News and blog
We are in our fourth year and it seems we have hit a quantum leap year! We were offered the nursery next door mid-November and took over December 8th (my number has always been 8-carol ). This allowed us to let our little burgeoning store breathe. We have increased our health and wellness supplements section and are adding new products daily. Our nursery is coming along with the help of Michael Allison who used to work at Andy's. Our son Thomas will join him. You know our willingness to get you what you need so if you don't find it, ask and we will make every effort to get it for you. We are growing in love and respect with our local farmers and ranchers and work closely with them: Katy and Larry - sweet Avery and their sweet new pea, Una Iris from Red Earth Farm, Galen who married wonderful Katrine and their Bald Mt. Farm is now Blue Oak Far. Leslie and Corinne from Table Mt. Beef Ranch are still providing local beef products. The Covers are keeping us in veggies, plants and goat soaps. We are now getting grass fed Buckhorn beef from Coulterville,and fianlly, local honey is coming from Gold Country Honey Farms and Buzzbee's.
It gives Dan and I such deep satisfaction to be a part of our growing locally sustainable community with such heart. We cannot thank you enough for supporting our dream. Generosity begets generosity which begets community.
Blessings to you and yours,
Dan and Carol Fox
Rancho Torales is situated on the canyon of the Toulumne River out Wards Ferry Road in Sonora. The soil is perfectly suited to the growing of Tuscan olive trees and French lavender.
When Joy & Sandy Severin bought the land, it seemed to whisper to them "plant olive trees and lavender"....and so they did. With very little background in working the soil, they received help from a number of experts, and the results have been quite rewarding.
Without adding any additives or chemical sprays, the ranch now produces an award-winning extra virgin olive oil and a wonderful aroma therapy lavender oil, along with other lavender products. All the olives used in the pressing of Sonora Gold Olive Oil are estate grown, and are first cold press, extra virgin.
For the past three years Sonora Gold Olive Oil has taken two bronze medals, and this year our first silver medal, at the International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, held yearly in Los Angeles, California. This competition includes oils from 47 different countries. The medal-winning oils are judged in June and are on display at the Los Angeles County Fair from September 1 to October 1.
Rancho Torales/ Sonora Gold olive oil remains a popular product, which is featured at Nature's Whole Foods Depot, Twain Harte Market, SaveMart Grocery in Sonora and Angel's Camp, Towle & Leavitt in Columbia State Historic Park, The Alchemy Market in Murphy's. In addition, our olive oil is the house oil at Talulah's Restaurant on Washington Street in downtown Sonora.
The lavender oils and sprays are acclaimed for their relaxation and healing properties. They are available at Schnoog's Cafe in Timberhills Shopping Center (east of Sonora) and Mountain Laurel Florist in downtown Sonora, Nature's Whole Foods Depot in Standard and Towle & Leavitt in Columbia. The uses of therapeutic lavender oils are becoming widespread. We are discovering new uses with tips from our clients weekly. Did you know that lavender oil will heal blisters, burns, mosquito bites, and headaches? One of our clients says he cannot sleep without spraying his pillow at night with our lavender spray...
All in all, growing our lavender and olive trees has been an amazing experience, and we hope you will try our products.
Joy & Sandy Severin
Rancho Torales / Sonora Gold
Editor's Note: While Rancho Torales/Sonora Gold has not yet been one of our destinations for our annual agritourism Farm Tour, it has been featured on the Sonora's AAUW Home Tour. In addition, this lovely ranch has been featured on the Sonora Art Trails Open Studio because Joy Severin is an amazing artist. We are blessed to have the vast contributions that the Severins make to our community!
Written by Sweet River Ranch owner, Susan Long
Even after five years, we both will find ourselves stopping whatever the chore, standing up, looking up, filling ourselves with the beauty and peace that is our small ranch, Sweet River Ranch, in Tuolumne County. We are blessed and we know it, yet if anyone had told us during the first part of this decade that by the end of this decade, we would own 40 acres, four dogs, three cats, and 22 fiber pygora goats, we would have laughed!
In our community and culture, who wouldn’t have laughed? We had always been white-collar workers, living in beautiful Danville, living the “good life”. Then the reality … the time when we would retire was looming closer. Whatever would we do when we didn’t have to go to work everyday? People say “find your joy” … what was our joy?
My family always had multiple dogs and cats, mostly rescues, so we talked about fostering, bringing rescued dogs into our home to re-train and help find permanent homes. We tried to figure out how to have two more dogs in suburbia, but after considerable thought, realized it wasn’t practical. I then made what is now between us an infamous remark: “well, I guess we have to find a bigger piece of land”. So began our search.
It took nine months, but we finally found the property that had been waiting for us in the beautiful Mother Lode town of Sonora. We bought a 40 acre parcel that sits on a bluff overlooking the Tuolumne River. Words cannot describe the tranquility of this place and the lift in our hearts whenever we drive over that final ridge and see our home sitting on the hill. But in 2004, we had a long way to go before that house was sitting there!
There are many good stories about our journey from then until now. We lived in a 5th-wheel while our home was being built and had to share the outhouse with the construction workers. Although not funny then, we laugh when we think about the times the outhouse was knocked over during storms. I took pictures the day the truck arrived to take our little turquoise outhouse away. It was a celebration! As was the day PG&E put up our power pole and we actually had electricity! Good times!
We live in a high fire danger area so we knew we had to find some sort of grazing animal to keep the weeds down. Cows were out, too many cow pies! Horses were out, too big and too expensive. What about goats? So I looked at pygmies, but then found pygoras!! I remember the day I first saw them on the internet, a medium sized goat, registerable, a good selling point for kids, and … oh my gosh!! … they have fiber! How fun!
We brought together 22 kids from four different ranches, after fencing our first one acre pasture and building eight A-frames for shelter. I had done a lot of reading, bought lots of supplies, visited three pygora ranches and tried to learn as much as I could. However, there is nothing like true hands-on experience!
Over the past five years, we have run another 4500 feet of fencing creating five additional pastures. We’ve added a workshop and put up a barn. We eventually brought in two pygora bucks and started breeding. We’ve learned how to give shots, trim feet, shear fiber, and the best way to catch up a buck. We’ve learned the nasty job of disbudding and felt the empathetic pain of banding. We’ve also learned how hard it is to lose a doe during kidding, to have kids die in our lap. But more so, we have experienced the absolute joy of these animals who are curious, playful, and sweet. We have learned to love that good bucky smell during rutting season and the laughable noises the bucks and does make to each other. We have experienced the euphoria of kidding, beautiful babies born who are up and nursing within minutes. We have sat in the dirt and laughed out loud while baby kids jump and play all over us.
Soon after the house was done, I joined the Mother Lode Weavers and Spinners Guild in Sonora. I joined to learn about fiber and to understand what hand spinners want in a fiber. I found so much more, a group of people who are talented, creative, and friendly. They’ve shared their talents and taught me to hand spin, an activity I’ve come to enjoy. It’s quite exhilarating to create something with yarn I’ve handspun with fiber from one of my own goats … how cool is that?
The rescue kennel? We did build it along-side the house. It’s a really nice building with a sink and cupboards. Dogs? No, there aren’t any rescue dogs. It’s a cattery at night for our barn cats and a storage room for all the 40 pound bags of dog food, cat food, COB, sunflower seeds, and minerals for the goats.
The direction life can take is wondrous. We love sharing our experiences and all we’ve accomplished along the way so we welcome visitors to Sweet River Ranch. Come play with our goats, feel their fiber, experience the beauty and peace of our new life: Ranching in Tuolumne County.
Check us out at www.californiapygoras.com.
The City of Sonora’s Certified Farmer’s Market will start on May 15th this year. Hours are 7:30 am until 11:30 am. This is looking to be an exceptional Market year and we welcome everyone to come down and check it out at Theall and Stewart Streets. To learn more, visit the City of Sonora's website at www.sonoraca.com.
The Farms of Tuolumne County brochure has a different look. Instead of the magazine style of the past seven years, it is now a beautiful tri-fold, easily displayed in the standard folder rack. We expect the brochure to be available for pick up at the University of California Cooperative Extension office, 52 N. Washington, Sonora by April 19, 2010.
The brochure again features a list of all FOTC producers, sponsors and supporters, along with easy to read farm trails map, events calendar and interesting articles. It is the Board of Director's goal to print the brochure yearly.
The FOTC Board of Directors wishes to express its appreciation to the Tuolumne County Farm Advisor and UCCE Director, Scott Oneto and his office manager, Robin Blood, for creating the new brochure. Scott is an ex-officio member of the FOTC Board of Directors. He has much experience with agricultural non-profits in that he was responsible for creating the Farms of Amador organization and brochure while he worked in Amador, before taking the UCCE Director position in Tuolumne County over three and a half years ago.
Autumn kisses the air with cool nights and warm days. Fall colors peek through last remnants of summer’s green. Drive our mountain roads in autumn to see California’s Fall Glory, and soon you spot row after row of orchard...Apple Orchards!
For more than 140 years Tuolumne County has been home to apple farmers. At one time more than 200 apple ranches dotted our hills and mountains. Settlers brought apple trees from their faraway homelands. and planted on steep slopes in rocky soil. Follow the thread of our old mountain by-ways. Tucked here and there you’ll see the last vestiges of abandoned homesteads, marked by rows of old apple trees, hidden by towering pines and cedars.
Today in Tuolumne County you’ll find four busy, active family farms flourishing...all part of our Farms of Tuolumne County family. Today our local apple farmers work just as busily as their ancestors. Throughout the year the chores of an apple farmer go on: Pruning, planting new trees, cleaning orchards, protecting buds from frost, warding off invading critters, encouraging healthy pollinators, irrigating, and watching over those precious fruits as they mature and ripen. And the ultimate reward: Harvesting a heavy, delicious crop to bring to market.
COVER’S APPLE RANCH—19211 Cherokee Road, Tuolumne, CA 95379 (209)928-4689
Of course, many Tuolumne County residents and visitors have fond memories of days at Cover’s Apple Ranch. (By the way, that is pronounced “Coh-ver,” rhyming with “over.”) Formerly Sonka’s, and before that Walter’s, and before that Ralph’s, the property between Tuolumne and Soulsbyville has proven perfect for apples.
For more than 100 years that same hillside on Cherokee Road has brought in millions of crisp apples. Even though the farm has changed hands and names many times, the quality of those apples has remained. Ironically the ranch was owned by Rudy and Esther Cover, and was called Cover’s Apple Ranch from 1959 until 1971. That’s when the Sonka family purchased the land, and changed the name. During its years with the Sonka family and later with the Bomgarden family under the same name, Sonka’s Apple Ranch expanded to add a delicious bakery shop where locals and visitors alike could take home the famous Mile High Pie. In 1987 a miniature scaled railroad was introduced. And there we have it: Tuolumne County’s first and foremost Agri-Tourism destination was born!
In 1998 Rudy and Esther’s son, Joe Cover, bought the ranch again. With six sons and a strong family rooted in their faith, the Cover’s set out to bring the ranch to ultimate glory—Cover’s Apple Ranch! For two years the Covers enjoyed an apple heyday as their farm gained in popularity. But in 2000 a horrible fire roared through the bakery shop, almost destroying all the years of hard work. The whole community was heart-broken. Not only had we lost our beautiful farm, but we were all concerned about the Cover family.
But the hard work of many hands and hearts prevailed. In 2002, Cover’s Apple Ranch re-opened with a larger bake shop and restaurant on the opposite side of the road. The Cover Express train was relocated nearby, and at long last the 100 year-old barn was restored so that a farm animal petting zoo could be offered.
Today thousands of people visit Cover’s Apple Ranch each year. In fact, this year Cover’s Apple Ranch was a favorite stop on our own Farms of Tuolumne County Farm Tour Day, held on August 1st. Family gatherings, school field trips, reunions, breakfast get-togethers, car clubs and motorcycle clubs—All make the ten-mile journey from Sonora for a piece of yummy pie and a little peace of the Earth. For a small fee visitors can take a ride on The Cover Express, a steam train, which runs through tunnels and around the pond—Saturdays only. Families can feed the farm critters or play in the treehouses. Often Autumn is marked with the construction of a Hay Maze where children scamper all about! Plus, shoppers will be lured in by the delightful offerings in the gift shop. Cover’s staff will also help assemble gift baskets that are brimming with all kinds of fun goodies, including the delicious jams and applesauce, made from apples grown on the ranch. And don’t forget the fudge...mouth-watering, for sure!
Cover’s is now host to many annual events. In Spring you can mark your calendar for the Apple Blossom Breakfast, held in April with a hearty farm breakfast, hay rides and a chance to see that first burst of promise, the blossoms that are harbingers of delicious fruits to come. Just a few weeks later, come back to Cover’s in early May for Tuolumne County Farm Bureau’s “Agstravaganza,” which is an on-going celebration of farm and ranch culture. Farmers and ranchers from the community bring together antique farming equipment, give presentations and demonstrations, and work to educate our community about the vitality of modern farming in Tuolumne County. Coming up this month will be Cover’s Annual Barbecue, which will be held on october 17th, 2009, running from 10:00am until 3:00pm.
All Summer the Covers are busy selling their baked goods, jams, jellies and fresh-baked breads at the Sonora Farmers’ Market. On many a Saturday you can spot locals and visitors grabbing a Cuppa Joe from Mother Lode Coffee Roasting Company, then carefully selecting the perfect Cover’s turnover...Ah, what a breakfast!
Of course, Autumn brings harvest. More than 100 years later, fhe orchard still produces premium apples. And there is a nice selection of heirloom apples, not readily available elsewhere: Paragon and Stamin Winesaps, Arkansas Black and Early Blaze, along with popular Red and Golden Delicious.
The Cover’s good neighbors at Tuolumne Me-Wuk Rancheria and Black Oak Casino are just around the bend. So, at Lunch Hour those Cover tables are full, and the menu is rich with yummy offerings. This writer must confess: For five months I enjoyed working at the Rancheria. At least twice a week I pulled into Cover’s convenient Drive-Up Window (open at M-F @6:00 AM & Sat @8:00AM) to get a piece of yummy quiche and the very best molasses cookies ever! Plus Friday Night Dinners are a great evening out at Cover’s Ranch Dining Room with a new menu “home-cooking” each week. The Cover’s Kitchen recommends that folks call ahead for reservations: (209)928-4689.
But sometimes isn’t it just too far to drive all the way to Tuolumne? In 2008 the Cover Family solved that problem. Now Sonorans and Sonora visitors can feast of a host of delicious Cover products and many other of our FOTC producers’ goods by stopping by Cover’s Downtown Market, located at 635 South Washington Street, Sonora, CA (209)770-0375. Deli sandwiches, Cover’s apple juice and cider, frozen Cover’s fruit or savory pies, Diestel turkey cuts, and fresh produce in season are easy to find right in town.
A story about Cover’s Apple Ranch would not be complete without mentioning why this important agri-tourism business is NEVER OPEN ON SUNDAY! The Cover family, along with many other long-time local families, is a part of the Old Brethren Church. At one time OBC was connected to the Old German Baptist Brethren, but separated to form a new religious community. Their simple lifestyle gives comfort and adds a sense of reverence to the rest of our lives: The women wearing long dresses with capes and bonnets with no adornment or make-up: the men with long beards, no moustaches. Girls in long dresses with long braids, and boys looking like boys everywhere. Members of the Old Brethren Church live a quiet life outside of Mainstream America, devoted in their faith. The rest of us are grateful for a chance to reflect on our own commitments of faith as we observe this humble community, walking in our lives every day.
On any trip to Tuolumne County, please include Cover’s Apple Ranch or Cover’s Downtown Market on your “Must Do List.” You’ll take home sweet memories along with sweet (and savory) delicacies.
ROSEFIELD ORCHARDS, located near Sierra Village on Bottini Ranch Road. P.O. Box 143, Sierra Village, CA 95346 (209)770-3522. Email: erosefield@earthlink.net
Farms of Tuolumne County has a brand new member, and we couldn’t be more surprised or happier! Thanks to the diligent work of the Rosefield family, one of our oldest apple farms is flourishing again and working to bring sustainable agricultural practices into prominence.
First homesteaded by Italian immigrants, the approximately 30-acre Bottini Apple Ranch began in the late 1860’s. Most of their trees were planted between 1870 and 1900 at a time when hundreds of apple ranches dotted these Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Nestled in a tiny mountain valley, creeks flow through the ranch sending icy mountain snow run-off to the Tuolumne River. While some moiled for gold, the Bottini family planted, tended, harvested and carried apples to local markets. After a while the demand for local apples declined as the Gold Rush waned. But the ranch managed to stay in the Bottini family for many years.
Then more than 40 years ago the Rosefield family purchased the ranch and slowly things began to improve. David and Elizabeth Rosefield lived full-time on the ranch, and raised their family on the property. Sons Kit and Gordon and sister Autumn grew up learning about the orchard, helping their parents as they slowly nurtured antique heirloom apples back into production. During that time they trucked their heirloom fruit to markets in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Rosefields’ story centers on a crucial issue that faces almost every American farm family. Eventually the Rosefield children moved into their own adult lives and careers with none of the three choosing farming as a path. In 1997 the work of the farm slowed down as David and Elizabeth realized that they needed more help. All of that on-going maintenance became more than they could do alone as they began to age. Soon the orchards seem to fall asleep for a period of time as routine tasks were neglected.
But all through that period the Rosefield children did not loose their love for that ranch. They were just too busy! During frequent visits to the farm, they continued to help as they could and to have lengthy conversations with Mom and Dad on the philosophy of healthy farming practices.
Finally about 5 years ago Kit and Evelyn returned home with a renewed commitment to the family farm. Kit had spent his career working in Environmental Waste Water Management. Armed with that knowledge, experience Kit and his devoted wife, Evelyn, along with Kit's brother Gordon, now live full time at Rosefield Orchards.
Sadly David Rosefield passed away in 2008. While his loss has been difficult for the family, each one takes courage knowing that David had shared his vision, his knowledge and his love over the years. With a strength that you find when you put a shovel in your hand, the Rosefields kept working to restore this mountain paradise.
Many of the Rosefield Orchards trees are more than 100 years old. Growing deep in a river canyon where Sugar Pine Creek meets the north fork of the Tuolumne River, the orchards are surrounded by virgin forest. Heritage Lady Apples, Red Astrakhans, Sweet Winesap, Yellow Bartlett Pears, vintage Italian Prune Plums, along with Red and Golden Delicious and Asian Pears, each with distinctively unique flavors, now flourish in an organic environment, free from pesticides.
A growing trend in agriculture is to restore heirloom varieties of many fruits and vegetables. Seed banks, budding and grafting techniques are helping small farmers to revitalize the unique qualities of the foods our great grandparents ate. The Rosefields see their role in that revitalization on their farm. Working with such groups as the Sonoma Antique Apple Nursery, the Rosefields have budded original bud wood from their own antique trees to bring those varieties back into production.
As Evelyn Rosefield explains, “Lady Apples date back to the original 20 varieties of apples that came from ancient Rome. Seeds can also be traced back to 17th century France during the reign of Louis XIII.” She adds, “The Ladies make good cider or eating apples because of their delicately sweet taste.”
As this ranch begins to introduce its name to local residents, it’s worth mentioning that Bay Area apple fans are once more enjoying their produce as their apples cater to the growing number of “foodies,” devotées of the Slow Food Movement. Of course, “foodies” love to try new and unusual choices. One such apple from Rosefields, the Red Astrakhan, has quite a pedigree. Originally from Russia, it was imported to the U.S. from Sweden by way of England in 1835. Once a popular apple for home use, it is now proving its worth again for its superior culinary qualities. On a recent trip, this early harvest apple was quick to find at Nature’s Whole Food Depot.
So, where can locals purchase Rosefield Orchards’ apples? Along with Nature’s Whole Food Depot, Upsprout Farm has been bringing their apples to the Tuolumne Farmers’ Market on Wednesday afternoons and evenings, located at Tuolumne Memorial Park in Tuolumne City. That will be something to remember for next year, now that our Farmers’ Market Season is over for 2009. But there is good news: Until mid-October Upsprout Farm will offer Rosefield Orchards fruit at the Sonora Farmers’ Market! As word gets out, locals will enjoy Rosefield Orchards’ Lady Apples, a popular eating and cider apple along with all their other heirloom varieties.
Together the whole family works to continue father David’s dream of using environmentally sound farming practices, preserving the natural landscape and protecting the north fork of the Tuolumne River. With inspiration and courage the Rosefield family continues their long-range vision of building a stronger presence for sustainable agriculture in Tuolumne County. It looks like Rosefield Orchards will be making its mark on our local farming community.
SIERRA GLEN RANCH—15665 Big Hill Road, Sonora, CA 95370. (209)532-2534. Email: info@sierraglenranch.com
On my first visit to Tuolumne County in 1971, my hosts took me for a leisurely scenic drive on the twisting mountain roads of Big Hill. As wove and wended our way through the rich forestlands, we suddenly came around a wide curve. There it was! Sierra Glen. To this day the ranch is one of my favorite spots in the county, one that I always want to share with my own guests.
Settled in at 3500 foot elevation, this 340-acre farm is another one of Tuolumne County’s early farms. Now the old farmhouse stands proudly in the middle of this mountain paradise where hundreds of neatly planted rows of trees gently roll out before you, then encircle that old house. The long driveway welcomes visitors, who are already pulling out their cameras to capture this pastoral gem. Off in the distance is the ranch’s pond where visitors are sure to spot a crane standing watch over the frogs.
Sierra Glen is one of Tuolumne County’s most memorable Agri-Tourism destinations, especially in Autumn during the rich apple harvest. Aromas surround you: First the cedar and “mountain misery” to remind you that you are truly in the Sierra Nevadas, no mistaking that. Then the fresh, crisp smell of those apples gets your mind ready to Crunch! And just as quickly your thoughts switch to grab the distinct aroma of freshly baking pies and cookies...truly a spicey yum!
If you decide to visit Sierra Glen this Fall, please take note that the Phoenix Lake Bridge is now closed, due to a little mishap with some dynamite! Instead, take Longeway Road, going the round-about way (Directions at Sierra Glen’s website). Or for the more adventurous types, head to Columbia State Historic Park, and find your way to the Columbia side of Big Hill Road. Even though the road curves and twists up narrow a steep, narrow road, that same road will eventually take you to this wonderful destination. Just in case you’re on your motorcycle, save room in those saddlebags for fruit, jams, jellies and a pastry or two.
Bring a picnic and get dessert in the Bake Shop. Take a Hay-Ride all around the ranch, or have a grand time in the Hay-Maze. If you happen up to Sierra Glen on a week-day, you just might share your time with one of the many busloads of school children, who flock up each Autumn to celebrate apples in this picturesque place.
Farmer and Ranch Manager Hal Denton invites visitors to Sierra Glen from June through December. In early Summer folks can enjoy berry-picking: Olallieberrries, boysenberries, black raspberries, and black satins. Then come the cherries: Bing, Montgomery and Rainier. Late Summer ushers in delicious stone fruits: Nectarines and Peaches. Finally, as Summer is waning and Fall touches the air, it’s time for the Pome Fruits: Pears, Asian Pears and all of Sierra Glen’s 22 varieties of Apples!
But, of course, it is so important to stop and take a breath...because Sierra Glen also grows lovely, sweet Christmas Trees! A cut-your-own operation, the staff will help you get your tree all set to go home for the Holidays. And this year, families can enjoy a little extra time with Jolly Old St. Nick! He has scheduled some extra stops to Sierra Glen Apple Ranch.
Another possibility for you and your family at Sierra Glen is their Special Events opportunities. Weddings have become increasingly popular at this location, now established as one of Tuolumne County’s premier wedding venues. One Sierra Glen wedding was recently given prominent attention in a Central Valley magazine on wedding planning. Plus, the Sierra Glen staff can help brides and grooms with all the necessary arrangements for their glorious day. And if a wedding, then why not a family reunion, or class reunion family day, or a church get-together?
Recently a Sacramento antique car club traveled to Sierra Glen Apple Ranch for a day’s excursion. Farmer Hal Denton and his crew planned a barbecue for the visitors. Then they opened up the event to locals and other visitors, just as the Autumn season was beginning to take hold Auto clubs, motorcycle clubs, bicycling clubs might want to take a long look at Sierra Glen as a destination. The drive is not only immersed in natural beauty, but Big Hill Road and the usual access routes are just fun to drive! Sierra Glen offers such gorgeous surroundings for just about any occasion, and the ranch’s staff is always willing to help plan successful events.
Living here in Tuolumne County, many of us take our home and its amenities for granted. Sometimes we need a gentle nudge or two from “outsiders,” “flatlanders,” or “beach bums” to be reminded about our own treasures. Sometimes we need to look up long enough to read and hear what others say about a place like Sierra Glen. So, here’s a little note found at Yelp.com, accompanied by 5-Stars: “This is a special place. Worth visiting if you are just in the mood to cruise from the bay area and explore Gold Country.” Thanks, Thighmaster M! You said it!
And like my own early memories still affirm, Sierra Glen Apple Ranch is a lovely jewel in our community’s crown. I will never forget that first glimpse, that first catch of my breath. It still happens whenever I drive Big Hill Road...There it is! Sierra Glen.
So, as I used to tell my students, “We’ve come to the end of our lesson. I hope you’ve learned information today that you can use tomorrow.” Tuolumne County’s agricultural history would not be complete without noting our apple farms. Not only do they provide us with delicious, crisp delights each year from late Summer until late Autumn, their stories add to our rich heritage and landscape.
Folksinger Kate Wolf once wrote a song, “The Lilac and the Apple Tree.” The lyrics tell a story....”A lilac bush and an apple tree were standing in the woods; out on a hill overlooking the town where once a farmhouse stood.”
Here in Tuolumne County we’re blessed that the apple trees still stand around our farmhouses. And we hope these farms will continue to thrive for future generations.
If you’d like to learn more about the many varieties of apples that are grown in Tuolumne County, please visit these websites:
Burchell Nursery: http://www.burchellnursery.com/
Dave Wilson Nursery:http://www.davewilson.com/
Trees of Antiquity: http://www.treesofantiquity.com/
Before we close, let’s give a salute to one special group who really makes all of this happen. Were it not for one hard-working, industrious corps of helpers, none of our apples would be here today: Hooray for the Bees!
And with them, a special nod to our local beekeepers, Gold Country Honey Farms, owned and operated by Dave and Kendra Pish, and FOTC members. Their hives travel to many of our local orchards to help guarantee that all this will HAPPEN!
Written by storyteller & Farm Fan B.Z. Smith
B.Z. is an Associate Member of Farms of Tuolumne County, helping to support small family farms in our Sierra Foothill community. Become an Associate Member Today—Be an Advocate for California’s Agricultural Heritage, right here in Tuolumne County!
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Whether you’re planning a trip to Tuolumne County or if you call this great place home, it’s time to get ready for a real treat! We’re excited to announce a new Agri-Tourism option for our Sierra Foothill region:
Gianelli Vineyards’ presents its Jamestown Tasting Room with a big Grand Opening on August 29th! What a treat! With the blessing of vintners Ron and Lorie Gianelli, renowned winemaker Chuck Hovey has brought together a sumptuous array of delicious wines. I tasted GV’s Verdelho, a delicate white which took “Bronze” at the 2009 CA State Fair, and a spectacular Cabernet ( Best of Show at the 2009 Tuolumne County Fair) on our 2nd Farms of Tuolumne County Farm Tour Day. Then there was the Fiano and the Nino! Every one...Yum! with a satisfying finish.
After you’ve enjoyed a taste of their fare and purchased a bottle or two for your wine rack, take a leisurely drive on Tuolumne County’s Algerine Road to see their amazing 53-acre vineyard. Although the vineyard is not open for public tours (except by special arrangement), you won’t regret one ounce of the gasoline you’ll use to take in its pastoral grace. (Just be sure you did not “taste too much to drive.”) From Jimtown, take Seco St. southbound. Soon you’ll merge onto Algerine Road and you’ll find yourself on one of our most lovely country roads. The vistas of ranches, mountains and rolling oaks will soothe and restore, a restful trip into our beautiful country.
At Stent Road you can wave “Howdy” to our FOTC friends at McRae Ranch (sheep & cattle). Then keep going south, winding your way through picturesque scenes. At last you’ll come to a wide expanse of vineyard, lovingly planted to capture our golden California sun: Gianelli Vineyards. My first glimpse of this amazing endeavor literally knocked me over! I had no idea that this land had been cut with a plow. When I saw those tender new vines, I began a vigil to see what would happen. “Who are these guys?” I kept asking.
Three years after my first glimpse, this new vineyard and its winery are a huge boon to Tuolumne County’s agricultural community. Get your cameras ready! No matter what the weather, GV is truly awesome with its rolling rows of lovingly planted wine grapes, all glowing in radiant sunlight or shaded by majestic Sierra clouds. Take time to just soak in its restful beauty. You’ll learn more below*.
And don’t worry, we’ll get you back on our main roads...it’s easy. For the short route to Sonora, continue south until you come to Red Earth Farm, another FOTC member. Turn left onto Lime Kiln Rd., then just keep trucking for about 5 miles. Soon you’ll be at Hwy 108 and a gateway to Sonora, home of our delightful Sonora Farmers’ Market, great restaurants that feature local products, all kinds of fun shops and rich Mother Lode history! Sonora is The Gem of the Southern Mines. The Diamondback Grill, a favorite Sonora eatery, is now pouring a selection of Gianelli Vineyards’ wines.
Or for the longer scenic route, keep going south. You’ll be charmed by these twisting mountain roads through ranches, past old homesteads. When you arrive at Ward’s Ferry Rd., you have lots of options! Call ahead for a visit to Rancho Torales/ Sonora Gold Olive and Lavender Ranch, an FOTC member with award-winning olive oils, lavender products and an elegant country estate. Or you can head back to “civilization” by hanging a left. In 5 miles, through more countryside with a glimpse of historic Morgan Chapel, you’ll be on Tuolumne Road. Then go left to Sonora, or go right to Tuolumne City and Black Oak Casino.
*The story of Gianelli Vineyards is one of rich tradition, deep roots in local history and lore and absolute love. The Gianelli Ranch was first purchased by vintner Ron’s ancestor Giovani Rocca in the 1800’s. Here’s a tease from GV’s website:
In Giovani’s day his property was the site for a working cattle ranch, gold mining camp, and was a major stagecoach stop for supplies coming into Jamestown. Giovani was quite a character, and was even reported to give food and aid to the infamous Joaquin Murrieta when he’d pass through town.
Loved and tended for generations, the property finally passed into the hands and care of Ron and Lorie Gianelli. In 1980 Ron purchased the land from his great aunt Edna Collard. And so the modern-day dreams began! And lucky for all of us, Ron Gianelli had maintained strong ties with his family in Italy. After traveling back and forth, Ron and Lorie finally realized that their dream was to bring the land into a true Italian tradition—Winemaking and vineyard stewardship!
With soil samples and a faith that their California home would readily echo the environments of Tuscany, the Gianellis began to strengthen their commitment to bring the Jamestown ranch, first brought into the family by that colorful character Giovani, into its full bloom as a “mirror of Tuscany.”
If you miss the Grand Opening (I’m going!) you need to put G.V.’s Tasting Room at the top of your What To Do for Fun in Tuol Co List! For the full and amazing story of Gianelli Vineyards, take a visit to their excellent website, or stop by for a chat at the new Tasting Room. No matter what, be sure to taste and enjoy their delicious wines. Located at 18263 Main St., Jamestown, CA, you’ll agree that we’re all lucky to have this incredible new addition to our tables—The wines of Gianelli Vineyards!
Written by storyteller & Farm Fan B.Z. Smith
B.Z. is an Associate Member of Farms of Tuolumne County, helping to support small family farms in our Sierra Foothill community. Become an Associate Member Today—Be an Advocate for California’s Agricultural Heritage, right here in Tuolumne County!
Next Month: Tuolumne County Apple Growers!
Even though the bountiful harvest of summer is over, many local products are still coming into harvest. Apples, olives, walnuts, and persimmons are just a few of the many products that you may find in Tuolumne County this time of year. In addition many local farmers have planted a variety of cool season vegetables including broccoli, onions, garlic, chard, carrots and others.