EXPERIENCE A DAY ON THE FARM! Learn, Eat & Celebrate! Sunday, May 20, 2012 A Day on the Farm, Sunday, May 20, 2012, at Soil Born Farms’ American River Ranch is an enjoyable day on the only organic farm in the area, plus an educational opportunity for the entire family. Sponsored by the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, the 40-acre farm serves as a living educational resource, with emphasis on food, nutrition, ecological farming and sustainable living. The day includes a wide variety of farm life-oriented, engaging events and hands-on activities tailored for both youth and adults. The Sacramento National Food Co-op sponsored event charming landscape, and activities that focus on good health

Springtime is right around the corner and everyone is invited to take a break from Sacramento city-life to experience the awakening of nature. The Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL) is hosting, "Spring Open House on the Farm", Sunday, April 1, 2012, from noon to 4:00pm. Springtime is a wonderful time to experience everything the Farm on Putah Creek - Center for Land-Based Learning's educational farm - has to offer you and your family. There are miles of walking trails along Putah Creek, a bountiful organic market garden, hedgerows in full bloom, and many diverse species of birds and wildlife. A sampling of the many hands-on activities includes hayrides, guided educational walks alon

The Center for Land-Based Learning would like to invite Sacramento families and  individuals to the "Fall Open House" at the Farm on Putah Creek, this Sunday, November 7, 2010 from noon to 4:00pm. Autumn is a wonderful time to experience everything the Farm on Putah Creek has to offer you and your family. There are miles of walking trails along Putah Creek, a bountiful organic market garden, hedgerows, ponds, birds, and wildlife all around. You might even spot a wild turkey or two. The farm serves as the Center For Land-Based Learning's teaching facility. High School students from all over the region, including several Sacramento schools take part in a program that introduces them to env

City leaders will have to wait a while longer before deciding on whether to allow backyard chicken farming in the city. The City Council’s Law and Legislation Committee had too many questions Tuesday to determine whether to send the issue forward to the council and asked for a revised report to be submitted before Nov. 23. “I have a lot of questions. I’d like to hear what the county public health officer has to say,” said Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy. “I think this is something that feels good, but I don’t know if it’s gonna be good.” Sheedy said she had received numerous calls from her constituents with concerns about bird-borne viruses and public health. She asked city staff to further e

From the beautiful day to the scrumptious food, this was an event not to be missed. It was new to me, and I was introduced to it by local wine personality/super salesmen Clint Crow from Berryessa Gap. "You just Have to check this out," he said. And after going and finding out not only the talent involved, but the cause they support, it makes me want to tell all foodies, sustainability kids and farmers alike. Yolo Land Trust has a long history of helping landowners preserve the landscape. The local networks of farmland, rangeland, stream corridors, wetlands and oak woodlands weave together to drive the economy, support wildlife and help make Yolo County a wonderful place to live and work

A sold-out class of about 15 budding farmers visited the non-profit American River Ranch in Rancho Cordova Saturday and Sunday to learn about small-scale farming. Students paid $150 to attend the two-day, hands-on class, which covered the knowledge needed to plan and run a farm smaller than 20 acres. The class, titled “Grow Your Groceries,” served one of the farm’s missions, which is to educate the community about how to use its land. The American River Ranch is the 25-acre headquarters for Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture and Education Project, who hosted the class along with the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. The students were happy to oblige the farm’s mission as they bombarded the f

Big. Ripe. Juicy. Tomatoes. Isn’t it odd that we, one of California’s greatest purveyors of tomatoes, never had our own festival? That was changed Saturday by the good people of The Terrace restaurant in Town and Country Village when they put on the first Sacramento Tomato Fest. The festival boasted multiple events for judgement, such as largest, smallest and ugliest and also a cook-off with prizes awarded to the winners. In the largest tent sat four judges who sat with their noses and eyes fixed on delicious cuisine dedicated to the festival’s contests. They had bits of pasta arranged in precise pattern, and later had slices of bruschetta prepared with exquisite detail. The judges ha

Earth Day;  a time to pull on the tie-dyed tee (the one with the peace sign)  slip on the Birks, and spin a few Donovan tunes (and say, good morning, starshine). On the other hand, if you'd rather skip your inner Hippie ensemble and accompanying tunes, maybe a more sophisticated celebration is in order, like popping the cork on a sustainably-produced bottle of wine. There are several 'green' agricultural buzzwords flying about the news these days, so you might be wondering, what exactly does 'sustainability' mean? Sustainable farming is the return to more responsible farming techniques. In the 20th century, industrial agriculture was embraced as a way to grow food abundantly and cheaply

Springtime will soon be in the air and you and your family are invited to get take a break from the 9 to 5 and city life to experience the awakening of life. The Center For Land-Based Learning at the Farm on Putah Creek is hosting Welcome Back Springtime at the Farm on Putah Creek Sunday March 28, 2010 from 10:00am – 4:00pm. The Center For Land-Based Learning is a non-profit whose stated mission is to “engage youth in learning experiences on the land that foster respect for the critical interplay of agriculture, nature and society.” Under the leadership of Mary Kimball, Executive Director, the Center uses a network of farms, ranches, and natural ecosystems as educational laboratories for

Come join us in celebrating 22 years of the Hoes Down Harvest Celebration in the Capay Valley (Yolo County).  This celebration will promote agricultural arts and sustainable rural living through two fun-filled days of workshops and events.  Located within two hours of San Francisco and Sacramento’s busy metropolitan areas, the rural Capay Valley region is home to many small farms that supply Northern California’s families, restaurants, and neighborhood grocery stores with fresh organic produce.  The Celebration will offer the public a special chance to enjoy rural life and deepen their understanding and connection to the local food system. On Saturday, October 3rd, the Harvest Festival at

California has a long history of farming, and as the capital of California, Sacramento provides a great central location for farmers from around the state to sell their crops. Sacramento Press already posted a story on the four farmers markets opening in the grid on May 1. One of the first Sacramento farmers markets started with family farmers Dan and Renae Best in 1980. Danielle Best, daughter of Dan and Renae, wrote an article in the Bee about her experiences growing up with parents who managed the Certified Farmers' Market. She is now the manager of several of the markets, following her parents' footsteps. She describes the appeal for farmers and buyers when they participate in farme

If you are like many Sacramentans, right about this time of the year you get a runny nose, begin to sneeze, and have a lot of chest mucus. These symptoms are part of your immune system's reaction to allergens, also known as allergies. But did you know that besides taking traditional medicine for allergies, there might be another supplement that can help alleviate your symptoms? It's honey — specifically, wildflower honey — and it can do much more than just help your allergies. Sacramento Press caught up with local bee farmer and honey producer Britt Floyd, and he spoke in an email interview about why buying his honey at the Southside Park Farmers Market might help one's allergies, beekeep