Celebrating 50 years of promoting local agriculture |
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September Along the Farm Trails
Apple Trail, Fall Tour & More Farm Fun
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Happy September! As late summer morphs into fall, Sonoma County farms and fields are bursting with crops and beauty! In this month's newsletter, we feature some of the highlights you'll find around the county. If you want to experience autumn in full swing, join our Weekend Along the Farm Trails Fall Tour. Read all about it below, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@sonomacountyfarmtrails) for even more farm fun!
Above: Organic apple varieties on display at Laura's Apples. You can find the farm on the Apple Trail and at the Weekend Along the Farm Trails Fall Tour.
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Weekend Along the Farm Trails Fall Tour
October 14 & 15
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Our annual Weekend Along the Farm Trails Fall Tour will be held October 14 & 15, at over two dozen member farms, ranches, and more! Pick pumpkins, meet farm animals, learn how to make bouquets and shuck oysters, go on guided farm and creamery tours, taste apples and ciders, go on a hay ride, and more!
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Registration is free and easy, but some tour stops may require advance reservation or charge a fee. All information will be provided to registrants at least three weeks before event weekend. Sign up today!
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Farm Trails Events Calendar |
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Here are some of the upcoming happenings along the Farm Trails. Visit our online Events Calendar for more farm-related fun!
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APPLE TRAIL: After a slow start due to the cool conditions this year, apple season is in high gear in Sonoma County. To celebrate, we invite you to go on the Apple Trail, a special online resource to help you find all things apple from Farm Trails members. Apples by the pound & case, cider, juice, preserves, pies, skincare, apple pressing, U-pick, orchard tours, special pairings...and more!
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SRJC SHONE FARM BARN OPEN HOUSE: Come visit SRJC Shone Farm on Saturday, September 9, for their Barn Open House from 10 am to 3 pm, for apple U-pick, a farm stand overflowing with delicious produce, flower stand full of bouquets, and wine on the patio overlooking the pastures. Stop by the barn before 1 pm, and animal science students will introduce you to the cows with calves, goats, sheep, and livestock guardian dog! Free, no reservations. 7450 Steve Olson Lane, Forestville; https://shonefarm.santarosa.edu/farm-events.
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FLORAL DESIGN WORKSHOP AT POPPIES AND PETALS FARM: On Sunday, September 10, 9 to 11 am, create a stunning asymmetrical centerpiece with flowers that you harvest right from the fields at Poppies and Petals Farm. Led by Dominique Pfahl of Floréal L'Atelier in San Francisco, the workshop will begin with a demo from Dominique followed by you cutting specialty flowers. Dominique and the farm team will be on-hand to guide you through the process. Tickets online. 500 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa; poppiesandpetalsfarm.com.
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FALL PLANT SALE AT PETALUMA BOUNTY FARM: Petaluma Bounty Farm is hosting their 4th Annual Fall Plant Sale Sunday, September 10. The hours from 9 to 11 am are reserved for immunocompromised folks, people with disabilities, or CalFresh/EBT customers. Signups are encouraged but not required. From 11 am to 3 pm, it is open to the public and there is no signup required. Click here to see the plant list. 55 Shasta Ave., Petaluma; petalumabounty.org/programs/bounty-farm/. |
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HEIRLOOM APPLE CELEBRATION AT GOLD RIDGE ORGANIC FARMS: Head to the Second Annual Heirloom Apple Celebration at Gold Ridge Organic Farms, Saturday, September 16, 10 am to 3 pm. Heirloom apple tastings, an orchard stroll with Farmer Brooke Hazen, locally made organic ice cream, tastes of fresh-pressed apple juice, olive oils, artisan cheese and apple pairings, live music, wood-fired pizza, and more await. Tickets available online. 3387 Canfield Road, Sebastopol; goldridgeorganicfarms.com.
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FALL FEAST AT TIERRA VEGETABLES FARM: On September 24, Tierra Vegetables Farm will be hosting a four-course fall feast with Chef Robert Negoesco, featuring delicious produce straight from Tierra's fields. Proceeds will benefit Tierra's fundraising drive to purchase their land. Tickets are $125 and available at the Farm Stand, at their stand at the SF Ferry Building Farmers' Market, or via Venmo. 651 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa; tierravegetables.com.
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PUMPKIN PATCH & FALL FESTIVAL AT CASSIDY RANCH: Join Cassidy Ranch as they kick off pumpkin season with their inaugural pumpkin patch celebration on October 7 and 8 from 10 am to 3 pm. Wander the pumpkin patch and pick your own pumpkin and winter squash to take home. The weekend will also include gourd painting and pumpkin carving activities for families. 22661 S. Central Ave., Sonoma; cassidy-ranch.com.
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OKTOBERFEST BAR(N) CRAWL AT CHARLIE'S ACRES: Join Charlie's Acres on Saturday, October 7, for an Oktoberfest celebration, where you can enjoy brews and bites at this 21+ Barn Crawl event. You and your friends will love tasting wines from local producers alongside plant-based bites while you make your way from barn to barn meeting some incredible rescued animals. 3201 Napa Road, Sonoma; charliesacres.org.
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WEEKEND ALONG THE FARM TRAILS FALL TOUR: Over two dozen Farm Trails members will open their farm gates for our annual Weekend Along the Farm Trails Fall Tour! Tour stops to date include Ambix Spirits, Bamboo Sourcery, Blossom and Bine, Bodega Pastures, Bodega Bay Oyster Co., Bohemian Creamery, Deep Roots Farm, Ethic Ciders, Forni Farm & Nursery, Goatlandia Farm Animal Sanctuary, Gold Ridge Organic Farms, Hidden Forest Nursery, Horse & Plow, Lala's Jam Bar & Urban Farmstand, Laura's Apples, Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Experiment Farm, Manzanita Grove Vineyard, Marin Coast Ranch, Monte-Bellaria di California, New Carpati Farm, Oak Hill Farm, Papa's Pumpkin Patch, Poppies & Petals Farm, Soap Cauldron, SRJC Shone Farm, Tilted Shed Ciderworks, and Zannah Farms. Registration is free; details will be provided via email. Sign up online.
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WEEKENDS UNTIL OCTOBER 21 |
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PRESS JUICE AT THE SLOW FOOD COMMUNITY APPLE PRESS: Slow Food Russian River is back at the Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Experiment Farm with their free Sebastopol Community Apple Press. BYO backyard apples (or buy from a local farm) and a container to take home the juice. Reserve a spot via their website. Weekends through October 21, 9 am to 3 pm. Volunteers also welcome! At Luther Burbank Gold Ridge Experiment Farm, 7777 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol; slowfoodrr.org.
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SATURDAYS THROUGH NOVEMBER |
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U-PICK AT EARTHSEED FARM: It's apple and blackberry U-pick season at EARTHseed Farm, and slots fill up fast! Check out their website Tuesdays starting at 9 am, to reserve your spot for the following Saturdays. During your visit you can also shop the Farm Store for other seasonal offerings, including mulberries, pluots, Asian pears, pineapple guava, African baskets, herbs, and more! 3175 Sullivan Road, Sebastopol; earthseedfarm.org. |
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Enjoy the latest installment in our Member Spotlight series. You can find more on our blog.
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JON & MISTY GAY, FREESTONE RANCH
For the past few years, “regenerative” has become a buzzword in agriculture, as farmers and ranchers look to move beyond so-called sustainable and even organic practices. The goal of regenerative agriculture is to foster a more holistic growing ecosystem by building and preserving soil health, among other ecological practices such as no-till and rotational grazing, for maximal benefit to the farmer, the community, and the environment. The focus is on reciprocity and abundance, not extraction and consumption. And for Jon and Misty Gay of Freestone Ranch, regenerative agriculture is truly a way of life. In this Member Spotlight, we visit with Misty to learn more about their beef ranching ethos and respect for the earth and indigenous foodways. Read the interview.
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Gravenstein Apple Fair: Fun at 50! |
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We're grateful to the 14,000 folks who joined us to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our major annual fundraiser, the Gravenstein Apple Fair, on August 12 & 13! We hope you enjoyed the amazing live music on two stages, all things Gravenstein in our new “Apple Alley,” fabulous local food, art & crafts vendors, activities for kids, farm animals and demonstrations, craft ciders, microbrews, premium wines, and VIP Lounge. Thanks to your help, we hit our goal of 95% zero waste, and are thrilled to be a model for green events. Visit GravensteinAppleFair.com to stay up to date on the latest and to order Fair merchandise and memorabilia. We hope to see you again August 10 & 11, 2024!
(Photo by Kelsey Joy)
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In Memoriam: Paula Downing & Al Poncia
Paula Downing, 1941–2023
Paula was an indefatigable champion of local farms and farmers since the 1990s. She formerly served on the Farm Trails Board of Directors, on the leadership council at Slow Food Russian River, and as longtime manager of the Sebastopol Farmers' Market. To read more about Paula and her indelible impact on the ag community, read Michele Anna Jordan's reflections on her friend.
Alfred Poncia, 1940–2023
Al was the patriarch of Stemple Creek Ranch in Tomales, and a guiding force for sustainable ranching and local agriculture for five decades. According to his son, Loren, "My Dad was an incredible rancher, neighbor, friend, grand 'Poppa,' husband & father. His spirit was larger than life—and he dedicated his life to his family, his Tomales community, and to ranching." To learn more about Al and his vision, ethos, and impact, click here.
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We are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors. |
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OUR MISSION
Sonoma County Farm Trails is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization found in 1973 to connect the public to Sonoma County farmers and producers to ensure the economic viability of local ag and to instill an appreciation of ag as a vital part of our community. Farm Trails Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to provide training and services for the agricultural community and to educate the public about the importance of supporting local food systems.
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FARM TRAILS STAFF
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Carmen Snyder, Executive Director & Gravenstein Apple Fair Producer
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Ellen Cavalli, Membership & Marketing Manager
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Pam Davis, Gravenstein Apple Fair Operations Manager
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Sophie Haag, Gravenstein Apple Fair Event Coordinator
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Lisa Rose, Photographer
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Christine Margetts, Bookkeeper
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Vince Trotter, President
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Lauren Bowne, Secretary
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Alexandra Fox, Treasurer
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Karen Bianchi-Moreda, Director
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Andrea Krout, Director
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Alan Siegle, Director
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