Apple blossom festival 2017layout

SONOMA WEST T

I M E S

&

N

E W S

OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAM OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAM

2 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

epresentation of your rreal eal estate needs, contact Coldwell Banker today today..

For exceptional rrepresentation Sebastopol | 101 Morris Str Street, eet, Suite 100 | 707.829.4500 ColdwellBankerHomes.com |

califor californiahome.me niahome.me | ÂŽ

/cbcalifor //cbcalifornia /cb nia |

//cb_california cb_california |

//cbcalifornia cbcalifornia |

/ /coldwe /coldwellbanker |

//cbcalifornia cbcalifornia

Š2017 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker is a registered registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company.

Company. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT NRT LLC. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Brokerage ar are e independent contractor sales associates and are are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Brokerage or NRT NRT LLC. CalBRE License #01908304.

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 3

4 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

2017: An Apple Blossom Odyssey Buddy Blossom welcomes you to the Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival and Parade! This year we will be going to the moon and back with our apple blossoms. It’s 2017- An Apple Blossom Odyssey!

We won’t be lost in space but our blossoms will be floating out there in the great beyond. We’re looking forward to another dynamic year of celebration.

We’ve put the wet weather behind us and we’re anticipating a warm welcoming weekend.

This year should bring some interesting new floats and entries for the parade. Lots of bands and animals and don’t forget the tractors, as depicted on this year’s poster! New this year is the historic Apple Pavilion in the Little Red Hen room of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts Building coordinated by Cheri Marcucci, Marcucci Farms and Winery.

There will be an historic display of apple orchards, photos and farmers. Friday night there will be a special reception from 7-9 honoring the long time apple farmers and new growers as well. This reception is free.

We have some new and interesting foods, Hip Chick Farms, Goatlandia/Muir Tea Room, Tuck Box and of course the good old reliables, The Wurst, Aunt Betty’s Corn Dogs and more! Plenty for the chil-

Andy’s is proud to help support the

Apple Blossom Festival Look for our float in the parade

Since 1964

Hwy 116 • Sebastopol, CA Open Daily 8am-8pm andysproduce.com

dren to do and the music is fab. The Blues Festival on Sunday will feature: The Lucky Losers, Volker Strifler and Mark Hummel’s Golden State/LoneStar Revue with Anson Funderburgh. Some new talents this year: Tim Hurley Band and McKenna Faith.

Check out the website www.appleblossomfest.com for all the current information. Get your tickets ahead of time on Brownpapertickets.com We thank you for your constant support and appreciate the many sponsors, volunteers, parade participants, vendors and committee people that have for 71 years made this possible! This is a community event to be celebrated and enjoyed by all. So here we go….. out to space where no blossom has ever gone before! Enjoy the adventure. It has been my honor and privilege to be a part of this event for the last 28 years! Thank you for the opportunity.

Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce and Festival Committee And Teresa Ramondo, Executive Director, Signing off

The 71sT annual apple Blossom FesTival is sponsored By The

seBasTopol area ChamBer oF CommerCe.

The oFFiCial program is puBlished in parTnership wiTh sonoma wesT puBlishers as an adverTising supplemenT To The

april 13, 2017 issue oF sonoma wesT Times & news ©

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 5

2017 Apple Blossom Festival Schedule of Events Festival hours: gates open 10 a.m — 6 p.m. schedule saturday, april 22 7 a.m.

• Analy Boosters Pancake Breakfast Analy High School Cafeteria 10 a.m. ......• Parade begins down Main Street 1:15 p.m. ......................• Parade awards at the ...........................................

Front Stage

sunday, april 23 gates open 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.

parade admission is Free • all parKing is Free all entertainment is Free with Festival gate admission Festival proceeds support the many year-round programs of the Sebastopol Area Chamber of Commerce with the additional support of our many volunteers, sponsors and members.

please, no pets at the festival. Thank you!

ltiva cu te

ho me

cultivate home

Admission: General ...................................$12 Seniors & Students (11-17) ....................... $10 Children 10 and under...........................FREE Weekend 2-Day Pass ..................................$20 Sorry, no animals are allowed on the festival grounds or in Ives Park.

Parking is limited. Please respect private property and parking areas. see page 14 for complete music & entertainment schedule

Welcome to Sebastopol

Culinary Essentials for the Kitchen + Home Decor

Wishing Everyone a Happy Apple Blossom Festival!

186 N. Main St. #120 • Sebastopol • Open Daily 10-6 www.cultivatehome.com • 707.824.1400

ALWAYS 50% off for MEMBERS (FREE) Exquisitely Comfortable Clothing at DISCOUNTED PRICES

The Sebastopol Police Officer’s Association wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable

6984 McKinley St, Sebastopol 707-861-3446

71st annual Apple Blossom Festival

10:30-6:30 7 Days Next to Whole Foods Shopkarmaclothing.com

6 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

Apple Blossom Festival Art Show: An Artistic Odyssey 49th annual show is one of the oldest continuing art exhibits in the area

#

#(' 9

5)'

,#%' 4/

5+ : + "'3

2/73'

2#

'#,'23

52

4* "'#2

2#6'.34'+. 78 / 78 . '$#34/0/,;3 .4+15' /7 0'. #+,8 #(' /. +4'

777

!

" %/-

2%*+4'%452#, 4'-3

6'28

24 9

48,' 9 '7',28 9

/44'28 9

52.+452' 9

"/5;,, ,/6' 7*#4 8/5 (+.&

/,,3 9

25+4

'#,'23

9 /83

#$',3 9

Every artwork is an odyssey from an idea that blossoms with hard work into a finished piece. You’ll see the results of those journeys at the 49th annual Apple Blossom Festival Art Show, an exhibition by members of the Art Workshop of Western Sonoma County (AWS).

The show will open with a reception on Friday, April 21 from 7-9 p.m. at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High Street. Admission to the reception is free, and wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The exhibition continues on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Entrance to the art show is included in the Apple Blossom Festival admission. AWS is proud to partner with the Sebastopol Center for the Arts and is grateful for their sponsorship.

The show, with a decades-long tradition, will feature more than 100 original paintings, drawings and fine art photography.

With artworks ranging from rural landscapes to experiment abstracts,

features small artworks at very affordable prices.

Visitors will have a chance to win a painting by last year’s top award-winning artists by purchasing a raffle ticket.

This year’s art show judge is plein air artist Tom Soltesz. He has been a working artist since 1972 when he began painting billboards in Florida.

He then spent several years in the South Pacific working in advertising illustration.

After studying at the Colorado Institute of Art and the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, he moved to Marin, where he is continually inspired by the beauty around him.

The judge will give awards in the categories of oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, mixed media and photography as well as Best of Show and a second place Founders’ Award.

The public will have an opportunity to vote for their favorites with the Photo provided piece receiving the most popular votes APPLE BLOSSOM ART —Last year’s Best of earning an award for the artist.

Show winner was Kathy Byrne, show above Visitors’ comments and votes are with her winning entry. The exhibit will be at greatly appreciated by the artists. the Sebastopol Center for the Arts in the Veterans Memorial Building.

The non-profit Art Workshop of Western Sonoma County was founded there is something for every visitor in 1965 and has continued to meet and family to enjoy. Nearly all the art monthly in Sebastopol for 52 years.

There are guest artist demonstrais for sale, and a section of the show

tions, figure drawing sessions, critiques by well-known artists, paintouts and networking opportunities.

Meetings are open to the public for a $5 donation. The artists of AWS range from beginners to professionals and they work in a full spectrum of artistic media.

The mix of old and new members contributes to the organization’s longevity and freshness, along with the support, fellowship and activities it provides both novice and seasoned artists.

The group is currently seeking new members and membership information will be available at the show.

Be sure to stop by the art show while you’re at the Apple Blossom Festival in Sebastopol this year. Go Local!

For more information about AWS, visit www.facebook.com /AWSArtWorkshop or www.awsomeart.org. For more information about the Apple Blossom Festival, visit the official website at www.appleblossomfest.com.

Submitted by Merrie Krisl AWS Publicity Chair

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 7

Thank you to the 2017 Apple Blossom Festival Sponsors Apple Pavillion

Stage Sponsor

Ticket Sponsor

Banner Sponsors Balletto Vineyards and Winery Earthtone Construction, Inc Edward Jones Investments/Tim Moore/Meredeth Bertacco Rogers Pool and Spa Russian River Vineyards Sebastopol Hardware Silk Moon St. Joseph Heritage Health Care Westamerica Bank Friends of the Festival Sponsors

Buddy Blossom Sponsors

Cottingham Mortgage Inc. Dutton Ranch Elephant Ear Systems Exchange Bank Goatlandia Farm Animal Sanctuary Law Offices of Omar Figueroa LEFF Construction O'Reilly Media, Inc. Redwood Credit Union The Heck Foundation (Korbel) Tombe Realty Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. West Sonoma County UHSD

Answering & Mailbox Center Hippizzazz Pizza Jupiter Moon Art & Goods Kenyon Webster Paul L. Schoch Consulting Civil Engineer Sebastopol Inn Tami Landucci, EA The Barlow

SONOMA WEST T

I M E S

&

N

E W S

8 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

Main Street’s Apple Blossom Parade begins at 10 a.m.

2017 Apple Blossom Parade Entries

Hillcrest MS Flag/Color Shield

Radar Band

entries are listed alphabetically and not by order of appearance:

Hillcrest MS Marching Band

Redwood Credit Union

Hillcrest MS Unit Id

Redwood Empire Classic Chevy Club

Hip Chick Farms

Redwood Rainbows Sq Dance Club

102.7 The Wolf

Hippizzazz Pizza

Rincon Valley Charter Band

1060.3 The Bull and Shoes for Kidz

Jaiyen Spa

Rincon Valley Charter Drum Major

2017 A Chimp Odyssey

K-Tech Automotive/Pauline's Auto

Rincon Valley Charter Flag/Color Shield

Ace Cider/California Cider Company

Llamas of Wine Country

Rincon Valley Charter Unit Id

Analy HS Tiger Marching Band

Lotus Horse Farm

Rocket Man

Anova

Michael & Grace Murphy

Round Table Pizza

Balletto Vineyards

Michael Ellis Dog Trainer School

Sandborn Tree Service

Bar B Que Smokehouse

Miss Sonoma County/Kristina Schmuhl

Sebastopol Area Senior Center

Beep Boop Beep Robot Brigade

Mt. Gilead Bible Camp

Brook Haven School Band

Papas and Pollo

Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center

Bud Daveiro Hall of Fame

Peace in Medicine

Sebastopol Farmers Market Sebastopol Firefighters Foundation

Cal Fire & Smokey Bear Canine Companions for Independence Chan Orthodontics Circus Waldissima's Unicycles

Sebastopol Kiwanis Club

Sebastopol Apple Blossom Parade 2017

Sebastopol Little League Sequoia Senior Solutions Slow Food Russian River

City of Sebastopol City Council/Staff

Sonoma County Roller Derby

Coaches Fitness Center

Sonoma County Shriners

Community First Credit Union

Sonoma West Medical Foundation

Community Magnet

The Global Community Kazoo Band

Crossfit Sebastopol

The Love Choir

Dachshunds on Parade

The Parklet Project

Dogwood Animal Rescue Project

The Strength Studio

Early Day Gas Eng & Tractor Assoc

The Village Builders,

El Dorado Door

Sebastopol Grange

El Molino High School Band

Thornrose

El Molino High School Drum Major

Troop 27 & Pack 128, Boy Scouts

El Molino High School Flag/Color Shield

Twin Hills Charter Middle School Band

El Molino High School Unit Id

Twin Hills Charter Middle School Drum Major

Farmers Insurance/Antonio Trejo Flower Song Florist

Twin Hills Charter Middle School Unit Id

Food for Thought Antiques

Verihealth

Friends of El Molino Music Band

VFW Post 3919

Goatlandia Farm Animal Sanctuary

Weeks Drilling & Pump Co

Gold Ridge Firefighters

West Co Transportation Agency

Grand Marshals Citizens of the Year John and Terri Balletto

West County Girls Softball

Graton Community Club Graton Day Labor Center Graton Fire Protection Distrtict Guayaki Employee

West County Health Center Western Sonoma Co Historical Society Wine Country Arabian Horse Association

Gypsy CafĂŠ Hillcrest MS Drum Major

(as of 4/6/17)

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 9

Festival flavors of spring and the vibrant collection of arts and crafts 2017 Arts and Crafts Vendors A High Standard of Dyeing A Hot Tub Place AquaMarine Autumn Teneyl Designs Barbs Wire Jewelry BeDezine Biodeau Designs Bloomfield Bees Honey Cheeky Chuckmark Creations Council on Aging Cowboy Toffee Dom Chi Designs Earth Temple Fabulous Face Farm Fresh To You Goatlandia Sanctuary Happy Hats JpDesign & Collection KritterKlips Leeba Lily's Florist & Gifts Lobos Del Mar Marin/Sonoma Mosquito McDonald Ranch Michelle's Art Design Mountain Mike Photography

Nans Gourmet Foods Press Democrat Rainbow Rhythms & Art Renewal by Andersen SF Chronicle Soleil Communications St. Joseph Heritage Health Stitches & Stones Synergy Organic Clothing Taha Jewelry The Weekend Store Twee Usborne Book &More Wildkind Jewelry Wine Country Photography Winning Soles Winning Ways LLC Yeah Yeah Pony Prince Zafis Chiroprator

Food/Beverage Vendors Acropolis Greek Food Aunt Betty’s Corn Dogs Bar B Que Smokehouse Blue Moon Kettle Flyway Favorite Hawaiian Shaved Ice Hip Chick Farms Hula Huts Muir's Tea Room/Goatlandia Linda's Catering Rocky Rosie Russotti's Concessions Talk of the Town Tea + Trumpets Thai Essence The Wurst Three Twins Ice Cream Tuck Box Ultimate Souvlaki

Wineries Balletto Vineyards Dutton-Goldfield Winery Ferrari-Carano Winery Gary Farrell Winery Korbel Winery Occidental Road Cellars Russian River Vineyards Taft Street

“Some things never change” Your little store that serves & saves you more!

Your Best Choice for: ✪ ✪ ✪

!

✪ ! ✪ #

$ !

!

$ !

Gourmet BBQ To Go Saturdays • Sundays 1:00pm to 7:00pm Open 7 Days A Week ✪ Monday - Saturday 8-9 ✪ Sunday 9-8 998 Gravenstein Hwy. So. • Grocery 823-9171 • Meat & Deli 823-9172

"

"

10 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

Final parade for Chamber’s Teresa Ramondo Sebastopol native is retiring after leading the Chamber for the last 22 years

by Bleys rose Sonoma West Times & News Editor

For just one more time – at 6 a.m. on Saturday, April 22 to be precise – Teresa Ramondo will take her usual stroll down Sebastopol’s Main Street surveying the portable chairs that line the sidewalks of the Apple Blossom parade route.

“So often in recent days I’ve thought this is the last time I’ll have to do this and think I’m so grateful to be done with it,” Ramondo says. But then, with an air of sadness and regret, she says the same with different intonation in her voice: “Ah, then it sinks in…this will be the last time I’ll be doing this.”

You see, after 28 years of working for the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce, she is retiring on June 29, making this Apple Blossom Parade and Festival the last one she will organize.

“There has been nothing more gratifying than being up early on parade morning and seeing all the chairs and

Teresa Ramondo blankets spread out on the curbs,” she said in an interview. “It means families are carrying on a tradition that many of us grew up with.”

Ramondo is a lifelong resident of Sebastopol with deep family roots in the area. Her mother came to the area at age 13 with her family from Oklahoma. Her father settled here after he completed military service.

Dad was the town’s postal carrier and a volunteer firefighter. Mom

clerked the downtown Medico drug store and soda fountain.

Their daughter attended local schools, graduated from Analy High, and married her high school sweetheart Darrell Ramondo.

She actually started a career as an preschool school teacher, but found her time as volunteer for the Chamber of Commerce to be more interesting.

In 1989, she began working the chamber’s front desk where she fielded inquiries from visitors, from businesses and regular folks simply wanting to know more about the town where they live.

“Of course, it did help me a lot to have such deep family connections,” she said. “There are advantages to knowing where the bodies are buried in town.”

From the chamber’s offices at 265 South Main Street, Ramondo and her staff still perform many of the same functions even though all chamber duties have become more complicated as Sebastopol has grown to become the central commercial and entertainment zone of the West County.

Staging the parade and festival involves about half of the chamber’s $250,000 annual budget, considering the income the chamber makes and the expenses of staging such a grand

OPE 24/7N

InkSale.com Printer Cartridges Software Copies

HELPING WOMEN MEET THEIR FITNESS GOALS

UPS 824-8880 791 Gravenstein Hwy S.

production. An estimated 8,000 visitors attend the two-day event.

The chamber hands out about $5,000 annually in parade profits from the festival as donations to local nonprofit agencies. She acknowledges that charging a festival entry fee isn’t popular, but she said without it, the event wouldn’t make money.

The parade and festival takes on a momentum of its own each year, something that she compared to the movie “The Blob” in that it keeps growing in size and complexity.

Each year’s festival presents huge logistical challenges like arranging the vendor booths, the food and wine tents and making sure the portable toilets show up on time. But her biggest headache annually is the parade line-up.

“The llamas don’t like to be near the horses. The marching bands can’t be too close together because their sounds will clash. And everybody wants to be at the front of the parade so they can be done soon and be out of the sun,” Ramondo said. “Next year I will finally get to actually sit and watch a whole parade go by. I might go down to help out, but I want to watch the parade like I did when I was a kid.”

707-823-8111

823-6277

781 Gravenstein Hwy S. www.SuesCircuit.com

OCHOA’S

Perfect Nails

MEXICAN RESTAURANT

824-8513

824-4400 isof and est ked evito rourply.

775 Gravenstein Hwy So.

17

795 Gravenstein Hwy. So.

777 Gravenstein Hwy. So.

789 Gravenstein Hwy. So.

823-7520

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 11

R A B T E I N L G E C sebastopol

Apple Blossom Festival Custom Home Building & Remodeling Serving Sonoma County from the Heart of Sebastopol for 39 Years

O’Reilly Media is proud to support the Apple Blossom Festival

oreilly.com ©2014 O’Reilly Media, Inc. The O’Reilly logo is a registered trademark of O’Reilly Media, Inc. 14309

12 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

TOMBE REALTY 62 Years • Established 1955

Dick, Linda, Alicia, Joshua & Chris Pellascini

Representing Sebastopol with Fairness and Integrity for 4 Generations.

127 North Main Street • Sebastopol CA 95472 (707) 823-6475

APPROVAL Client: Tombe Run date: 4-13-16 Ad title/slug: 1/4 page Returned approval due by: ASAP Scheduled to run in: Apple Blossom 2017

APPROVAL

Proud supporter of the communities we serve since 1890

Please check this proof carefully for errors and omissions. Your signature below constitutes acceptance of full responsibility for all errors, omissions and legal and ethical compliance in this document. Sonoma West Publishers will not accept liability for errors overlooked at this stage of proofing. Any changes from your previously approved copy will be charged extra according to both time and materials. Advertiser agrees to pay appropriate rates and production costs as specified in the current rate card. All conditions of the latest rate card apply.

OK AS IS Your signature and date

OK with corrections - no further proof needed

Client: So Co Open Space Run date: 4-15-16 Ad title/slug: 1/4 Returned approval due by: 3-23-16 Scheduled to run in: Apple Blossom 2016

Please check this proof carefully for errors and omissions. Your signature below constitutes acceptance of full responsibility for all errors, omissions and legal and ethical compliance in this document. Sonoma West Publishers will not accept liability for errors overlooked at this stage of proofing. Any changes from your previously approved copy will be charged extra according to both time and materials. Advertiser agrees to pay appropriate rates and production costs as specified in the current rate card. All conditions of the latest rate card apply.

OK AS IS Your signature and date

OK with corrections - no further proof needed Your signature and date

2ND PROOF REQUIRED - I authorize a $10 charge Your signature and date

Designed by: Jim Schaefer on 4-6-17

Your signature and date

2ND PROOF REQUIRED - I authorize a $10 charge

exchangebank.com

Your signature and date

Designed by: Jim Schaefer on 3-21-16

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 13

Apple Pavilion

ID Check

ATM

Hopmonk Blues Stage

Patio Eating Area ID Check Pool Stage

71st Annual

Apple Blossom Festival Sand y Ma ys

®

REALTOR-ASSOCIATE

Mark Hedley & Matt Cannata

Cel l 7 07 .486 .57 48

707.823.4545 8989 Graton Rd., Graton, CA. 95444 www.greenvalleymortgage.biz .com

Lic# 01062526 All organic coffee • Free Internet Cozy Atmosphere: “Sebastopol’s Living Room”

sandy.mays@gmail.com www.vanguardsonoma.com

14 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

2017 Apple Blossom Festival music performance schedule SATURDAY, April 22

SUNDAY, April 23

FRONT STAGE

FRONT STAGE

1:15 p.m. ..............................................................Parrade Awards

12:00 to 1:00 ................................................................Love Choir

1:45 to 3:30 ......................................................................Solid Air

1:00 to 2:30 ..........................................................McKenna Faith

4:00 to 6:00 ..............................................Norman Bautista Band BACK STAGE

3:00 to 4:30..............................................................................TBA BACK STAGE BLUES REVIEW 1:00 to 1:50 ......................................................The Lucky Losers

1:30 to 3:30 ...............................................................Luv Rustlers

2:10 to 3:20....................................................Volker Strifler Band

4:00 to 6:00 ........................................................Tim Hurley Band

3:35 to 5:00.........Mark Humel’s Golden State/LoneStar Review

New faces, old favorites and lots of Sunday blues

Volker Strifler McKenna Faith

Tim Hurley

Sundays at Sebastpol’s Apple Blossom Festival has meant the “blues” for the pas few years, with an all-day lineup put together by KRSH radio’s Bill Bowker.

This year’s all-day set is being headlined by Mark Humel’s Golden State/Lonestar Review and includes local favorites Volker Strifler, with The Lucky Losers opening the day.

Texas guitar slinger Anson Funderburgh will front the Humel all-stars that also includes Humel on harmonica, Wes Star on drums and RW Grigsby on bass.

McKenna Faith hails from Ukiah but sounds a lot she’s straight out of Nashville. Just age 22,

MCKenna has been touring internationally in support of her second CD release, “Seal It With A Kiss,.”

Tim Hurley will be making his first appearance in Sebastopol and is form Playa del Rey, California. He writes most of his own songs and calls his music style “beach country.”

Norman Bautista is making a return to the Apple Blossom Festival after several years absence. The band is rhythm-based with lots of percussion, but also offers smoother lyricism.

Two local bands, the Luv Rustlers and the Love Chpir share some common roots and crossover musical leadership, both being projects of Sebastopol’s Mr. Music, Jim Corbett.

The Lucky Losers

Norman Bautista Band

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 15

Terri and John Balletto are 2017 parade grand marshalls Terri and John Balletto, owners of Balletto Vineyards and leaders of Sonoma County agriculture industry will be the Grand Marshalls of the 2017 Apple Blossom Festival Parade.

The couple was chosen as Citizens of

the Year in 2017 by the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce. The Ballettos are very generous with their time and donations to many local youth, community and ag-related organizations. Both are natives of west Sonoma County.

John has served in leadership roles at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau, Sonoma County Winegrape Growers, Santa Rosa Junior College Agriculture Foundation, Sonoma County Harvest Fair and other roles, including as a board member for the Sonoma West Medical Center.

Their two daughters, Jacqueline & Caterina, work in the family winery and are very active participants in the

next generation of Sonoma County agriculture.

John and Terri were also honored last year by the SRJC Agriculture Trust Foundation, where John was instrumental in the community fund drive to build the Warren G. Dutton Ag Pavillion at SRJC's Shone Farm.

Together, the couple supports more than 500 charitable organizations by donating wine and other resources annually.

“It’s amazing and we are humbled to be honored,” John Balletto said. “I grew up in Sebastopol. We live in such a great community. It’s a community that has helped out so much as I was grow-

ing up that we want to give back.”

The Ballettos donate to nearly every nonprofit in the city, John Balletto said, especially contributing to both Rotary Clubs and the Sebastopol Area Senior Center.

Terri Balletto is a director and secretary of the 4-H Foundation of Sonoma County. She was the recipient of the 2016 Sonoma County 4-H Alumni Recognition Award. She is also a member of the committee that successful raised nearly $3 million to build the Saralee and Richard Kunde Barn and Agriculture Center at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

Terri and John Balletto were named the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce Citizens of the Year for 2017

Spring has sprung , time to get your bike worked on SSince ince 1922 it it remains reema maiins n our ou

goal goaal to go to provide proovvid dee our our customers custtome omerrs with witth h tthe hee h h igheesst quality qualitty y apple apple juices, ju uiccees, sauces, sau uce ces, and and apple apple highest

• mention this ad and get a free tube • 200 S Main St, Sebastopol, CA 95472 westcountycycleservice.com • (707) 824-0112

vinegars made pure ccider iide der vvin inegars tthat hat h at aare re m aade de ffrom room m cclean, llea ean, ssimple, impllee, aand nd p pu ure With noo aadded preservatives, iingredients. ngredieent nts. W iitth n dde d ded ssugar, ugaar, p rres eser va vattives ives, fl fflavorings, llavori avoring av gss, or kind, you good about yourself ccolorings ollori oring gss ooff aany ny k ny ki ind, yo y oou u ccan an fe ffeel eel go g ood aab bout ttreating rreati eating y oou urself ttoo tthe hee h Wonderful Taste North Coast.

Wo W on nderf derfu fu ul T aste of o N orth C oast. s

APPROVAL Client: West County Cycle Run date: 4-13-17 Ad title/slug: 1/8 page Returned approval due by: 4-7-17 Scheduled to run in: Apple Blossom Please check this proof carefully for errors and omissions. Your signature below constitutes acceptance of full responsibility for all errors, omissions and legal and ethical compliance in this document. Sonoma West Publishers will not accept liability for errors overlooked at this stage of proofing. Any changes from your previ-

16 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

Apple Pavillion offers a glance back at farmers’ history Indoor display to highlight faces and places of Sebastopol’s apple and grapes past by rollie atkinson Sonoma West Times & News When the first Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce Apple Blossom Festival was held just after World War II, the local apple industry was at its absolute zenith.

When the orchard trees bloomed back then, all of Sebastopol’s surrounding hills were as solid white as if a snowstorm had just passed over. The fluffy blossoms filled over 14,000 acres of apple orchards. Today, only 2,000 acres remain, with many orchards now converted to winegrape vineyards.

There is a little-known earlier chapter about this apples-to-grape story, because the full story is actually ‘grapes to apples and back to grapes again.’

That’s because many of western Sonoma County’s original farmers grew grapes, berries, cherries and other crops long before they planted apple orchards.

That more complete story will be told in a visual display at this year’s Apple Blossom Festival at the Apple Pavillion, inside the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.

Courtesy of Western Historical Society

HORSE AND CARRIAGE DAYS — An antique post card depicts a 19th century apple blossom tour.

Cheri Marcucci, a great-great granddaughter of pioneer farmers, has mounted a diorama of old landscapes, photos, family names, apple crate art and other memorabilia. Her collection comes from her recent research for a short documentary film, “From Grapes to Apples to Grapes Again.”

While her film will not be shown dur-

ing the festival, Marcucci, her husband Phil and other apple old-timers will gather to share stories. Lee Walker, patriarch of the last fresh apple packing facility, is expected to attend.

This year’s Apple Blossom Festival will also serve as an unofficial reunion of the “Apple Corps,” a group of farm women who mounted homegrown mar-

keting projects two generations ago when the apple industry began a slow decline.

Besides Marcucci, other Apple Corps members included Gail Dutton, Shirley Walker, Barbara Paul and the Kozlowskis, among others.

See page 18

in the Community News Pages of

SONOMA T

I M E S

&

WEST

N

E W S

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 17

Russian River Slow Food offering Gravenstein juice in pavillion From previous page In the local apple industry’s heyday, there were 16 family-owned fresh apple packing houses, plus another seven larger commercial plants, according to Marcucci’s research. Apples for sauce, juice and vinegar were processed at eight different companies, the largest being the Sebastopol Cooperative Cannery.

In those days, the total apple crop exceeded 100,000 tons where recent year’s crops were just over 10,000 tons.

In the visual display at this year’s Apple Pavillion all the historical changes are depicted.

“When you start at the beginning,” said Marcucci, “you see that the local farmers had to change crops to make an economic living. When I was growing up we still grew cherries, berries and walnuts.”

On her husband’s ancestry farm along the Laguna, the first crop was grapes.

“Having had family in farming in the Sebastopol area for over 111 years as farmers our family members have experienced vineyards infested with Phylloxera, Prohibition, the stock market crash, the Great Depression, and World War II,” said Marcucci.

“I know people complain about all the vineyards now but if they knew more about the history I think they would understand about our local farming

much better.

The Russian River Convivium of Slow Food International will be offering Gravenstein apple juice in the pavillion.

The non-profit group is dedicated to preserving pre-technology agriculture and has a special project to preserve the Gravenstein apple, the jewel of Sebastopol’s apple industry.

Today Cheri and Phil Marcucci operate Marcucci Farms & Winery on Laguna Road. They make wine from their own vineyards and offer public tours and special al fresco dining experiences at their 109-year-old Russian River Valley homestead.

Special dates are set this summer for group gondola vineyard tours, a viewing of the 45-minute documentary film and a catered Italian feast. Details are available at the website www.marcuccifarms.com.

An apple packing house olperation from yesteryear.

Youth art show in Main Gallery during the Festival “Let it be Kids” is the title of this year’s youth art show being sponsored by the Sebastopol Center for the Arts and coordinated by Sally Briggs, Natlaie Boothe and Angela Sturr.

The show is expected to have close to 1,000 pieces of artwork. This is an open exhibition. Invitations were sent to all local schools for young artists to submit their artwork for this popular showcase.

The show will be open to Apple Blossom Festival atten-

dees at no extra admission on both days of the event. The art show will continue for the remainder of the month and a special child-friendly reception will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 30. Frank Gonzalez, famous puppeteer, will be performing and sharing his remarkable talents between 2:30 and 4 p.m.

Everyone is welcome; bring family, friends and loved ones. Refreshments will be provided. The event is free but children cannot attend without adult supervision.

Our mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams.

Mark Fink, Agent 825 Gravenstein Highway North / PO Box 850, Sebastopol CA 95473-0850 Ph: 707 823 6400 Fax: 707 823 0908 mark@markfinkinsurance.com

18 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

Locally Owned y y x x a l a l a Ga G 8++ 8 S S SS88 PRE-ORDER SPECIALS Plus FREE Accesory Bundle !" % #! $ & This Month! &

Activate Any Smart Phone to receive: ' !! ' ! # " ' ! "

Open 7 days M-F 10 - 7 • Sat-Sun 10 - 6

In the Redwood Shopping Center 704 Gravestein Hwy N., Sebastopol

707•861•9343

" #

Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017 19

20 Apple Blossom Official Program | April 22 & 23, 2017

Certified Organic Plants & Seeds Vegetable Starts, Natives, Drought Tolerants, Cover Crop & Vegetable Seeds, Bare Root Fruit & Nuts, Organic Pest Control & Fertilizers

Irrigation Design & Supplies

Gardening Supplies

Drippers, Tubing, Emitters, Timers, etc. Improve plant Garden Pots & Planters, Planter Accessories, production while reducing water with drip irrigation!

Grow Bags, Tomato Cages & Supports, Plus Water Tanks for Rainwater Harvesting.

Potting Mix, Seed Starting Kits, Wood & Free system design with purchase of supplies!

Metal Trellises, Books, Gifts & more!

Gravenstein Hwy Sebastopol, CA 3244 Gravenstein Hwy North North Sebastopol, CA 95472 95472 707.823.9125 www.harmonyfarm.com 707.823.9125 www.harmonyfarm.com