Native Plant Society goes to the birds

Kathleen Barco EDC-CNPS Communications Chair

The March general meeting of the El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society will take place 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28 via Zoom. After chapter business is taken care of, participants will hear a live talk: Creating Bird-friendly Landscapes by Nancy Gilbert of the Redbud Chapter of CNPS.

Gilbert will cover essential information on how to create bird-attracting gardens and landscapes, illustrated by numerous photos of birds interacting with native plants.

Items she will address include:

• Essentials for creating good bird habitat: food, water, protective cover and shelter, sentinel, and preening perches;

• Places and resources to rear young;

• The benefits and drawbacks of feeding wild birds;

• How to maximize nesting opportunities and bird house basics; and

• How to design your garden to create habitat diversity for maximum bird benefits.

Gilbert has a master’s degree in science education and is the former owner of the California native bulb nursery, Far West Bulb Farm. The meeting is free of charge, but all participants must register in advance. To register for the Zoom meeting, visit tinyurl.com/3-28-23-EDC-CNPS-mtng.

Grow for it!

Perennial practices in sustainable gardening

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. Share the botanical bliss of gardeners through the ages, who have cultivated philosophies to apply to their own — and our own — lives: Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are.” From “The Glory of Gardening” by Alfred Austin, Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, 1896-1913. What would Austin have to say about today’s popular topic of sustainable gardening? Perhaps he would say, show me a sustainable garden and I’ll tell you of a garden, and a gardener, that gives back.

A sustainable garden is a garden that helps restore the environment. Specifically, the University of California states, “Sustainable gardening … involves selecting plants that are adapted to your climate and microclimate and implementing maintenance practices that reduce water waste, protect water quality, nurture soil, recycle organic matter, incorporate integrated pest management, protect and encourage desirable wildlife and conserve energy.”

Sustainable gardening is a process that takes practice. A perennial approach is helpful. Merriam Webster explains that perennial means: “Present at all seasons of the year, persistent, enduring, continuing without interruption and regularly repeated or renewed.” Master Gardeners teach that a perennial produces several cycles and “continues growing for several years.”

How can we repeatedly nurture our gardens, the environment and ourselves? Here are a few perennial practices for sustainable gardening:

Perennial practice 1. Create compost

If you want a garden that gives back, feed your soil. A great way to improve and nurture your soil is by adding compost. Compost will help conserve water, replenish nutrients and improve soil tilth, structure and drainage — all of which gardeners in El Dorado County will appreciate. As you alchemize organic matter from your yard and kitchen, you may also find a transformation in yourself.

Perennial Practice 2. Use mulch

We are experiencing drought conditions and rising temperatures. Mulches aid in weed and erosion control, buffer soil temperature and help conserve water by reducing evaporation and runoff. As you replace weedy areas with mulch, you may find yourself reworking some of those weedy areas of life.

Perennial Practice 3. Plant California natives

California native plants are the superstars of a sustainable garden. They are well-suited for our climate, tend to be drought resistant and require less water, encourage beneficial insects, provide shelter and food for native wildlife and encourage native pollinators to visit. Native bees and other pollinators play a vital role in sustaining ecosystems and food supply. As you integrate California native plants into your garden, you cultivate a garden, and a gardener, that gives back.

Join local Master Gardeners for a free public education class, Tomatoes: from Seed to Table, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 25, at the El Dorado Hills Community Services District’s Teenz Center, 1021 Harvard Way, El Dorado Hills (next to the skate park). Master Gardeners will team with El Dorado County Master Food Preservers to help you learn everything from harvest to canning, dehydrating to freezing.

Don’t miss the annual Plant Sales on April 15 for edible plants and April 29 for everything except edible. Shop for trees, shrubs, native plants, succulents and perennial plants with all proceeds benefitting upkeep and programs at the UC Master Gardener Sherwood Demonstration Garden. The sale will be at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden at 6699 Campus Drive in Placerville, behind Folsom Lake College.

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open every Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. Master Gardeners will offer tours, answer questions or guests can just enjoy the garden during weekly open garden days on Fridays and Saturdays. Check the website for further information about the Sherwood Demonstration Garden at ucanr.edu/sites/EDC_Master_ Gardeners/Demonstration_Garden.

Master Gardener classes are offered monthly throughout the county. Find

Day hiker

Cabrillo National Monument

With one blizzard behind me and another in the forecast, the Cabrillo National Monument is San Diego sounded like a great retreat.

Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In addition to telling the story of 16th-century exploration, the Cabrillo National Monument and Park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources.

Different scenery, ocean air and a new story to call my own — a trip out of the area, experiencing new trails, is a joy.

The fee is $20 for day use for a process and go over key descriptive characters. See how you stack up and try writing your own.

Andis Wines will host a discussion on managing the yield of its vines, by pruning, green harvesting, effeuillage and more as guests taste through a flight of the highly acclaimed wines, including unique estate-grown varietals. Guests will leave with a vine cutting and propagation instructions and the knowledge to start their own vineyard. There will be delicious bites provided by Flora & Fauna Provisions.

Avio Vineyards and Winery is one of Amador’s hidden gems that people love to discover. Work up an appetite during the drive around the vineyard that leads to the Italian piazza and winery. There will be a guided fourcourse food and wine pairing with estate wines. On this culinary journey guests will learn the art of pairing and can take notes home. In the barrel room experience an educational, guided vertical tasting of multiple vintages of the same wines directly from the barrels.

Bella Grace Vineyards will start the visit with a stroll through the underground wine cave, with guests learning key elements of barrel aging along the way. Inside the cave, taste the 2021 Barbera from the 30 hectoliter (792 gallon) French oak barrel. Back outside, enjoy a combination of award-winning Bella Grace wines, perfectly paired with small bites by Chef Robert. Also enjoy the spectacular, panoramic views of the vineyards.

Belledor Vineyards presents a Celtic-themed event. Get ready for Celtic music, award-winning Belledor wines and a Tater Tot Bar (Irish nachos anyone?). Give the suggested tater tot and wine pairings a try or mix it up and create your own. Wear your Celtic best for an added discount on any wine purchases. Slainté!

Bray Vineyards will have barrel tastings of its 2021 Primitivo and 2021 Nebbiolo. Learn about the wine aging process from barrel to bottle. Sample recent releases, including the award-winning barbera, sangiovese, primitivo and nebbiolo. Savor robust lasagna soup, a fan favorite, and get special discounts as well.

Cooper Vineyards will present a delectable journey through the past, present and future with a rare vertical tasting of its bottled 2017, 2018, 2019 vintages of St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel and a barrel tasting of the 2020 St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel. In addition the winemaker will discuss the differences between vintages and the factors that may cause these variations such as weather, brix and maturity. A complementary light bite will be included.

Convergence Vineyards will have Alaskan halibut and roasted corn chowder topped with sourdough croutons. All its estate and awardwinning wines will be poured by the rockstar winemakers.

Deaver Vineyards will have a flight of five wines plus a barrel sample and chili bar.

Di Arie Winery will offer a session with winemaker Chaim in “Growing World Class Cabernets in the Sierra Foothills; the Challenges and the Successes.” There will be a special tasting of a vertical selection of award-winning cabernets, from barrel to bottles, and a delicious food pairing to go along with an excellent selection of “tour-de-force” wines. There will also be great discounts.

Di Stasio Vineyards will pour the following estate wines — 2021 single vehicle and all occupants. Visit the museum, the many overlooks, the lighthouse and tidal pools. The Bayside Trail is 2.5 miles around the monument. Add in all the rock hopping on the beach and you will easily get your steps in. The sky is blue, the breeze is mild and the flowers are blooming.

Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker – Gold Country Trail Guide I, II and III (second edition available on Amazon). The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 Craft Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the Day Hiker series by the Outdoor Writers of California. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 Heritage blend, 2020 Barbera and 2019 Old Vine Zinfandel — and serve appetizersized house-made lasagna bolognese and a vegetarian option as well. Dianda Vineyards is at the top of the Shenandoah Wine Trail. Venture up for five tastings of your choice from the selection of white, rosé and red wines or enjoy a side-by-side comparison tasting of the barberas and learn about the variances. Take a winery tour, try a surprise barrel tasting paired with Zuppa Toscana sausage potato soup to keep you warm inside while enjoying the treasures of outside.

Dobra Zemlja Winery (meaning “good earth” in Croatian) will give guests a peek behind the cave door with an educational barrel and vertical tasting experience of the signature port-style wine Kikas, mali “little” bites that pair perfectly with a select flight of the “Big Amador Reds, No Lightweights” and wine specials.

Driven Cellars will offer an unsurpassed selection of hand-crafted wines, including the 2019 Petite Sirah, 2018 Alicante Bouche, 2022 white blend called Trio and two of the premium wines — the 917-Can-Am and RU39. There will be a selection of delicious cheeses and chocolates with several wines.

Drytown Cellars will pour a twoyear vertical tasting. Try the wines in the bottle, then taste the same varietals, a year younger, in the barrel. Each varietal will be paired with a unique dish prepared to optimize the flavors of the wines. Join one of the winemaking teams on a tour of the production and barrel facilities and get an overview of the estate vineyards. Winemakers are available all day to answer questions about the winery’s history and the wine business.

Feist Wines will pour a flight of six wines, including three barrel samples. Susan Feist, winemaker, will guide patrons through a wine pairing with a focus on expression of terroir and understanding and identifying wine aromas.

Helwig Winery invites guests to take in the breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley and Sierra mountains from its back deck while enjoying award-winning wines. Sample small bites that elegantly pair with the flight. Enjoy exceptionally aged library vintages exclusive to Behind the Cellar Door. Chat with the winemaker and discuss the different nuances of each vintage as well as the impact of barrel aging, weather and terroir.

Iron Hub Winery asks each guest to embrace their inner winemaking desires as they create a wine blend with Iron Hub’s father-son winemaking team, Tom and Spencer Jones. Barrel taste and blend on the lovely patio with gorgeous Sierra views. The Iron Hub team will also guide guests through a progressive sampling of estate grown white and red wines. Sample elegant pasta with rich sauce paired with the premium wine and end on a sweet note with Iron Hub’s famous zinfandel brownie.

Il Gioiello Winery/Morse Wines’ visitors will experience the unique terroir and beautiful estate only minutes above the Shenandoah Valley. Learn, smell, taste how the winemakers evaluate and blend the signature Three Popes GSM. Weather permitting, sip two Estate Mourvedres while learning how to prune the mourvedre vines. Try the 2016 and recently released 2017 Three Popes vintages with classic French cassoulet. Sip the Italian varietals and the Super Tuscans Sottovoce and Triumphe paired with vegetarian and meat sauce lasagna.

Jeff Runquist Wines will have its knowledgeable and friendly staff pouring tastings of its award-winning wines paired with savory bites to welcome spring.

Karmere Vineyards and Winery introduces winemaker Soeren Zimmermann and guests can get educated with Mark “the barrel guy” while tasting four different varietals of future vintages from the barrel. Sample hearty fare and enjoy live music on the patio Saturday and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.

La Mesa Vineyards is one of Amador’s newest tasting rooms. Taste a special flight of some of the most innovative wines: Sparkling Primitivo, Barbera Blanc, Gamay, Tierra and La Notte port. Owner and winemaker Côme will circulate to answer questions about how grape clones, terroir, technology and handcrafting all combine to make superior wines. Join a tasting room expert to build a case of your favorite bottles to take home for an event special discount.

Le Mulet Rouge Vineyard + Winery owners Tracy Hart, the winemaker and Randy Hart, the vineyard manager, will be at the tasting room in Sutter Creek pouring the estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the Fiddletown AVA. After a tasting of estate wines sauvignon blanc, viognier and Liberté (syrah/ cabernet sauvignon blend), explore three vintages of cabernet sauvignon (2017, 2018 and 2021), comparing vintages and barrel aging. Chef Jason Clevenger will create a perfect wine and food pairing.

Linsteadt Family Winery will have three flights of its wine to choose from, charcuterie paired with the wines and barrel samples of the ’21 red blend. See where the grapes for each of the wines are grown in the vineyard. Paul will talk about the various types of vine training in the n See Cellar Door page B4

Hangtown Kennel Club

Wednesday, vineyard, irrigated vs. dry farmed blocks, and other aspects of growing grapes and making wine.

More info visit www.hangtownkc.org or call Cathy 622-6909 eves, Pre-registration is required.

Lusso Della Terra will have winemaker Edward Cholakian walk guests through the steps of making sparkling associated with wine and food pairing while experiencing signature pairings. Sip Bite Sip Catering will be on site offering caviar, oysters, lobster rolls, French dips and much more available for purchase.

Paul J. Wines

with pulled pork sliders from The County BBQ catering. There will be sales and specials on all wines.

PleinAir Vineyards will have a flight of five wines plus a barrel sample of an upcoming vintage to be bottled.

a blend of rustic warmth and country elegance. The “Scale House” Tasting Room boasts one of the most striking views in the Amador Wine Country. Enjoy an educational tasting and learn how to pair artisan cheese and wine like a professional. Savor farm-to-fork bites, a seasonal soup and listen to live music featuring Jessie Hendricks on the Spanish guitar. Live music is from noon to 4 p.m. each day.

most exciting varietals. Join the class on both Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. as Scott Harvey and winemaker Mollie Haycock lead a fun and educational blending seminar. Fabulous prizes will be given to the best blend in each class.

Sera Fina Cellars will offer a flight of four, two white wines and two red wines, paired with a charcuterie skewer and raw organic honey on artisan cheese.

Shenandoah syrah or barbera? Is the wine youthful or bottle aged? The wines will then be revealed and prizes awarded. Enjoy the bistro lunch and special discounts.

El

NEWEST RESORT HOTEL is H iring!!

Hotel Housekeeper $17 64 /hr • $1,500 Sign-On Bonus! EVS Attendant/Janitor $16 80 /hr • $1,500 Sign-On Bonus! Valet Attendant $16 /hr • $1,000 Sign-On Bonus! Every Tuesday & Thursday Walk-in inter views • On-the-Spot offers Human Resources Office • 10am – 3pm El Dorado County’s

Apply online at redhawkcasino.com or in person!

Rombauer Vineyards will have members from its production team welcome guests to the winery. Exclusively as a guest of Behind the Cellar Door, you will experience a winery tour, a light bite from a local restaurant designed to pair with the sauvignon blanc and a rare barrel sample, all while enjoying a flight of four of the worldrenowned wines.

Rubidoux Ridge Vineyard will be close to bottling a new vintage of its Petite Sirah and Malbec 2021. These varieties are filled with textures and tannins for those looking for rich red wines from Amador. There will be coconut curried pumpkin soup with focaccia bread. Darcel Trio Band is playing on Saturday. Scott Harvey Wines will offer delicious food pairings with some of its