raises funds for its church.
The history of the event reaches back nearly a century, and its heritage is shared by many folks today.
In Verboort, Oregon, fixing a dinner for the first Saturday each November is monumental work! It’s never easy making sausages and all the fixings to feed 8,000 people, but it’s work that feeds the soul.
Not far away, another gathering enjoys the soul-satisfying rewards of a meal based upon the successes of seasonal hunting trips in the Oregon outdoors.
Roger and Janet Van Dyke’s family and friends connect with the Verboort sausage story in historic fashion. Roger’s grandmother, Margaret Van Dyke (Maggie), prepared and helped serve the first Verboort dinner back in 1934. Back then, 100 meals were served and Grandmother Maggie Van Dyke managed it all.
These days, the Van Dyke kitchen is in constant motion as diners pitch in to offer their versions of sausage that they made from their deer and elk harvests.
The recipes include breakfast sausage, chorizo sausage, Italian sausage, summer sausage and more.
“A lot of hard work goes into this each year. Everything we do, from camping to the hiking to the hunting, getting the animals we harvest all the way up to camp,” said family friend, Eric McOmie. “Countless hours we put in on the ground finding the animals, bring them back home and process them, but what a sweet treat, right?”
He’s right! The Van Dyke family and their friends hunt together for deer and elk each fall. Their camping adventures provide not only game meat for their sausage recipes, but stories to fuel strong memories long after rifles and boots are stored.
A couple of winters ago, we saw the Van Dykes’ sausage-making in action! The group gathered for four days to process more than 400 pounds of venison and elk.
They processed, smoked and wrapped their wild game bounty into half a dozen different sausage recipes based on Grandmother Maggie’s original.
Back then, Roger and Janet’s daughter Erin Stubbs (Van Dyke) explained, “All those recipes mean we need lots of equipment, which is one of the reasons we run multiple grinders. The sooner we get it processed, the better it is for the meat.”
“It’s the only way you can get Verboort elk sausage. You make it!" said Erin's dad, Roger Van Dyke. "And everyone we serve it to says it’s the best they’ve ever tried and they can’t get it anywhere else. So, we make it for our family and some friends. Why not?”
“It’s really like a holiday," Erin added. "It is certainly work, but it’s also a good reason for everybody to get together and do something productive.”
Erin grew up learning to make all the varied sausage recipes. She was a mainstay of the entire operation. A longtime teacher and coach, she grew up in the area and attended local colleges. She also led a local Forest Grove High School Equestrian team to multiple state championships. But more than her professional successes, she loved the Oregon outdoor life!
Sadly, Erin passed away in 2023 following a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Earlier this year, the Van Dyke family established a scholarship fund: the Erin Stubbs Memorial Scholarship Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is the awarding of higher education scholarship cash grants to selected graduates of Forest Grove High School. The scholarship will encourage, reward and support the individual pursuit of the values that defined Erin’s scholastic and life endeavors.
Meanwhile, back at dinner, family and friends and the recipes come together, keeping tradition alive and sharing the season. The gathering of family and friends continues with annual events that pay homage to the annual Verboort tradition. Janet Van Dyke said it’s what their daughter wanted.
“You know, they call it a hunting party, and this is our sausage making party. So, here we are, but it’s really all about a gathering of friends who enjoy each other like a family. We just do, and it’s fun!”
Be sure to watch the weekly half-hour program of Grant’s Getaways. The show airs each Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. on KGW.
You can also learn more about many of my favorite Oregon travels and adventures in the Grant’s Getaways book series, including:
- "Grants Getaways I," Photography by Steve Terrill
- "Grant's Getaways II," Photography by Steve Terrill
- “Grant’s Getaways: 101 Oregon Adventures,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Guide to Wildlife Watching in Oregon,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
- “Grant’s Getaways: Oregon Adventures with the Kids,” Photography by Jeff Kastner
The book collection offers hundreds of outdoor activities across Oregon and promises to engage a kid of any age.
You can reach me: Gmcomie@kgw.com