Sonoma Discoveries Sept.-Oct. 2016

this issue: $4.95

taste+

wine+

history+

music+

art+

Heirloom Tomato Festivals, Tea & Shortbread, Beer in the Plaza

Breathless Wines’ New Tasting Room, Devil Proof wine, Wine Country Weekend

Treasures of Local Cemeteries, Historical Society Talks, “The Hippies” Museum Exhibit

Festivals: Russian River Jazz and Blues, Cajun Zydeco, Earl Fest Americana

Sandy Erickson of Erickson Fine Art Gallery, Decorating with Fabric, Art Trails

VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 4 September-October 2016

sonoma

discoveries INSIDE: Forestville’s Herbal Renaissance Putting Farmers on the Map Cuisine of the Azores

WHERE THE BIRDS ARE

FOR THOSE WHO LIVE AND PLAY IN SONOMA COUNTY

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Doors |Windows Windows | Architectural Architectural Hardware | Cabinetry | Skylights | Kitchen & Bath Design Doors | Windows | Architectural Hardware |Cabinetry Cabinetry |Skylights Skylights | Kitchen Kitchen Bath Design Doors Hardware Bath Design Doors | |Windows | |Architectural Hardware | |Cabinetry | |Skylights | |Kitchen &&Bath Design Your signature and date

Healdsburg San Rafael San Rafael San Rafael Healdsburg Designed Healdsburg Healdsburg by: JIM 6-6-16 3773 Redwood Hwy 434 Hudson 3773 Redwood Hwy 434 Hudson St 434 Hudson St. 3773 Redwood Hwy 434 Hudson St St San Rafael, CA 94903 Healdsburg, CA 95448 San Rafael, CA 94903 Healdsburg, CA 95448 San Rafael, CA 94903 CA 95448 Healdsburg, CA Healdsburg, 95448 (415)924-8300 924-8300 (707) 431-3630 (707) 431-3630 (415) (415) 924-8300 (707) 431-3630 (707) 431-3630

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FEATURES

38 - Where the Birds Are

34

Putting Farmers on the Map

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Treasures of Sonoma County Cemeteries

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 DEPARTMENTS

10 Q&A: CHAT with Sandy Erickson, Erickson Fine Art Gallery

12 WELL-BEING School of Plant Magic

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18 A DAY WITH THE EPICUREAN CONNECTION Heirloom Tomato & Pepper Festivals

20 OUT TO EAT Elevating Portuguese Peasant Food

26 THE TASTING ROOM EXPERIENCE Sparklers with Substance

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30 DEPTH OF FIELD

EDITOR’S LETTER

DISCOVERIES PICKS 5: BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

COMMUNITY: BLOOMIN’ BACKYARDS

ART & ABOUT

EVENT CALENDAR

ONE LAST THOUGHT

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The captivating wine and photography of Jesse and Andy Katz

48 HOME SWEET HOME Decorating with fabric

52 THE REINCARNATION OF WOOD Reclaimed lumber gets a beautiful new life

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Editor Patricia M. Roth Design & Production Brent A. Miller Managing Editor Sarah Bradbury Web Coordinator Laura Hagar Publisher Rollie Atkinson Associate Publisher Sarah Bradbury Sales Manager Paula Wise

Advertising Sales Cherie Kelsay Glenn Lurie Carol Rands Graphic Designers Jim Schaefer DeneĂŠ Rebottaro Cover Photo Western Bluebird

By Thomas Reynolds

Join us to experience Sonoma County Just south of the town of Healdsburg, our winery and tasting room are nestled in the sweeping vineyards of Russian River Valley. Taste our exceptional quality wines, join us for a Food & Wine Pairing Experience on the Terrace or attend one of our many events held throughout the year.

Open Daily

11455 Old Redwood Hwy, Healdsburg, CA | 800.678.4763 | RodneyStrong.com

Sonoma Discoveries is published six times a year.

The entire contents of Sonoma Discoveries are copyrighted by Sonoma West Publishers, Inc. Sonoma Discoveries is published at 230 Center St., Healdsburg, CA 95448. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sonoma Discoveries, P.O. Box 518, Healdsburg, CA 95447-0518. The annual subscription rate for Sonoma Discoveries is $20 per year (six issues).

Sonoma Discoveries advertising and editorial offices: 230 Center St., Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-433-4451 ŠCopyright 2016 Sonoma West Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Sonoma Discoveries is an advertising supplement to the Sepember 1, 2016 issue of Cloverdale Reveille, Sonoma West Times & News, The Healdsburg Tribune and The Windsor Times..

Printed by Barlow Printing, Cotati, CA www.sonomadiscoveries.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

T

he pace picks up in autumn. It’s almost as though you can hear nature’s clock ticking. There are so many places to go—harvest celebrations, food festivals, farm, art and garden tours, community events and worthy annual fundraisers. The feeling of change in the air is both tangible and exciting; and in many homes, a pot of soup—an autumn staple—simmers on the stove.

Fall marks the height of bird migration, adding to the hundreds of diverse species native to Sonoma County. Look up—you may be alerted by a flash of color, a sweep of wings or hear birdsong so melodious that it stops you in your tracks.

For David Abbott’s story about bird watching, he interviewed people that are devoted to protecting and improving bird habitat in our wetlands, parks and preserves. Read his story, and you’ll discover where the birds are.

In Forestville, the California School of Herbal Studies has a national reputation for its expertise on botanical knowledge and education. The staff has been working together for nearly 20 years, helping those eager to learn how to incorporate herbs into their everyday lives. Samantha Campos’ article, “School of Plant Magic,” tells it all (and the magic, say the experts, can be found in your own backyard).

In his story about Farm Trails, Evan Wiig follows the history of Farm Trails, connecting us with some of the original farmers whose lives were changed when a map showing the names and locations of small farms suddenly created a link between farmers and neighbors. Farm Trails was quite a sensation back then. Though times, production methods and issues have changed, Evan notes how Farm Trails continues to support its membership, from new farmers to those who are generations-strong.

If you love sparkling wine, you’re in luck! There’s a new tasting room opening up in Healdsburg specializing in bubbly—and the three sisters who own Breathless Wines, and their award-winning winemaker, plan to take your breath away with every sip. Read about their plans in The Tasting Room Experience.

The father and son team of Jesse and Andy Katz have traveled the world together, making names for themselves in their respective fields of wine and photography. Marcy

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Gordon writes about how their two passions intersect, while introducing you to the sought-after wines made locally by Jesse and the photographs taken around the globe by Andy.

Juanita Martin visited several cemeteries for her first story for Sonoma Discoveries. She shares the history and features of these unique sites, and remembers the lives of some of Sonoma County’s former residents.

Abby Bard tells the story behind Café Lucia, featuring new Portuguese cuisine. The owners share their family’s rich traditions at their charming restaurant, where they combine traditional cuisine with local ingredients. Some people drive for hours to experience the cuisine of the Azores, and you need only to go to downtown Healdsburg.

The art of “seeing” is something gallery owner Sandy Erickson learned as a kid. For one, her mother was known to awaken her family on cross-country trips to point out moments of beauty. Sandy’s mother gifted her daughter with an outlook that became part of Sandy’s journey to become the artist and gallery owner that she is today. Read more in Chat.

Dallas Saunders has opened a new artisan gallery in Geyserville, the kind of place that writer Kimberly KaidoAlvarez swooned over; she describes why in her story, “Home Sweet Home.” And writer Marie Butler shares how repurposed lumber is transformed into beautiful furniture, doors, tabletops and more.

In closing, a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Discoveries Picks 5 highlights businesses and organizations that are holding fundraising events in October to support this cause. The women you’re helping via these fundraisers could be your family member or your best friend. Just think about it. The sun rises every day and they fight hard—many with tremendous optimism despite great challenges. They inspire us and we are grateful.

Patricia Miller Roth Editor, Sonoma Discoveries patti@sonomadiscoveries.com

CONTRIBUTORS As editor of Sonoma West Times & News from 2009 to 2015, David Abbott covered the communities of West County and edited and wrote news features. Today he serves as program director for the dynamic Sebastopol Area Senior Center. He is back to riding his bike again, is signing up for marathons and writes whenever possible.

Joe Barkoff graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College in 2015 with an associate degree in journalism and is currently attending Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky pursuing a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism. He works as a journalist, photojournalist and photographer in Kentucky and California.

Abby Bard is a weaver who sells her handwoven clothing at local galleries and from her studio in Sebastopol. She is a member of Sonoma County Art Trails. She has a passion for growing food in an urban landscape. abbybardhandwoven.com Sarah Bradbury is the associate publisher of Sonoma West Publishers, Inc. and the managing editor of Sonoma Discoveries. She has had the opportunity to photograph the county and its people for Sonoma Discoveries for 20 years.

Marie Butler is a freelance writer and has been a full-time Healdsburg resident for more than 28 years. Her niche is observing and writing about the fascinating, quirky wine country and Sonoma County. She is the author of the children’s book, “Herbie–A Toy’s Adventures in Healdsburg,” plus other stories and articles.

Samantha Campos is a freelance writer from Maui, Palm Springs and Marin, now firmly planted in Oakland. She’s written about everything from dive bars to edible schoolyards, and Shrinky Dink art made by Russian royalty to the daily life of a coroner. A fourth-generation Californian, she enjoys frequent road trips exploring the state’s bounty.

Sheana Davis is a cheese maker, chef, caterer and culinary educator who creates edible experiences for food enthusiasts under the auspices of The Epicurean Connection, her gastronomic experience company. Learn more: theepicureanconnection.com.

Marcy Gordon is a freelance wine, food and travel writer. Her travel narratives have been featured in numerous anthologies including Best Women’s Travel Writing. She is the founder of a literary arts foundation (writingbetweenthevines.org) and is listed as one of the Top 100 Wine Influencers on Social Media, which basically means she drinks and tweets a lot.

Writer Kimberly Kaido-Alvarez has contributed to Sonoma West Publishers for seven years. She has a background in graphic design, public relations, creative writing and dance. Growing up in Sonoma County, Kimberly developed a deep appreciation for nature, art, agriculture and good food.

Juanita J. Martin has written and published poetry and articles. She contributed poetry, a memoir, and original songs for the Changing Hurt to Hope Program through Sonoma County’s YWCA. She’s a member of Redwood Writers, Healdsburg Literary Guild and Sonoma County Historical Society. jmartinpoetwriter.com Gayle Okumura Sullivan is co-owner and manager of Dry Creek Peach and Produce in Healdsburg, a boutique organic peach farm. With a background in marketing, she came to the farm in 2000, and has loved it since. During the summer you can find her at the market, in the farm stand, working with customers, or in the orchard.

Patricia Miller Roth is the editor of Sonoma Discoveries. She was previously a senior editor at Wine Business Monthly and has been a reporter and editor at various publications in California, from the San Joaquin Valley to the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a Master of Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco and lives in Sebastopol.

Evan Wiig has spent the last several years immersed in local food and agriculture, organizing young farmers, reviving his local Grange hall, and sitting on the Sonoma County Food Systems Alliance. As founder of the Farmers Guild, Evan works to educate, cross-pollinate and mobilize the newest generation of sustainable farmers.

UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County present

Warm Autumn Days . . .

A Time to Plant, A Time to Harvest Sunday, September 18, 2016 k 9:30 to 4:00 Tour the private SEBASTOPOL gardens of Five Master Gardeners k Plant Lists for Each Garden k Informative Talks k Low Water-Use Plant Sale k Craft Marketplace k Original Art of the Gardens available for purchase TICKETS: $35 in advance, $40 day of Online: www.sonomamastergardeners.org Copperfield’s Sonoma County Stores & Readers’ Books sonomadiscoveries.com

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discoveries picks 5

Ways to Support Breast Cancer Awareness Month

N

o one should face breast cancer (or any type) alone. Here are five ways you can support organizations and local businesses that are raising money and awareness for support services, research and—most of all—for loved ones who may be dealing with a world of challenges unique to this disease. This fall, we urge you to take someone’s hand, get involved and meet and honor some of the amazing people involved in this cause.

14th Annual Catwalk for a Cure

“Catwalk for a Cure is an absolutely fun fashion show held on the first Friday of every October at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. It’s an event where you will cry, laugh, smile—and you will celebrate life,” said Sukie Gill, Sutter Health event manager, who initiated the event to benefit breast cancer in 2002. Since then, the event has expanded to benefit all types of cancer.

The event includes a raffle, sparkling wine reception, luncheon, live auction and fashion show. “Wild for a Cure” is this year’s theme.

From firemen strutting their stuff to Sutter doctors and nurses celebrating survivors, the finale features about 40 survivors talking about their journey.

Funds raised benefit Sutter cancer screening and support services. “Our focus here is to provide services to anyone in our local community that is enduring the challenges of cancer,” Gill said.

The event has sold out for 12 consecutive years, raising millions of dollars. If you are interested in participating, sponsoring or modeling as a survivor, contact Sukie at gills@sutterhealth.org or 707-576-4000. sutterpacific.org/catwalk/ Thumbprint Cellars ‘Leave Your Mark’

October marks the second month of Thumbprint Cellars’ “Leave Your Mark” campaign. This month the focus is women’s health and breast cancer awareness.

“For October we will give 10 percent 8

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off of our Four Play Rosé to breast cancer survivors, and we offer complimentary tastings to women who have battled or who have had breast cancer, so people can bring a friend, mom or sister and come in and have a fun tasting,” said Tasting Lounge Manager Tammy Toth. “Just drop in and let us know you’re participating in the campaign. Last year I was surprised to see how many people came in and shared their stories. We feel really honored, and there’s nothing better than connecting with our community.”

As the winery’s website points out: “Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, which means a life has been changed forever in about the same amount of time it takes to enjoy a taste of wine.” The Healdsburg winery will be selling raffle tickets to win various prizes as well as tickets to its November Laughing Matters comedy night at the Raven Performing Arts Theater. Proceeds will be donated to both local men’s and women’s health organizations that help those battling cancer. thumbprintcellars.com

incredibly gratifying to be able to support To Celebrate Life and the important work they are doing—and the customers’ reception has been great.” taylormaidfarms.com Russian River Brewing Company’s ‘Framboise for a Cure’

As part of its month-long fundraiser in October to support local breast cancer screening and services, Russian River Brewing Company will be releasing its ‘Framboise for a Cure’ on Oct. 1. The bottles are sold for about $25 at the brewpub’s downtown Santa Rosa location.

“Breast cancer is a cause near and dear to our hearts,” said Russian River Brewing Company Co-Owner/President Natalie Cilurzo. “We chose to donate all of our funds to the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation right here in Santa Rosa. It means more to us to be able to help people battling cancer here in our own community, rather than sending the money out of the area.”

The brewery started the fundraiser a few years ago. “Over the years we have been able to continue to make the beer, donating 100 percent of the proceeds to Sutter. All of our labor and other costs are also donated. Last year our final donation to Sutter was over $143,000!” said Cilurzo. russianriverbrewing.com Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Taylor Maid Farms ‘Save the Cans’

With more than 1,000 of the organic coffee company’s steel coffee cans being refilled each month by its customers, Taylor Maid Farms wanted to find a way to give back to the community—so the Sebastopol-based coffee company decided to run a “Save the Cans” promotion for breast cancer awareness month during October.

Again this year, one percent of can refill sales will benefit the nonprofit To Celebrate Life, which provides direct services to underserved breast cancer patients and donates to organizations such as Ceres Community Project. In October, bring your empty cans to the coffee bar at The Barlow in Sebastopol.

“Breast cancer has affected the lives of many of us who work here at Taylor Maid Farms, and we thought it was an important and worthy cause to raise money for,” said Natalie Fry, head of marketing. “It’s

“I Am Here Because of You” – The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk – is a powerful event to raise awareness and funds to end breast cancer,” said Susan Korcz, Relay for Life’s senior community manager.

The event takes place Oct. 8 at Sonoma Mountain Village. This year’s goal is to get 350 people walking the 5K loop and to raise $35,000.

“Join us to celebrate breast cancer survivors, pay tribute to loved ones lost, and raise funds to help finish the fight. When you walk with us, you are joining the largest network of breast cancer awareness events in the nation, uniting nearly 300 communities to finish the fight,” said Korcz.

Funds raised go exclusively to breast cancer services and research. The American Cancer Society wants patients to know they can contact them day or night for help: 800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

community

Bloomin’ Backyards Fall Garden Tour Inspires and Educates Gardeners

by Abby Bard

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photo by Sarah Bradbury

ardeners love to visit other people’s gardens for ideas and inspiration; that’s why garden tours are so popular here in Sonoma County. What sets the Bloomin’ Backyards Garden Tour and Market apart from the others is the focus on education. For this year’s tour, five home gardens within a four-mile radius of Sebastopol are featured, including one right in town on Florence Avenue, the street known for its whimsical junkart sculptures. And, yes, that garden does have a sculpture in its front yard.

To find out which one, and what lies beyond that front yard, you’ll need to buy a ticket that allows you to explore all five unique gardens where the emphasis is on sustainability as well as beauty.

This biennial event, which financially supports the programs of the UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County, rotates every other year to one of five different sections of the county. This year’s Sebastopol area tour is on Sunday, September 18, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. An autumn date was picked to encourage gardeners to plant in the rainy season—conserving both money and water.

“The plants like it—it gives them a head start with root development—and you have to water them less.” says Ellen Zaslansky, this year’s chair of Bloomin’ Backyards.

On the day of the event, the culmination of two years of hard work by the homeowners, the gardens are ready. So are 150 volunteers—all of them Master Gardeners— greeting visitors, directing traffic, handing out brochures with highlights of each garden, and prepared to answer gardening questions on subjects as diverse as sheet mulching, gopher control, worm composting, seed saving, beekeeping, habitat gardening and more.

An important goal of the Master Gardeners is to educate home gardeners to understand that “pest management doesn’t mean Roundup,” says Janet Norton, head of marketing and publicity efforts for this year’s tour.

“You can accomplish the same results with good horticultural practices,”

explains Zaslansky. “We try to help people understand what happens when they use these products, the impact on the ecology and themselves.”

Docents will be on hand in each garden to point out interesting features and special plants—the most hardy, most beautiful, most drought tolerant, and some more unusual species. One garden is almost totally planted with succulents. Some plants are available for sale and all of those are ‘off patent’ or ‘off trademark.’

There is stunning design diversity in these gardens as well as a huge variety of plants within them. A garden that was once a wasteland of asphalt and gravel is now an urban oasis of drought-tolerant plants. Haven for Habitat is planted with native sages and fragrant lavender to

nourish backyard bees. Rustic Abundance is a working farm and features a craft marketplace and a straw bale demonstration area.

A garden with views of Mt. St. Helena in the distance and a stone patio space for entertaining has plants, books and prints for sale. And another garden offers a variety of outdoor ‘personal spaces,’ each designed for a different activity.

On display at each garden will be an original oil, watercolor or pastel by local plein air artists Tamra Sanchez, Susan Greer, Susan Ball, Sally Paul, Sandra Rubin and Annie Murphy Springer. The art is for sale, with proceeds going to support the programs of the Master Gardeners of Sonoma County.

Explore the creativity and ingenuity of home gardeners and find answers to questions about what would translate beautifully and sustainably to your own garden at Bloomin’ Backyards.

Advance sale tickets, available at Copperfield’s Books stores, Readers’ Books in Sonoma and at sonomamastergardeners. org, are $35. On the day of the tour, tickets will be $40 and can be purchased that morning at the Master Gardener table at the Sebastopol Farmers’ Market, at Copperfield’s on Main Street, Sebastopol, and at participating gardens. And, if you have 10 garden buddies, take advantage of a group discount price of $30 per ticket (advance sale only). Visit the website and Facebook page, listed below, for more details about the tour and to learn about the Sonoma County Master Gardeners and their outreach programs. SD UC Master Gardeners of Sonoma County sonomamastergardeners.org facebook.com/SonomaCountyMasterGardeners

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talk+

Q&A

Chat with Sandy Erickson Erickson Fine Art Gallery Interview by Patricia M. Roth

You were in the art business in San Francisco for 22 years before opening your gallery in Healdsburg in 1997. Why did you choose to work in the art business—and for yourself?

I must have been nuts! No, really, I remember asking my Dad if it was a good decision to study fine art. He said, “If you love something, then you’ll be good at it.” What do you do with an art degree? I actually started as a shipper and inventory clerk for a large gallery in San Francisco. I learned all aspects of the business and wanted to represent artists I admired.

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photo by Sarah Bradbury

About Sandy Erickson After studying painting and art history at UC Berkeley, Sandy Erickson began her career in the art business in San Francisco in 1975, first working for a large gallery and art publisher, then opening her own gallery on Sacramento Street. The gallery eventually moved to Sutter Street, exhibiting painting and sculpture and publishing limited-edition prints. International Fine Art Exhibitions primarily in New York and/or Los Angeles were a yearly event.

In 1997, wishing to seek a more rural setting, she opened the gallery at 324 Healdsburg Ave., operating both galleries for a few years, then choosing Healdsburg exclusively.

Daughter Danielle Elins, who studied Fine Art at UCLA, joined her in 2006. Next year Erickson Fine Art Gallery will celebrate 20 years in Healdsburg.

“Unplug for a day and just use your eyes, no devices, no television, no books and use your eyes to get information about people, nature, everything. Just look.”

SANDY ERICKSON

How would you describe your area of expertise and your main interests?

My passion is contemporary artists from Northern California. I studied under some very talented people, painters, art historians. Exciting things were happening with the figurative artists in the Bay Area, the painters and sculptors in Davis, pop, funk, realism.

How do you decide which artists to represent?

That’s another conversation entirely, and most of it is difficult to articulate. Art is a visual experience but there is a lot of logic and common sense in the selection process.

You said three people—your mother and two art instructors—“taught you how to see.” Could you please elaborate on that?

I am right-brained, I have a big appetite for the visual world. So I have always been oriented that way. But formally speaking, there were two art instructors that truly changed me. I took drawing classes from Joe Draegert when I was 18 and 19. With charcoal or pencils, he would have his students draw a saddle that he would place on the floor, or a saltine cracker that he would give each student to draw for hours, hours! You knew every stitch in the saddle or each bump and crystal of salt on that cracker and would be totally absorbed by it. (He would also read to us, which helped immensely in staying focused).

I was also fortunate to study with Elmer Bischoff, the Bay Area figurative painter at Berkeley. I had several figure drawing classes from him. At the end of each class he would put up all of our drawings, good and bad. He would critique each one, teaching us equally from all the drawings without judgment. He had us looking so hard, I could not read a book for the rest of the day.

My mother had an eye for beauty, in objects, but more importantly in life. She marveled at nature and enthusiastically pointed out extraordinary moments or details. On long cross-country road trips, she would not hesitate to wake us up in the wee hours of the morning so we would not miss the color of the sky as the sun came up over the hills in Wyoming. Fleeting moments like that.

How can people nurture their own ability to see things around them, and how does this tie into people selecting works of art for their homes?

Unplug for a day and just use your eyes, no devices, no television, no books and use your eyes to get information about people, nature, everything. Just look. Go for a hike, a drive, visit galleries and museums. We all see things differently and have our preferences. We take it home with us.

Your daughter Danielle Elins is your business partner. What perspective does she bring that you truly appreciate and enjoy?

She grew up in the business, her instincts are invaluable. She came to her first show in New York with me when she was only 3 months old, visited all the museums and galleries for many years after that. She gets it. I enjoy her energy and enthusiasm and fresh way of looking at things, ability to work with people and technology. She also brings a new generational eye to the gallery.

What excites you most about the future of the art scene here?

It’s growing. It’s becoming an integral part of the attraction of Healdsburg. Along with the great wine and food, there is great art!

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well-being+

“Plants are really good at living in community, they can teach us.”

– Rebecca Maxfield

School of Plant Magic A hub of herbalism renaissance in Forestville

by Samantha Campos photos by Sarah Bradbury

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photo by Sarah Bradbury

T

he transformation begins on the verdant, tree-canopied dirt road to the California School of Herbal Studies (CSHS), just off Highway 116, two miles west of Forestville. A sign alerts drivers to the 5 miles per hour speed limit, and goats graze quietly on the left, before the land dips into a woodland ravine. I roll the window down to take in the fresh air and my usual mind chatter ceases. I’m here for a weekend class, but I already feel like I’ve entered a kind of magical sanctuary.

As we file into the redwood barn, we’re greeted with the warm scent of cinnamon simmering in the kitchen. A dozen or so of us gather on overstuffed couches and floor seats, the sun filtering through vibrant stained glass windows, with that earthy aroma wafting into the classroom, tempting our palate. Many of us remark on how inexplicably “cozy” we feel. Trinity Ava Wool, today’s instructor for “Essential Oils and Aromatherapy,” smiles.

An ebullient woman of 45, Wool has worked with feel-good aromatics since she was a 20-year-old ballet dancer living in

Amsterdam and tending to the routine injuries of her craft. She’s now been teaching at CSHS for the past 16 years, mainly leading core curriculum like Fall and Spring Herbal Essentials, various skincare coursework, and classes on Eastern herbs.

The root of all medicine, Wool tells us, is plants. Every plant contains some antimicrobial, antioxidant and adaptogenic properties. As she talks of essential oils, the most volatile compounds extracted from a plant, Wool strikes a balance between science and the sacred. She explains that there’s a strong relationship between immune system function and our emotional well-being.

Stress is known to weaken the immune system, but we can use a synergy of essential oils to enhance our physical and emotional health. Essential oils affect the mind, body and spirit tangibly. They can protect us from “civilization diseases”—like depression, anxiety, heart disease and cancer—and can alter our physiology just by breathing the air near them.

“Changing your microbes and changing your mind, your human-ness,” she says, “is a lot of what we do here.”

The California School for Herbal Studies was founded in 1978 by Rosemary Gladstar, and was the first school of its kind in the country. It’s since become a hub for herbalism renaissance. These days there are roughly 85 schools in the U.S. devoted to botanical studies.

“A lot of people don’t feel good and want to know more,” says Wool. “There’s a collective desire to get back to the land, back to the simplicity of common sense.”

Every year, there are over one billion colds in the U.S. According to the Journal of American Medical Association, western medicine is the third leading cause of death in the nation. But recent studies give hope: essential oils may be the “new” antibiotic. A review published in the “Journal of Ancient Diseases & Preventive Remedies” in 2013 titled Essential Oils and Future Antibiotics: New Weapons Against ‘Emerging Superbugs’

offers a comprehensive look into the potential application of essential oils as an alternative or supplement to antibiotics.

“Perhaps what is needed is a paradigm shift, a fundamental alteration of the way we use antibiotics to treat infectious diseases,” the review article states. “In this regard, there are lessons to be learned from plants.”

Wool agrees, encouraging us to return to our inherent plant wisdom, or “kitchen witchery,” as she calls it. “The magic’s in the garden—your own backyard. Nothing’s better than knowing how to do it yourself.

I don’t know if there’s a more important revolution than that.”

Collaborative Effort In the early 1990s, before Gladstar moved to Vermont to co-found Sage Mountain Herbs and later, United Plant Savers, she handed the school over to a group of people led by James Green. In 2000 he transferred it to herbalist Rebecca Maxfield and her husband, Jason Miller, an environmental educator. sonomadiscoveries.com

13

Pictured at the California School of Herbal Studies (l-r): Herbalist/CSHS co-director Rebecca Maxfield; herbalist/ CSHS core faculty member Trinity Ava Wool

Both are currently co-directors of the school.

“The beauty of this place is that it’s very much a collaborative effort,” says Maxfield.

“None of us could do what we do without the others.”

Most of the faculty has been at CSHS for close to 20 years. Botanist Autumn Summers, a 30-year veteran of the school, is their program coordinator. Between core staff and guest instructors, there are a couple dozen teachers offering a vast array of plantbased knowledge.

Prior to CSHS, the 80-acre Emerald Valley property on which it’s located once housed a family ranch whose main farmhouse was situated across the highway.

It then became a dry-farmed vineyard owned by an Italian family in the 1950s. Today’s classroom was originally a barn full of hay, with no electricity or plumbing or colorful stained-glass windows.

Maxfield is originally from California but was living in Portland when she took her first herbalism class. At the end of it, she wanted to delve deeper so her teacher 14

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A Short History of Medicine: “Doctor, I have an earache.”

2000 B.C.: “Here, eat this root.”

1000 B.C.: “That root is heathen. Say this prayer.”

1850 A.D.: “That prayer is superstition. Drink this potion.”

1940 A.D.: “That potion is snake oil.

Swallow this pill.”

1985 A.D.: “That pill is ineffective.

Take this antibiotic.”

2000 A.D.: “That antibiotic has side effects. Here, take this root!”

- Author unknown

recommended CSHS. Maxfield came to the school and basically never left, getting a job working in the office—a position that grew as she took on more responsibilities—with Maxfield and Miller living on the property for 17 years, along with their parents for 10 of those years, while raising their two kids.

“When James [Green] retired, he offered me and my husband the chance to take it on... I was scared to death. I like to do things well!” says Maxfield, laughing. “I saw prospects but I knew it would take work.

My husband talked me into it. It’s been the most fulfilling thing I could imagine—to love what you do, feel like you’re contributing to the world, and be sustained by it.”

Naturally, Maxfield has learned much along the way. “Plants are really good at living in community, they can teach us,” she says. “Personally, it’s been humbling and has taught me to slow down a little. I tend to want to get everything done right away. But that’s not how nature works, or how a good business works.”

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Progressing while keeping ‘one foot in the garden’ CSHS offers long and short-term classes for beginning and intermediate levels of interest.

Eight-month intensives start in early spring, like Roots of Herbalism and Foundations of Health, which immerses students in herbal plant identification, wild-crafting and cultivation, drying and medicine-making, while providing an academic foundation of human physiology and materia medica, incorporating complementary therapies and crafts, as well as camping trips and guided meditations.

A couple dozen one-day and weekend classes are also offered every day but Friday, March through November (no classes are offered in the winter), and vary from year to year. This fall features Medicinal Mushrooms, Herbal Skin Care, and Herbal Holiday Gift Making, among many others.

Over recent years, Maxfield has noticed a greater sense of urgency from students.

A new generation has cropped up who are serious about their education, see the applications of healthcare, and really want to bring herbal medicine to people in an 16

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accessible, egalitarian way. In turn, the school “moved into the 21st century” with homework, tests, a greater online presence and other resources. “But we very much keep one foot in the garden,” she says. “It’s the crown jewel of what we do.”

In addition to the classroom barn with adjacent kitchen, a medicine-making building and self-guided medicine trail, CSHS boasts a half-acre garden with more than 400 herb species. Tim Blakley was the first head gardener until the early 1990s.

Under Tim’s guidance, students hauled in thousands of rocks, defined the garden beds, created terraces, and slowly put in the plants.

After Tim left to work for Frontier Natural Products Co-op, where he’s responsible for sourcing ethical herbs, Leslie Gardner took over the CSHS garden until she passed away in 2014. “We owe her a great debt,” says Maxfield.

Bryan Bowen, a clinical herbalist who came to the school 15 years ago, currently tends the garden, along with a handful of student-gardeners. Because all cultivation is for educational purposes, plots are small, and a lot of plantings are experimental. But

you wouldn’t know it, walking through the lush landscape, stopping to smell the passionflower and lavender, and admiring the abundant rows of medicinal North American herbs.

CSHS also has a collaborative relationship with the West County Health Centers. Select staff and students see patients in the Forestville clinic on Thursdays.

Most people come to the school with an awareness or openness to herbalism. That’s not necessarily the case at the clinics, where CSHS herbalists are able to help people they might not have otherwise reached.

Additionally, the school works with and contributes herbal remedies to the Ceres Community Project’s Sebastopol kitchen, which makes meals for people (and their families) undergoing debilitating medical treatments.

“Our goal is for people to feel comfortable using herbs and eating herbs in their everyday life,” she said. “And for people to treat the two to three things they most commonly encounter. We’re not trying to upend the medical industry. But a lot can be done with plants.”SD

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food+

A DAY WITH THE EPICUREAN CONNECTION

Heirloom Tomato & Pepper Festivals

by Sheana Davis photo by Sarah Bradbury

20th Annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival

As a chef and cheese maker, the annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival is one of my personal favorites. I love the garden tours, the taste of tomato-inspired cuisine, and the best part is the variety of over 150 estate-grown tomatoes, which you can taste, touch and enjoy.

The event has grown over the years and this year’s event is looking to be fabulous! The event starts off Friday evening, Sept. 23, with a true Farm-to-Table dinner, seated in the Kendall-Jackson Estate Gardens where guests will enjoy tastes of produce grown on the estate in the garden and then dine al fresco with the chefs and farmers. For the farm to table dinner, each course will be prepared by a different celebrity chef, including Top Chef Masters’ winner Douglas Keane, Top Chef runner-up Brooke Williamson, Williams-Sonoma Chef Partners Joshua McFadden and Ryan Pollnow, and Kendall-Jackson Executive Chef Justin Wangler.

The Annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival celebrates its 20th year! This year EVENTS Kendall Jackson Wine Estate and 20th Annual Kendall-Jackson Garden has partnered Heirloom Tomato Festival with WilliamsSept. 24 • 11 a.m-4 p.m.

Sonoma to create a weekend of tomatoFarm-to-Table Charity Dinner inspired festivities, Sept. 23 • 4:30-7 p.m. with proceeds kj.com/visit-tomato-festival benefitting charities that fight hunger in Windsor’s Tomato & our community.

Pepper Fest On Saturday, Sept.

Sept. 18 • 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

24, the festival offers windsorfarmersmarket.co tastings of more than 150 heritage varieties of tomatoes grown in Kendall-Jackson’s estate culinary gardens. Guests may walk through the gardens, enjoy tastes of tomato-inspired cuisine prepared by local chefs, 18

sonomadiscoveries.com

including John Ash and Company, The Epicurean Connection, Jimtown Store, Taylor Maid Farms and over 50-plus more. The Chef Challenge features celebrity chefs from wine country and beyond.

This year’s festival benefits the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB), a Sonoma County-based food bank that supports all of the county from Sea Ranch to Schellville and up to the Oregon border. Since 1987, the REFB has been helping our community through innovative programs under three strategic initiatives – Every Child, Every Day; Senior Security; and the Neighborhood Hunger Network.

The dinner benefits No Kid Hungry, working to end childhood hunger by ensuring that kids start the day with a nutritious breakfast and families learn the skills they need to shop and cook on a budget. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of national anti-hunger organization Share Our Strength.

Windsor Certified Farmers Market Tomato & Pepper Fest

On Sunday, Sept. 18, the Windsor Certified Farmers Market’s 15th Annual Tomato & Pepper Fest showcases the summer harvest of Sonoma County-grown tomatoes and peppers. Each year, more than 100 pounds of heirloom tomatoes have been served— and they will be again—along with salts from Sonoma Spice Company, balsamic vinegars from California Balsamic and fresh breads from Costeaux French Bakery and BurtoNZ Bakery.

At the Tomato & Pepper Fest, guests will meet and be greeted by more than 20 farmers, who will be displaying their fresh-harvested fruits and veggies, including bountiful

assortments of heirloom tomatoes. Guests can taste over 40 varieties of tomatoes, as well as peppers by request. This year’s Tomato & Pepper Fest will be a feast for your eyes and appetite, we guarantee you.

A very special thank you to the Windsor High School Culinary (note deleted text) students for volunteering at monthly special events, like this one, for which they cut up and displayed tomatoes for the tasting.

Windsor restaurants are supplying their best chef-made salsas for everyone to taste and enjoy. Casa Sanchez donates all the chips to sample the wide array of salsas.

You should mark your calendar to attend because this event is filled with local flavor and characters. No charge to attend the weekly markets, nor the Annual Tomato & Pepper Fest. Bring your shopping bags and be prepared to be inspired! This is truly a local event that should motivate others around the county to engage and participate with all parts of their communities.

Summer Harvest Tomato & Corno de Torro Pepper Gazpacho

Remove core from top of each tomato with a pairing knife. Score the bottom of each tomato by cutting a cross “X” one inch wide on each tomato. Heat one gallon water over medium flame, bring to a simmer and drop each whole scored tomato in the water for 30 seconds; quickly remove and place in ice water. When cool, peel off skin, cut in half, remove seeds and place tomatoes in food processor and purred until smooth. Place in large bowl while preparing additional recipe ingredients.

Puree peppers, onion, olive oil, white balsamic, jalapeño, basil, chives, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk into tomato mixture, taste and adjust seasoning. Place in refrigerator for 4 hours to chill.

Garnish: Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice Costeaux bread ½-inch thick and brush with olive oil. Place bread on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and pour into a bowl to allow to cool.

Vegetable Skewers

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8 each 6-inch skewers Created by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection

Place cherry tomatoes and cucumbers slices on skewer and top with a basil leaf.

Yields 8 servings 10 cups pounds plum tomatoes, cored, scored and blanched 1 cup lemon cucumber peeled and cut into cubes 2 cups Corno de Torro peppers, stems and seeds removed and cut into small cubes 1 cup sweet red onion, chopped fine 1/2 cup Sonoma County olive Oil 4 tablespoons white balsamic Vinegar 1 teaspoon jalapeño pepper, stem and seeds removed 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped fine 1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped fine 2 large garlic cloves, chopped fine 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper Garnishes 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Service: Place gazpacho in pint glass, garnish with skewers and serve with fresh crostini. Enjoy with a glass of Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc or Golden Ale. Cored, Scored and Blanched: Remove core from top of each tomato with a pairing knife. Score the bottom of each tomato by cutting a cross “X” one inch wide on each tomato. Heat one-gallon water over medium flame, bring to a simmer and drop each whole scored tomato in the water for 30 seconds, quickly remove and place in ice water. When cool, peel off skin, cut in half, remove seeds and place tomatoes in food processor and puree until smooth. SD

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sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper 8 lemon cucumber wedges 16 cherry tomatoes 8 large basil leaves 16 slices Costeaux Bakery sourdough baguettes

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food+

OUT TO EAT

Elevating Portuguese Peasant Food Café Lucia’s cuisine of the Azores

by Abby Bard photos by Sarah Bradbury

F

our years ago, Manuel Azevedo and his sister Lucia Azevedo Fincher opened Café Lucia in Healdsburg, featuring Cozinha Nova Portuguesa (new Portuguese cuisine)—which combines the best of our local produce with the traditional dishes of the Azores, an archipelago of nine islands some 900 miles west of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean.

With a mid-Atlantic location and hospitable climate, these islands were in the path of European exploration (and attack) beginning in the 1500s, when Prince Henry the Navigator established a colony of settlers. Merchant ships carrying spices, peppers and curries from Africa and India, and plants

20

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native to the Americas, came through the islands; their cargo enriched the dishes based on meat, seafood, dairy and fruits grown on rich volcanic soil that became the unique Portuguese cuisine.

Azevedo was born on the island of Sao Jorge in the Azores and came to Sonoma County with his parents as a young child; Fincher was born soon after in the Sonoma Valley where the family settled in 1968. When Azevedo opened LaSalette, his first restaurant featuring Portuguese food in Sonoma 18 years ago, “I was worried that people were not going to get it,” he said. Still, he felt compelled to share his passion for the food he ate growing up in his mother’s kitchen.

CafĂŠ Lucia owners Manuel Azevedo and his sister Lucia Azevedo Fincher

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That restaurant, named for his mother, opened its doors 18 years ago and continues to thrive. But, Café Lucia with ambition to match his passion, 235 Healdsburg Avenue Azevedo didn’t stop at one restaurant Suite 105 in Sonoma; he and his wife Kimberly Healdsburg, CA 95448 became managing partners with Chef cafelucia.net Ed Metcalfe in Shiso Modern Asian Kitchen, featuring a non-traditional Asian menu—mainly Japanese cuisine with a touch of Thai and Vietnamese.

Next, Azevedo produced a cookbook. His modern interpretation of Portuguese cooking is documented in the LaSalette Cookbook, cowritten with Prerna Mankad and gorgeously illustrated with photos

by Henrique Bagulho. Weighing a hefty 6 pounds—this volume is a virtual encyclopedia of the art and technique of the Cozinha Nova Portuguesa.

Right after the book was completed, Azevedo and Fincher found the perfect spot in Healdsburg for Café Lucia.

The charming restaurant is tucked behind La Crema Winery tasting room on Healdsburg Avenue. “I felt like I had to do something unique enough to get people to come down the pedestrian alleyway,” Manuel recalled.

With the menu offering the tastes of his native culture married to the bounty of Sonoma County, he certainly has. The arch-roofed alleyway leads to an airy patio with couches and tables for cocktails and outdoor dining, and ultimately to the welcoming interior dining room, furnished with handmade dark wood tables and comfortable leather banquettes arranged around an oval bar in the center of the room. Large colorful photos of scenes from Portugal are hung on the walls. A chalk signboard at the entrance announces Oyster Hour! from 5-6 every day—Café Lucia’s own version of happy hour, with $1 oysters and $5 bubbles.

A repeated motif of the Galo de Barcelos appears in a line drawing on the signage and the menus and in traditional touches around the dining room. This national symbol of Portugal (a rooster with a bright red crest and brightly painted designs of bright hearts 22

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and flowers) stands for honesty, integrity and loyalty, “and all those things that we aspire to,” Fincher said.

Authenticity is another important factor to Azevedo. “People will drive 2 to 3 hours to eat here. Coming here and dining often triggers memories to people.” The cuisine of the Azores is unlike any other, and Fincher believes “we’re here to educate.” For Azevedo, it’s important to tell a story, and for the food to have a geographic connection.

With the spices, African ingredients, and curries that were brought back to Portugal by explorers, “It gives me, as a chef, the world to choose from,” he declared.

“Portuguese food is not necessarily spicy. It’s like real Italian food—tomatoes, garlic, onions, wine—but different and more interesting. It’s a pork-centric cuisine and uses a lot of seafood.”

Linguica, the traditional sausage of Portugal, is prominent throughout the menu. “The recipe we use is the one Mom taught me. We had it back home. I remember the linguica hanging over the wood stove to dry,” Azevedo recalled.

Based on that recipe with its distinctive spice blend, Azevedo has 200 pounds of linguica made to his specifications every week in at Fernandes Linguica in Tracy, California, to use at his restaurants.

That same spice blend flavors many other dishes on the Café Lucia menu.

“It’s a way to marry the ingredients from Sonoma County with the traditional Portuguese flavors. Using the spice blend makes it Portuguese, even though the dishes are not necessarily traditional,” he said. The term ‘piri piri’ appears often on the menu. This African pepper, also known as birdseye pepper, provides the heat in a lot of the spice mixes used in Portuguese food.

“The traditional food is simple peasant food,” Azevedo said.

“We needed to take it to a higher level.” An example is Caldo Verde (the national soup of Portugal, with stock made of beef, veal and chicken bones, and ham hocks, with potatoes and linguica, and collard greens added at the end for a bright green color), which is on the menu and which he also prepared this year for the Holy Ghost Society Portuguese Festival. Pork tenderloin “recheado” is stuffed

with olives, citrus, almonds and figs, with a port wine sauce. Curry Clams – Goanstyle includes exotic flavors of Portugal’s former colony of Goa on the coast of India, combining chourico and tomatoes with a flavorful coconut-curry sauce and cilantro.

“In the Portuguese culture, bread and cheese are very important. We lived on a dairy, and mom made her own bread and cheese every day,” Azevedo recalled. “We use bread made from mom’s recipe.” The cheese they serve is made by and sent to them by their cousins in the Azores. “It’s a special, intimate connection.”

Also notably special are Café Lucia’s desserts. There are six of them listed on the menu. The broad categorical names, like “chocolate” or “caramel” or “traditional,” don’t begin to describe the wonderful combination of flavors and textures that appear, beautifully plated, in front of a diner. The chocolate dessert, for instance, is composed of chocolate mousse with almond tuile, salted chocolate tart with ruby port gelee, and hazelnut ice cream with caramelized banana, all artistically anchored on a white plate with a stripe of mint puree (or ‘shmeer,’ as Fincher referred to it, adding a Yiddish phrase to the melting pot that is Portuguese cuisine). This writer, a chocoholic, was delighted to not have to choose, but to have all of the chocolate possibilities on one plate!

There is an all-inclusive theme here.

The “traditional” dessert includes all of the following: sweet rice pudding with Madeirabraised figs, malassadinhas (little donuts with cinnamon and sugar) and an almond ice cream sandwich with fig cake. The dessert menu includes an extensive selection of Ports and Madeiras, the fortified wines of Portugal.

Although there are many people of Azorean descent living in California—likely the largest population in the US—Azevedo’s restaurants are the only eateries north of San Jose that offer the full spectrum of the distinctive flavors and traditions that were infused in him from childhood. When they arrived in the Sonoma Valley in 1968, his parents established a dairy farm, following a long tradition brought from their home in Sao Jorge. The children (four in all) grew up on the farm’s milk and cheese, produce from their vegetable garden, eggs and meat from their chickens, meat from their own rabbits, and an annual half a cow and half a pig from neighboring farms.

The goal for both Azevedo and Fincher was to have people to understand their culture—and to build a family feel at Café

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Lucia. For Azevedo, “At the end of the day, the most rewarding part is the people, the team—the guys that are in the kitchen.

They’re working hard and looking out for each other.”

The restaurant has a staff of 20, with seven working in the kitchen under the direction of Chef de Cuisine Margarito “Pancho” Rodriguez. Azevedo comes in frequently to make sure the quality is up to his standards, while also making the rounds to each of the other restaurants. “I’m the boots on the ground here,” Fincher said.

Their other siblings and the extended family back in the Azores are also involved in aspects of the food business; their cousin Fatima in Sao Jorge runs Café Central, and the rest of the cousins are in dairy. Asked what led them to choose the restaurant business, Fincher replied, “It’s a bit of a calling,” and Azevedo said, “This business— you don’t seek it out, it finds you.”

In addition to running Café Lucia, Fincher, who has a business degree, also does catering with her husband, Tracy Fincher, a Healdsburg native. “We sell piri piri chicken at the Windsor Certified Farmers Market on Thursday evenings,” she said. The couple’s two daughters work part-time at Café Lucia.

Now that all of Azevedo’s restaurants are established and running smoothly, he wants to deepen his knowledge and raise the already high quality of what he offers his customers. “My goal is to look at all the restaurants and go back to the drawing board as if I’m learning from scratch. For instance, learning how to break down a goat properly—the real art of doing it properly. Or, say, filleting a monkfish. Now I’m going to revisit everything, but with no compromises.”

Early this year, Azevedo opened a fourth restaurant, once again in Sonoma. “It was my dream for over 10 years to open a place that serves real Portuguese-style tapas and Portuguese wines.” The word tasca means pub or tavern in Portuguese, and Azevedo named his newest venture Tasca Tasca, with its playful double syllables, because “we wanted it to be light and fun.”

A visit to Café Lucia offers a unique food experience. You’ll also get an education in history, geography and culture, served up in a delicious way, and prepared with love. For this writer, who had never before sampled Portuguese food, the education was a revelation, opening up a door to the delicious multi-cultural cuisine of the Azores.

SD

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CALDO VERDE Makes 6 servings 1 quart beef broth 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces ½ cup onion, diced ½ cup leeks, white and pale green parts only, diced and washed 2 cloves garlic 1 link Linguica Portuguese sausage, sliced ½ inch thick 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Salt to taste White pepper to taste White wine vinegar to taste 1 small bunch collard greens cleaned and tough stalks removed

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Extra virgin olive oil

In a medium sauce pan, combine the broth, potatoes, onion, leeks, garlic and linguica. Bring the ingredients to a boil and simmer covered on low heat until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, lay the collards one on top of another and roll the leaves jellyroll style.

Now, holding the rolled collards tightly, slice the collards as thinly as possible. Set aside.

Remove the linguica from the soup using a slotted spoon. Set the linguica aside and let cool. Make sure that you remove all the slices. Add the parsley and oregano to the sauce pan and simmer 5 more minutes.

When the linguica is cool enough to handle, slice each ½ inch slice in half so the each slice is about ¼ inch wide.

Using a submersible blender, puree the soup. Taste for salt and pepper and add a splash of white wine vinegar, if you desire.

To finish the soup, add the sliced collards and linguica to the soup and simmer for 15 minutes. The soup is now ready to serve.

Pour into bowls and drizzle with olive oil.

GH Sofa 4.75 x 4.75 Wednesday, July 27, 2016 4:15:16 PM

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Sharon Cohn (above) believes that sparkling wine can be enjoyed every day, not just on fabulous occasions, and she shares this sentiment with her two sisters. The three sisters own and operate Breathless Wines, created in homage to their mother.

The first sip will surprise you.

THE TASTING ROOM EXPERIENCE

Sparklers with Substance Breathless Wines opens new industrial-chic tasting room in Healdsburg

photos by Sarah Bradbury

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Photos by Sarah Bradbury

by Samantha Campos

In fact, a few things may take your breath away when visiting the new Breathless Wines tasting room in Healdsburg— most notably, the sparkling wines themselves. Crafted by an award-winning winemaker, Breathless features a few delightfully nuanced, traditional-method sparkling wines: Brut, Blanc de Noirs, and Brut Rosé, along with a limited release of Blanc de Blanc. All four wines have earned accolades over the past three years, and for good reason.

According to a recent study conducted at Santa Clara University, only 10 percent of California wineries have a woman as their lead winemaker—with the highest percentage (about 12 percent) of lead women winemakers being in the Sonoma, Marin and Napa wine regions. Not only does Breathless Wines employ a talented female winemaker, but a powerful trio of sisters runs the company, as well: Rebecca Faust, co-founder of Rack & Riddle Custom Wine Services, Breathless production manager; Sharon Cohn, former co-owner of BR Cohn Olive Oil Company, and owner/manager of Massage Envy in Santa Rosa and Sonoma, currently retail and wholesale manager for Breathless; Cynthia Faust, financial manager, Breathless brand ambassador.

“Whenever the sisters and I would get together, we’d drink sparkling wine,” said Sharon. “And it was happy time, fun

time—we were together celebrating. We actually did make a sparkling wine at BR Cohn in 1985, and I always wanted to do it again. So when the opportunity came up... Accessibility for the taste and the drinking, as well as our pricing—we wanted all of that to be something that everyone could enjoy. Not just on a fabulous occasion but every day.”

For over a year, Breathless Wines operated a pop-up tasting room at the former MurphyGoode spot in Geyserville. As of this writing, the Faust sisters are preparing to open their permanent tasting room in September at 499 Moore Lane, in an industrial hub a few blocks away from Healdsburg Plaza. Inspired by another Rack & Riddle client from Malibu, the new Breathless tasting room will be constructed entirely of shipping containers and designed with a 1920s-era “industrial chic” aesthetic.

Plans include a chandelier-lit, white marble tasting bar and VIP area, seating inside and out, another walk-up bar on the outdoor patio with a stage for live music, a fire pit, garden community table and water fountains. The patio will offer a shade system with misters and umbrellas, surrounded by lush landscaping.

Breathless Wines are crafted under the guidance of Penny Gadd-Coster, a former ER nurse and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researcher who began winemaking in Sonoma 30 years ago. From her first crush job at Jordan Vineyards & Winery, Penny worked her way to an assistant winemaker position at J Vineyards & Winery before ultimately becoming their sparkling winemaker. She then joined Rebecca and the team at Rack & Riddle in 2007 as their executive winemaker, with sparkling wine as their focus. And when Rebecca asked her to work with Breathless in 2009, Penny jumped on it.

She has since garnered more than 100 awards and medals for the wines she helped create, as well as earning a “Winemaker of the Year” title from the North Bay Business Journal in December 2013.

“She really got us and who were we were, what we liked,” said Sharon. “It’s very special that we get to do this together, with the sisters— and you know, Penny’s one of them, in our hearts.”

The key to Penny’s winemaking success may actually be food, and a sense of refined simplicity. At one point in her career, Penny worked with influential winemaker André Tchelistcheff, who told her that it’s really silly for people to grow particular types of grapes and not have the wines taste like those grapes.

“I love to cook and I love to eat, and so coming up with wines that’ll go with food is really the first and foremost thing that I’m

Sisters (l-r) Cynthia Faust, Rebecca Faust and Sharon Cohn are opening a permanent tasting room for Breathless Wines in September.

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Sparkling wine bottles going into the neck freezer on the disgorging line at Rack & Riddle Custom Wine Services; Penny Gadd-Coster, award-winning winemaker for Breathless Wines and executive winemaker for Rack & Riddle, prepares to open a bottle of sparkling wine with a saber.

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Photos by Sarah Bradbury

thinking about,” she said. “And then from there, what am I going are not really French, nor are they entirely Californian—they’re after? What is the fruit bringing me?” somewhere in between. These are sparkling wines with substance.

Even with sparkling wines Penny always wants to have them All Breathless selections we sampled had depth and delicacy, with a reflect the essence of whichever predominant grape is used. She’s not seductive complexity that encourages further enjoyment. And why going to feature a Cabernet the same way she would feature a Pinot not enjoy more bubbly?

Noir. She’s also not a big fan of the latest tools and trickery.

We tend to only consider sparkling wines for celebrations. But “I’m very fortunate because everywhere I’ve been, I’ve had the it is actually the perfect food wine. “You cannot go wrong with opportunity to work with really good fruit,” said Penny. “So then it’s bubbly when it comes to food pairing,” said Penny, who confessed to pretty easy to let that fruit shine. Then it’s, okay, what needs to go savoring potato chips dolloped with crème fraiche, a dash of lemon with it maybe to just take it that step further. What’s going to take it zest, and caviar or tobiko, with her sparkling wine. over the top—is it a little more Pinot Meunier?”

“Bubbly goes with everything,” agreed Cynthia.

In the case of their signature Brut, what takes the ChardonnayWines will be available by the glass, by the bottle, or as part of a Pinot Noir blend over the top is precisely 4 percent Pinot Meunier, tasting flight at the new Breathless Wines tasting room. Each table with fruit sourced from the Carneros area; it is a surprisingly will be served an order of local potato chips to enjoy with their sophisticated sparkler, with notes of green apple and sparkling wine (thanks, Penny!). Also on offer will pink grapefruit, marked by a smooth finish and a be an internationally curated cheese plate, and an Breathless Wines light, refreshing effervescence. The Brut Rosé blends opportunity to uncork your bottle with an authentic Hours: Open Thursday60 percent Pinot Noir with 40 percent Chardonnay, Italian saber under the instruction of a Breathless Monday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and tastes decidedly more fruit forward, with lots of wine host. strawberry, watermelon and a little lemon-lime.

Regularly scheduled tours at the adjacent Rack & 499 Moore Lane For the limited-release Blanc de Blanc, Penny takes Riddle production facility, which is where Breathless Healdsburg 707-395-7300 that “wild child” Brut blend, generally starting with wines are made, will be available; Breathless’ hours breathlesswines.com an equal amount of Chardonnay to Pinot Noir, and will change depending on the season, so check the 5 percent Pinot Meunier, then fine-tunes it so that it’s website for the most up-to-date times and special more Chardonnay than Pinot, and ages it en tirage for holiday notifications. The tasting room will also be 18-20 months. The Blanc de Noirs, made from 100 offered quarterly for use to nonprofit organizations percent Pinot Noir from Mendocino and Sonoma County, and aged for fundraising events. for 38 months, is an intriguing wine with fine bubbles and a bold yet The Faust sisters are devoted to giving back to the Sonoma elegant character. Understandably, the Blanc de Noirs was featured in County community in which they’ve grown up, and regularly the July 2015 edition of “Wine Enthusiast.” support nonprofits like Impact100 Sonoma, MedShare, YWCA, Although crafted utilizing méthode Champenoise, these wines Sonoma County Alliance, American Heart Association, the Boys and

Girls Club, and Women’s Health at Memorial Hospital, among others. They’re also avid supporters of the Alpha-1 Foundation, after losing their mother, Martha Faust, to the genetic lung disease in 2008. Breathless Wines is in homage to her.

“My mom was definitely a philanthropist who always told us to think bigger than you, and to see what you can do in the world,” said Sharon. “She’d get up every morning, no matter how tough the day before, and said, ‘We’re going to start this day clean.’ “‘Take no breath for granted’ was really the way she lived every single day. She was always smiling. It wasn’t always easy.”

Although Martha had health issues, she loved the outdoors and the Fausts backpacked all the time—the name, “Breathless,” is also a tongue-in-check reference to how the girls

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felt, running after their active mother who was “always charging up the hill.”

“She just never took a breath for granted, no matter how she was doing,” said Sharon. “She made the best of it everyday. So that inspired us—she inspires us to this day.”

Conclusion: Life is precious. Drink more bubbly. SD

Join the sisters (and Penny) online and share your Breathless moments!

Facebook: breathlesswines Instagram: @breathlesswines Twitter: @BreathlessWines Pinterest: breathlesswines YouTube: breathlesswines Google Plus: +Breathlesswines

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Depth of Field The captivating wine and photography of Jesse and Andy Katz

by Marcy Gordon photos by Sarah Bradbury

Jesse Katz and Andy Katz

T

he first inkling something different is going on with Devil Proof is found on the label. It’s immensely provocative—the image of a Cuban woman smoking a cigar is full of attitude along with a strong sense of confidence and self-assuredness. Two traits that winemaker Jesse Katz also exemplifies.

Before he was even old enough to drive, much less drink, Katz traveled the world’s most famous winemaking regions with his father. By the time he entered high school he’d visited more than 60 countries. His early exposure to wine culture at great estates such as Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Argiano, Sassicaia, and Domaine Leflaive kindled an interest in wine that Katz to almost unheard of success while ByledBo Kearns still under 30 years old. photos by Jeff Roth

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Katz honed his skills working with some of the most recognizable names in wine—Paul Hobbs, Bob Foley and Andy Erickson—and in 2012, launched his own label, Devil Proof Vineyards, devoted to making the finest Malbec possible in California. Since then, the honors and awards have been flooding in, including a listing on both “Forbes” and “Wine and Spirits” 30 under 30 lists, being named Cult Winery of the year by “The Tasting Panel Magazine” and earning the highest rating from Robert Parker for any Malbec from California.

The Devil Proof private tasting lounge doubles as the photography gallery for Andy Katz, Jesse’s father. And it comes as no surprise that father and son share more than the space, they also have a shared love for wine, travel and photography. “[As I] traveled the world at a young age with [my father], I thought I might want to be a photographer as well,” Katz says. “Still to this day, I love taking photos, but my father’s ability to see things is just amazing.”

Andy Katz shot the infamous Devil Proof label image during a father/son trip to Cuba. It’s the embodiment of a local saying: Live well, drink well, and the devil can’t get ya! And in that manner, you become Devil Proof.

“The label immediately stirs an emotion, the interplay of the photo art and the wine combined tells a story, tells of a place and invokes conversation. As it opens, you too open up to the experience,” Katz explains.

Photography and wine both present an ongoing moment—an image captured on film persists through time, and wine represents the vineyards, the weather, winemaker and year it was made. Elements of photography, such as balance, saturation, focus, sharpness, warmth and texture, are aspects in wine as well. It begs the question—how do the protocols of photography and wine intersect?

“Depending on what you focus on and what you are working with, wine has parallels to photography, and there are many similarities between an honest photo and an honest wine. But if you

Lauren House pours wine in the Devil Proof private tasting lounge, which doubles as the photography gallery for Andy Katz, Jesse’s father.

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tweak what Mother Nature gave you too much it’s suddenly apparent that it’s not a good thing. It rings false,” Katz says.

In effect, a highly manipulated wine is like a photo where someone has gone ‘crazy with the cheese whiz’ on the HDR settings, making it appear completely unnatural.

“Texture,” says Katz, “is really what I pride myself on and focus on in wine. I want to create something with depth, something that keeps changing and building on itself and evolving.”

Collaborating on a wine with his father was a natural development. “My father is the greatest wine lover I’ve ever met—so passionate about photography and wine.”

Together they created Aperture Cellars, a small production line of blends from Alexander Valley: label art and photography

by Andy, wine by Jesse.

While his father’s focus is on the landscape with regard to how to best portray it in a photo, Jesse’s focus is on the terroir and how to best capture its essence in the bottle.

“I’m a winemaker due to my early travel to great wine regions as a child. I could not articulate it at the time—but that sense of terroir was early engraved in me.”

After experiencing his first sips of wine in Burgundy at 14, Katz was struck at how the Pinot Noir of two different villages could vary so much from one place to another.

“To this day I’m fascinated by that concept of terroir and it drives my winemaking. Devil Proof is very specific in the sense that is focuses on the site—I’m looking for a great terroir that can produce wine in the style that I love. And I want it to evoke conversation and thought when people drink the wine.” SD Resources Devil Proof Vineyards devilproofvineyards.com Aperture Cellars Aperture-cellars.com Andy Katz Gallery andykatzphotography.com

All Phases of Vineyard Management and Consulting since 1994 Serving Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River and Beyond John Grace - Owner 707-484-7764 gracevineyard@comcast.net

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8/8/2016 9:13:40 AM

A pair of pheasants, wings outstretched but motionless, hang mounted to the wall above Jack and Verna Krout. In the living room of their Petaluma farmhouse, they sit flipping through two maps beside their granddaughter.

Both maps depict Sonoma County speckled with little numbers ascribed to farms, ranches and orchards. While one is a single, foldable page in black and white save for a bit of green trim, the other is brightly colored, glossy, a magazine of 32 bound pages. But the most striking difference, at least to Jack and Verna—both now in their 90s—is that the second map is missing #11: Krout’s Pheasant Farm.

It was 1973 when they were assigned that number, among the first to join what was then a brand new organization—a new concept, in fact. “Before Farm Trails came along,” remembers Verna, “I used to drive all the way down to the wharf in San Francisco where I’d sell our birds to a cruise company that’d take them out on their way to Hawaii. Quite an ordeal and they never paid well either.” At the time, Sonoma County’s first farmers market was still a few years away, grocery stores relied exclusively on middlemen, the term CSA had yet to be coined and, according to Verna, only two restaurants in the whole Bay Area would buy direct from farmers like them—one of which was a newcomer to the culinary scene, Chez Panisse. But they already had a source for specialty poultry, she says.

The simple yet profound idea that Farm Trails offered to farmers like the Krouts was this: let the customers come to you. “The seventies were a tough time for farmers,” remembers Tim Tesconi, who before joining the Farm Trails board served as the executive

director of Sonoma County Farm Bureau and, before that, as an agriculture reporter for The Press Democrat.

“Our reputation here as the Egg Capital of the World had declined. Most smaller poultry farmers were going out of business. And with all the new highways, refrigerated trucks and the rise of big Central Valley ag, most farms had to rely on brokers. Prices were low. It wasn’t easy to compete. Farm Trails arose to cut out the middleman and give these farmers another chance.”

The idea had been the brainchild of a new UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor by the name of John Smith who moved to the area from Placer County.

Bringing with him a similar concept he’d seen work up in the foothills, Smith reached out to the original members who wanted to cultivate sales, farmers like Bruce Goetz of Green Valley Blueberry Farm, Bob Larsen of Larsen’s Christmas Tree Farm and, of course, to Jack and Verna, who by then were just keeping their pheasant enterprise afloat with occasional orders from local hunting clubs.

Putting Farmers on the Map The history and legacy of Farm Trails

by Evan Wiig / Photos by Sarah Bradbury

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Farm Trails Executive Director Carmen Snyder

Jack and Verna Krout of Krout’s Pheasant Farm

Farm Trails Director Tim Tesconi

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By the time Farm Trails had printed its first map in 1973, a total of 133 farms had signed on to be listed, from pumpkin patches along the 101 to West County’s apple orchards, from what was back then a thriving Christmas tree industry to what was then still a budding wine industry. Under each farm’s name, address and products was found the hours of each farm stand, most of which were fairly wide open during the harvest season, some even open year-round.

It didn’t take long for the idea to catch on.

“The public was waiting for something like this,” says Tesconi. “They just needed a mechanism for finding the farms.” The first round of maps sold out quicker than anyone had expected and the founders had to return for a second printing.

Sales at Krout’s Pheasant Farm picked up, especially around the holidays when locals and visitors from the city alike would swing by their farm stand to pick up dressed birds.

“And it wasn’t just us,” says Jack. “One of the biggest successes to come out of Farm Trails was Kozlowski. They’d been making pies from leftover berries and apples from their property and now look at them—those pies are everywhere. Lots more folks started planting Christmas trees. It kept more than a few apple orchards alive for sure, even when that industry took a downturn. And I don’t think the blueberry farm would’ve made it without Farm Trails.”

A new map came out each year, with additional farms added to the list with every publication. National magazines wrote features on the new program. Agricultural communities elsewhere in the state and even around the country started taking note of Sonoma County’s success. Then bus tours began to arrive with visitors and school groups. Jack and Verna would lead crowds of curious customers around their farm, giving a behind-the-scenes look at where their food came from while showing off not only the 20,000 ring-necked pheasants they were known for but a number of more unique breeds, as well as turkeys, partridge and even a few swans for show.

Jack and Verna answered any questions that came their way, encouraged by the public’s interest in their livelihood. But as they remember it, the true tour guide there at Krout’s was Max, the border collie. “We tried to keep all those tour groups orderly, but there’d always be some curious guy who’d wander off on his own to look at this or that,” laughs Jack. “And when Max would appear herding that stray fellow

back to the tour group, the guy’s wife would yell, ‘that dog has more control over my husband than I do!’”

During a time when most Americans were growing more and more distanced from the source of their food and as the industry began conglomerating into the corporate behemoths that today dominate the market, Farm Trails helped keep alive family farms, laying the groundwork for a later movement towards food transparency and choice, epitomized by films like “Food, Inc.” and books like “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.”

“Back then, the map was how a lot of people got to know Sonoma County,” says Carmen Snyder, Farm Trails’ executive director. A relative newcomer to the area from South Carolina, it was through her job at the Farm Trails’ office—before taking over the organization’s helm in 2012—that Snyder fell in love with Sonoma County and its rich agricultural heritage. While she calls it a marketing co-op, Carmen admits that marketing and branding never really appealed to her.

“In fact, I was kinda averse to the whole concept, really. But recently, when I went back to visit my hometown, I found myself driving around the countryside and whenever I’d pass by farms, I couldn’t help wonder who they were, what they were growing— their story. Stories are powerful,” she says. “There’s a real identity and sense of place when farmers take pride in their name. Our job here is to help celebrate and spotlight our producers. We give them a platform to tell their story.”

Around the same time that the first map appeared, the Farm Trails community resurrected yet another platform for celebration and storytelling: the Gravenstein Apple Fair. Founded back in the early years of the century, the fair had been abandoned during World War II. But with the new energy surrounding the map, farmers joined forces yet again to re-establish that old tradition—showing off old tractors, pressing apples, tasting the unique flavors of the county. And since 1973, it has served as Farm Trails’ primary annual fundraiser.

“It’s an expression of community that’s pretty unusual in today’s world,” says Lou Preston of Preston Farm and Winery. “What’s going to protect agriculture is to make it personal. Farm Trails and the Apple Fair does a great job of that.”

Today, every August, thousands arrive to gather under the shade of oak trees in Sebastopol’s Ragle Ranch Regional Park. This year,

the 43rd Gravenstein Apple Fair was held during the weekend of August 13 and 14.

A whole new generation of farmers and artisans have since joined the Farm Trails family. Some things remain the same, says Snyder, while others have changed. With different needs and constraints (the exorbitant cost of land most pressing among them), newer members are finding unique niche markets and value-added products to make their mark, the North Bay’s explosive specialty cheese industry the most obvious.

Wool and cider are now making inroads.

And innovative growing methods—such as no-till and organic agriculture—are becoming part of the draw and distinction of the region as a showcase for sustainable food production. And to many of these newer farmers hoping to demonstrate the qualities that set them apart, a resource like Farm Trails is key.

With the rise of farmers markets, farmto-table restaurants and even a handful of grocery stores willing to buy direct from local producers, the prominence of the old farm stands has waned. Farm Trails now hosts special events throughout the year during which farms welcome visitors, but otherwise most farms are today only open by appointment.

But the role of Farm Trails goes deeper than just a map and marketing, says Snyder.

“Today, when we gather the membership, there’s such a diversity in the room. Fourthgeneration ranchers and apple farmers sitting beside brand new cheese-makers and diversified vegetable farmers new to the area.

Farm Trails offers a bridge between these different communities.

Here, we’re all under the same tent; we all want agriculture in Sonoma County to thrive,” says Snyder.

The Krouts retired from the pheasant business back in 1995, leasing out their land to other farmers. The organization, however, remains a part of their life. “We made a heck of a lot of friends through Farm Trails. The whole thing was volunteer-driven, so the people who gathered around it really cared.” Jack and Verna scan the old map beside their daughter, Andrea, who today works for the county but now sits on the board of Farm Trails. When asked what ingredients the heirs of the Farm Trails legacy must preserve to ensure that it continues into the future, Jack and Verna agree: “Generosity, hospitality and lots of cooperation.” SD Resources farmtrails.org gravensteinapplefair.com

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WHERE THE BIRDS ARE A guide to watching the rare, familiar and wonderful birds in Sonoma County

by David Abbott

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O

ne of the many benefits to decades of efforts to maintain Sonoma County’s rural landscapes has been the preservation and restoration of a wide variety of bird habitat, making the area a prime destination for birders of all stripes.

There are shorebirds, pelagic (ocean-going) birds, songbirds, raptors, egrets and everything in between. In addition to many prime spots to watch them, several organizations offer opportunities to ‘rub elbows’ with our avian co-inhabitants.

A primary clearinghouse for everything ornithological in the North Bay is the Madrone Audubon Society, established in 1967 “to speak up for the wildlife that was losing its local habitat.” Madrone was the first Audubon chapter in California north of Marin County and Sacramento.

“People have been birding in this county for many years,” Gordon Beebe, past president of Madrone said. “We recorded our 450th species (as of 2015). In the whole U.S. there are about 900 species, so we see about half of them.”

One reason for the diversity of species is that Sonoma County has a wide variety of habitats: There are lakes, riparian grasslands, and elevation differences from the coast to Mount Saint Helena. Another is that Sonoma County sits right in the middle of the Pacific Flyway, a migration route for somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 billion birds that stretches from Alaska to Patagonia at the tip of South America.

As to the plethora of species here in our backyard, “Some are rare, blown off course, but there are about 350 you can count on and 170 that breed in the county,” Beebe said.

The more common resident birds include the woodpeckers, vultures, hummingbirds, crows and even the bushtit. Some common visitors that also breed in Sonoma County are flycatchers, swallows and orioles.

Beebe, who moved here from southern California in 1994, has been leading bird walks for Madrone for several years. The organization leads trips throughout the county and is a good resource for beginning birders who want to ease into the world of bird watching. And the cusp of autumn is a good time to watch birds.

“Any time is a good time to watch birds in Sonoma County, but the highest number of species is in early autumn and early spring,” Beebe said. “The birds start migrating in the fall… They start trickling in July, August, September and October, and we see more varieties of waterfowl. A lot of them winter here.”

The birds that come here in the winter are different than those that come in the summer, so the birding experience varies from season to season. The intrepid birder can see many types of birds, including year-round residents, species that come here to nest and even the occasional “migrating rarity.”

Conservation efforts have expanded habitat for many species, particularly raptors and wetland birds. The verticality of much of

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the protected lands offer great viewing opportunities and prime habitat for birds of prey.

“Falcons were very rare 10 years ago and now they can be seen on walks from Petaluma to the coast,” Beebe said. “There are bald eagles, peregrine falcons and a wide variety of red-tailed hawks. In the fall, hawk migration peaks around the last of September.”

Prime raptor spots include the peregrine aerie at Lake Sonoma and the Jenner Headlands Preserve, which was acquired by the Sonoma Land Trust in December 2009 to be protected forever. There are also great places on the coast for birding, primarily in Bodega Bay and at Bodega Bay Harbor. Madrone has regularly scheduled trips to Bodega Bay as well as other excellent birding areas. On a good day, one can see pelicans, terns, kingfishers and plovers. A complete list can be found at madroneaudubon.org.

“We do bird walks and field trips and anyone is welcome,” Beebe said. “We love showing what’s around here in Sonoma County.”

Preserving habitat On a hot day in late June, I stood atop the highest point at Modini Mayacamas Preserves (MMP), 3,000 feet above Alexander Valley in the shadow of Mount Saint Helena, talking to Preserve Manager and Resident Biologist Sherry Adams about birds.

“There are a few reasons Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Modini Mayacamas Preserves has long been a popular spot with birders: One of the things that make this a special place is the great access provided by having a large preserve bisected by a public road,” she said. “Pine Flat Road runs through the preserve for about five miles, and will take you from an elevation of about 200 feet at the valley floor to over 3,000 feet at the very top. On the way you pass through a wide variety of habitats, including open grasslands, oak, madrone and conifer groves, shrubland and serpentine outcrops.”

The land now known as Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Modini Mayacamas Preserves is a merger of two properties: the Modini Ingalls Ecological Preserve and the

Photos by: Bird close-ups by Thomas Reynolds; bird-watching and egrets by Joe Barkoff 40

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Mayacamas Mountains Sanctuary, she explained. “The former was transferred to ACR in a bequest by ranchers Jim and Shirley Modini... The Modinis were ahead of their time: they were ranchers who cared about wildlife.”

The Modini-Ingalls family owned the property—primarily used for cattle grazing—since 1867 and the preserves are central to 12,000 acres of contiguous habitat in the Mayacamas Mountains protected under conservation easements with the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.

The District is the county’s lead agency in the acquisition of rural properties for protection.

Because of its elevation and inland location, many birds associated with California’s interior regions can be seen at MMP. Species such as Laurence’s goldfinch, greater roadrunner and the rare phainopepla, mountain quail, the common poorwill, rufous-crowned and Bell’s sparrows, blue-gray gnatcatcher, wrentits, purple martins, yellow warblers, California thrashers, golden eagles and more can be spotted during the span of a morning’s hike.

“I can always tell when someone spots something unusual,” Adams said. “Lines of cars pull out in the pullouts and people line up with those long camera lenses and binoculars.”

In 2004, the entire preserve burned in The Geysers’ fire, transforming the landscape into a patchwork of burned and unburned habitat conditions that make for a unique birding experience.

“One result is that cavity dwellers, such as purple martins, are regulars here,” Adams said. “And woodpeckers love dead trees.” She added that fire season is yearround now and part of the landscape. “It’s part of the nature and ecology and part of the human story. With some conifers, the cones only open in fire.”

The fire created habitat for other birds, such as swallows, bluebirds, kestrel falcons, ash-throated flycatchers and other hole-nesting species. The lower reaches of the MMP include streams and thick corridors of riparian vegetation, supporting rich communities of nesting songbirds and other migrant species.

There are a variety of nature walks and guided activities—including a monthly bird and botany walk on the first Friday

of the month—as well as opportunities for exploring independently. For independent access, however, interested individuals must attend an access orientation. There are no facilities and no pets allowed, and the property is steep, primitive and wild.

But there are also activities available to people with limited mobility or those dependent on a wheelchair.

For information go to egret.org, call the preserve at 707-431-8184, or email modini@egret.org.

Laguna de Santa Rosa Another prime spot to the west of the Santa Rosa Plain is the Laguna de Santa Rosa, located east of Sebastopol.

The Laguna is Sonoma County’s richest area of wildlife habitat and the most biologically diverse region of Sonoma County. It is the largest tributary of the Russian River, featuring a 22-mile channel that extends from Cotati to its confluence with the Russian River at Forestville. The Laguna covers more than 30,000 acres, is an important stopover along the Pacific Flyway and home to more than 200 species of birds ranging from bald eagles to hummingbirds.

The Laguna Foundation was formed in 1989 to preserve and restore this valuable asset.

“We were dumping sewage and there were dumps and 100 years of farmers pushing manure into the wetlands,” Public Education Manager Anita Smith said.

“The wetlands were thought of as swamps.

But in the past three decades, there has been a big shift. Wetlands are seen as a great resource for biodiversity, flood control and groundwater recharge.”

There are three primary areas for bird watching: the Environmental Center on Sanford and Occidental roads, the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail, with entrances on Highway 12 and Occidental Road, and the Southern Laguna Discovery Trail, located just west of the intersection of Rohnert Park Expressway and Stony Point Road.

Walking onto the Environmental Center property on the first day of summer, I was struck by a wall of music from what seemed like hundreds of songbirds. In the space of an hour, we saw barn owls, various songbirds, egrets, herons and even pelicans in the distance.

“There are redtails, and a pair of killdeer successfully raised young in the

Photographer Captures Beauty of Wildlife Thomas Reynolds has been photographing and sharing the wonders of Sonoma County since 2005, after a decade of employment with the County of Sonoma.

“I was lucky to find something that I love doing now that I am retired, and this is a daily activity and passion,” Reynolds said.

He takes photographs for numerous nonprofits, including Madrone Audubon Society, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, LandPaths, Sonoma Land Trust, Redwood Region Ornithological Society, The Bird Rescue Center, The River Otter Ecology Project, West County HawkWatch and others. He has also worked with Audubon Canyon Ranch on a remote camera project and creates videos and PowerPoint presentations for local students and nonprofits.

Reynolds was awarded the Sonoma County Regional Park’s “Best of the Best” Volunteer award in 2011, Sonoma County Volunteer of the Year award in 2012, and the Madrone Audubon Society’s Bentley Smith Award in 2013 for his photography and contributions through education and conservation activity in the community.

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middle of all these people,” Smith said. “We’re creating habitat and even have owls nesting in the palm trees.”

Sonoma County bird rescue installed a barn-owl box and is trying to educate people to not use rodenticides because they affect the entire food chain and have had a negative effect on owl populations.

While most of the activities at the Environmental Center and adjacent property are only open to the public on guided tours, the Laguna Trail is a great place to see a wide variety of birds from Kelly Pond on the upper regions to the channel that borders Sebastopol.

On the Discovery Trail, there are plenty of raptors, including red tails and red shoulder hawks, harriers and kites.

In the summer, there is the Hungry Owl Project and fullmoon evening walks on Irwin Creek that are broader. In the fall, there are raptor and migration walks; and in January, there is a presentation about waterfowl. Details and schedules are available at lagunadesantarosa.org or contact Smith at 707-527-9277 ext. 110.

“We’ve been working on habitat restoration along Irwin Creek for 15 to 20 years,” Smith said. “The habitat has improved, and it’s turned into a ‘superhighway’ for the egrets and herons from the

RESOURCES Audubon Canyon Ranch egret.org Golden Gate Raptor Observatory parksconservancy.org The Laguna Foundation lagunadesantarosa.org Madrone Audubon Society madroneaudubon.org Redwood Region Ornithological Society rros.org Sonoma County Regional Parks parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov Sonoma County Bird Watching Spots colintalcroft.com Yahoo! Groups: northbaybirds groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/northbaybirds/info

Ninth Street Rookery (in Santa Rosa).”

The rookery is a group of trees in a west Santa Rosa neighborhood where several species of herons and egrets nest each spring to raise their young.

“There seems to be an increase in the amount of wildlife and birds, both in numbers and diversity. For all the negative impacts of urbanization, this is an amazingly beautiful place that’s full of life.

The effects of restoration can be seen quickly in this amazing place.

There are a lot of people in this watershed, but the ecosystem is fairly resilient.”

Sonoma County Parks The Sonoma County Regional Park system includes more than 50 parks with over 150 trails from Petaluma to The Sea Ranch and Bodega Bay to Sonoma.

Bodega Bay even features the wheelchair-accessible Bird Walk Coastal Trail, which has 1.19 miles of trails through habitat that is home to thousands of birds throughout the year. Birding 42

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opportunities throughout the park system are available for people of all ages and abilities as well.

This summer, the county began a program called “Winging it Wednesdays,” featuring bird walks at various parks in the system taking place the last Wednesday of the month from 7:30-10:30 a.m. The next walk takes place at Cloverdale River Park. There is a complete schedule through November that can be found at parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov, and it is also available in Spanish.

“For me, it’s not only personally rewarding, but it’s a way to build community and connect people to a love of birds and parks,” Bethany Facendini, community engagement manager for Sonoma County Regional Parks, said. “These walks are at a leisurely pace for people with an existing love of birds or those who may not have been on a bird walk before.

“We want to build a following and a group of people who enjoy each others’ company,” Facendini added. “You can find birds anywhere, regardless of habitat, and we want to create a sense of birding all around you.”

Other activities throughout the year are led by a local, retired bird expert, and the county parks’ website has an entire section devoted to birding in Sonoma County. Go to parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov or call 707-565-2041 for information.

Parking at most parks is $7, or yearly passes are available for $69 or $49 for seniors.

Birding for seniors The Sebastopol Area Senior Center began offering birds walks earlier this year geared toward the West County’s senior population, led by Keller McDonald. McDonald spent his career in education, serving as the West Sonoma County Union High School District superintendent for 12 years before his retirement at the end of the 2015 school year.

He discovered a passion for birds and bird watching at the age of 12 on a family camping trip at King’s Canyon National Park.

McDonald saw a Western Tanager and he was hooked.

“I knew enough to think ‘what’s that doing here?’” he said. “It’s a beautiful bird.”

In his retirement, McDonald has rediscovered his love of birds and enjoys sharing that love with the community.

“The bird walks are a way to keep my bird interest going,” he said. “I’m getting reconnected with the birding community that has grown, changed and evolved since the ’70s.”

The walks so far have encompassed the open spaces around Sebastopol—Ragle Ranch Regional Park and several points around the Laguna de Santa Rosa—and has even ventured to a Place to Play Park and the Ninth Street Rookery in Santa Rosa.

The bi-monthly walks generally take place the first and third Fridays of the month, but the next scheduled walk will be on Sunday, Sept. 18, in the evening for a trip to Healdsburg to view the Vaux swifts that have come to the Rio Linda Academy since 1989. For a few short weeks in the fall, the swifts gather in the thousands—23,000 were estimated in 2014—and at dusk enter the school’s chimney in a swirling funnel.

The group will meet at the Senior Center at 4:30 p.m. to carpool to Healdsburg for dinner and then head to the Academy to arrive just before sunset. The center asks for a modest contribution, $3 or $4 depending on membership, the cost of food not included. For more information, go to sebastopolseniorcenter.org or call 707-829-2440.

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TREASURES OF SONOMA COUNTY CEMETERIES Local cemeteries have rich lives of their own

By Juanita J. Martin / Photos by Sarah Bradbury

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When visiting Sonoma County cemeteries, look for the nuances of each one.

Celebrate the history associated with them and discover the treasures within.

Some things you may notice are the absence of someone’s age, occupation, or title designation on gravestones, which are more indicative of the 19th century.

Beside the fading older gravestones, you’ll find monuments bearing the names of people integral to Sonoma County’s rich past. You’ll see the cracked, leatherylook of grounds that are dust-bowl dry as well as some manicured lawns. And in autumn, littering leaves and cool winds remind us winter is on its way.

Bodega Calvary Cemetery is an active rural Catholic cemetery located on a hillside just west of the town of Bodega on the right side. A redwood fence along the bottom of the hill runs parallel to the highway. The cemetery has redwood trees on the eastern property line and Chinese Pistache trees throughout the cemetery. There’s a driveway entrance to the cemetery and several paved walkways bottom to top.

Bodega Calvary was established in 1869, after the landowners sold a couple of acres of land to the San Francisco Archdiocese. In the early years the cemetery was referred to as St. Teresa’s cemetery after the beautiful historic church in Bodega. The name was changed to Calvary Cemetery after St. Teresa’s and St. Philip’s churches were established as the St. Philip Parish.

“Bodega Calvary is the only active Parish Catholic Cemetery in West Sonoma County,” said Volunteer Cemetery Manager Arthur Hansen, who has been managing the cemetery for 16 years. Hansen and two of his grandsons placed three white wooden crosses at the top of the cemetery along the property line. “The three crosses represent Calvary, the hill that Christ was crucified on, so they represent the crucifixion and resurrection in the Catholic Church,” said Hansen.

Hansen also put solar lights on all the graves. At night, the lights literally stop traffic because drivers think candles are glowing. If you go by Calvary in the evening, you’ll see Arthur’s ‘Starry, Starry Night.’ He says it reminds him of Van Gogh’s painting and Don McLean’s song of the same name. “In the spring, the cemetery is beautiful with thousands of daffodils in bloom, and hundreds of new bulbs are planted each year. Someone donated a beautiful limestone altar, and through donations, we’re able to do a lot of improvements with the cemetery.,” Hansen said.

Jasper O’Farrell, one of the first settlers of Sebastopol and one of the most influential people of Northern California, is buried in Bodega Calvary, along with members of his family. O’Farrell was a famous land surveyor who surveyed and named Yerba Buena, better known as San Francisco, and much of West Sonoma County.

He financed the building of St. Therese Catholic Church in Bodega.

There’s a bar in Sebastopol that bears the great Jasper O’Farrell’s name today. He also has a street and a restaurant named for him in San Francisco.

Another notable individual buried in this cemetery is Nicholas Green, whose tragic death grabbed national attention. Nicholas and his family were traveling in Southern Italy, when a band of robbers shot Nicholas in a highway robbery attempt. The Green family, originally from Bodega, turned their grief into acts of love and awareness by donating his organs to Italian families. His death spurred a national organ donation campaign in Italy and increased organ donation awareness in the US. Nicholas’ grave and bench is located near the top of the cemetery on the left side of the sidewalk.

Nicholas’ life was memorialized in a bell tower by a Bay Area sculptor. His three-tiered design has unique clappers that resonate the softness of the wind over the water. The 140 bells sing their melodious chimes like a sweet lullaby. This chiming work of art stands 18 feet and is 1.5 miles north of Bodega Bay, just off Highway 1. The skillful design is a touching memory to innocence lost, but never forgotten. The Italians bestowed their generosity to the Green family by donating the bells. Nicholas’ name, along with each of the organ recipients’ names, are etched on a centerpiece bell.

Another interesting cemetery is the Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary, located across from an apple orchard and vineyard on Pleasant Hill Road in Sebastopol. Its picturesque-green landscape has perfectly edged lawns and shrubs that frame the property. It also has a beautiful, spacious chapel with a high wood ceiling, comfortable seating and subdued lighting.

In the Veterans Lawn section, veterans are honored with a sonomadiscoveries.com

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Memorial US Flag, full military honor guard, and interment to a national cemetery. On top of a round columbarium is a large set of praying hands made of bronze. This is one of several unique structures that stand as a lasting memory to loved ones.

Did you know cartoonist, writer and Peanuts creator Charles Monroe Schulz is buried in Pleasant Hills’ Veterans Lawn section? Schulz, a veteran of the United States Army, started his illustrious career with the Peanuts cartoon strip ingrained in our history. His family had a memorial bench made that honors the beloved cartoon characters he created, who lovingly smile as they overlook their cherished creator’s site. At the bottom of Schulz’ bench it reads: “Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy... how can I ever forget them…?”

Schulz’s appeal was that his characters had personalities much like our own, with insecurities and disappointments, like Charlie Brown’s inability to kick the football or woo the girl of his dreams. They were characters drawn from real life laced with humor that made us laugh and forget our own troubles, adults and children alike.

Another historic cemetery is the Occidental Druids Cemetery. The Druids Cemetery is named for the Druid Lodge, the Frederick Sieg Grove #94 United Ancient Order of Druids. The cemetery land was bought by the Druids from fellow Druids, Melvin and Flavia Meeker in 1902. The cemetery was made official in 1903.

Meeker and his wife, along with other Druids and their families, are buried there.

The United Ancient Order of Druids of California is a non-political, non-denominational fraternal benefit society. California Druidism was founded by Frederick Sieg in Placerville, and California Druids were started to assist families injured or killed in in the Sierra Nevada goldfields.

In addition to the grove virtues of justice, morality and brotherly love, the motto of Druids all over the world is “United to Assist.” California Druids also believe in the 46

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Seven Precepts of Merlin, an early teacher of Druids.

In northern Sonoma County, not long after brothers George and Harmon Heald settled in what is now known as Healdsburg, George died in 1853. He was buried in the first cemetery in the area, located at East Street between Matheson and Tucker streets.

After Healdsburg’s namesake Harmon Heald died in 1858, Roderick Matheson donated a place on his ranch—a knoll with sloping sides and oak trees—to establish a more appropriately located cemetery outside town. In 1859, Oak Mound Cemetery was established.

Soon after, Matheson, who volunteered in the Civil War, was named Colonel; he died in 1862 from wounds received in battle.

His body was returned home under a hero’s welcome and was buried in Oak Mound.

Today Oak Mound is a larger cemetery with all sorts of trees, such as pine, oak, cypress and palm. Clay and gravel roads extend all around the property.

Management of Oak Mound has passed through many hands, but it’s still privately owned. The cemetery was eventually included into the city’s boundary of Healdsburg in 1987.

In 2015, the Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society led a major effort to cleanup and restore Oak Mound. Besides the removal of debris, many headstones will be repaired and work ensues to bring the fountain back to life, including replacing its topping of “Leda and the Swan.” with a reproduction. Other proposed plans include a kiosk with maps to the pioneer section and a searchable database to assist in location of gravesites.

Fort Ross Cemetery, a non-working cemetery, is a historical part of Fort Ross State Historic Park, a national landmark and tourist favorite because of its rich culture.

Fort Ross cemetery is surrounded by the crystal-blue water of the Pacific Ocean, scenic views of the cove, sandy beaches to romp upon and cerulean skies over a plethora of redwood forests that encapsulate the natural beauty of the coast. Fort Ross comes from the Ross Colony, founded in 1812 by Ivan Kuskov.

The cemetery was established around 1817 and is credited with being the first European cemetery and oldest cemetery in Sonoma County.

In the cemetery are burials of various ancestral makeup, including Russians and Native Americans. Burials were done in the Russian Orthodox practices by a layman because of the unavailability of a priest.

A Russian Orthodox cross marks the place across the ravine where the earlier settlers are buried. The cross is also on the chapel cupola or dome and carries a short bar on the top, a sign which reads Jesus of Nazareth-King of the Jews, a middle bar which represents Jesus’ crucifixion, a slanted bar where Jesus’ feet were nailed: points towards Heaven for the repentant thief, and downward for the mocking thief.

The Fort Ross Chapel, constructed in the 1820s, included a small belfry made mostly of wood, which gave it a rustic appearance.

It was destroyed and reconstructed several times, including the bell, which was recast in Belgium. Since 1925, the chapel holds services on the annual Fort Ross Festival or Memorial Day. In contrast to Fort Ross, Saint Francis Solano, a Catholic Cemetery in east Sonoma County, is the oldest working cemetery in Sonoma County since 1835.

These cemeteries point to the history and history makers who helped weave the tapestry of the Sonoma County we know and love today. Sonoma County has it all— celebrities, war heroes, and other important figures who continually make an impact on us. They make us want to know them, just because of who they were. It’s that same fascination that brings flocks of visitors to Sonoma County each year.

Editor’s note: Read about the Barbara Bull Memorial Sebastopol Cemetery Walk on Oct. 7-8 in our event calendar.

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Home Sweet Home Decorating with Fabric

by Kimberly Kaido-Alvarez Photos by Sarah Bradbury

A

t a tender young age I remember taking comfort in the times that my mom or dad would sigh the words, “Ah, home sweet home,” as we pulled into the drive. It often meant a mood of relaxation and a light-hearted evening lined with a sense of gratitude. A crafted meal, however simple, and small chat lying on the living room floor is how the evening would likely unfold. I’d look for a good pillow to toss from the couch to the floor and enjoyed watching it hurl to the ground. Wherever it landed is right where I’d plop myself down.

The same tradition continues today in my own home, and I take special care picking out the right pillows for my cherished ritual that might be genetic (because now the kids do the same thing).

Red velvet, cotton prints and a beaded floral design cover a few of my favorite pillows that define my style and make my house a home today.

Recently, I visited what I would consider pillow paradise. I had no idea it existed, but tucked away in downtown Geyserville dwells a showroom of artisan textiles put together by art director, artist and businesswoman Dallas Saunders.

Although pillows are just a small percentage of what is displayed at the Geyserville showroom, they captured my heart and attention big time.

Dallas Saunders, owner of Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles

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Pillow Talk “I sleuth out cashmere,” said Saunders with a smile as she enthusiastically unwrapped a small thin roll of a slightly buckskincolored fabric with a mustard hue. “Feel this,” she said, and I ran my hands along the edge. It was like petting a lion’s coat, or what I imagine this might be like, since I’ve never done it—so soft, smooth and alive in a way that is difficult to describe. Saunders anticipated making only an armful of one-of-a-kind pillows with the prized fabric.

Stocking a range of fabrics, Saunders offers 140 different designs of patterned pillows, and individual customers can also special-order pillows. Some of my favorite designs were large vintage linen-style squares and a Harris Tweed in plaid.

“These pillows will last you, and they are sewn locally and double-lined so the feathers don’t come flying out,” explained Saunders.

“I like to make things,” she added. Her history clearly demonstrates that fact. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of Art of Chicago, and she represents Hearst Castle for licensing and works with manufacturers who create reproductions and interpretations of furniture that raises funds for restoration projects at Hearst Castle. She has also displayed her own pillow creations in the showrooms of famed designer Barclay Butera.

Looking at the pillows in Saunders’ showroom, it was often the edges (double-flanged edge) that I found most attractive. The approximate one-inch borders where the two pieces of material separated gave them an added element of craftsmanship and

coziness. Like a window trimmed in wood, the pillows possessed a unique character.

“A couple of pillows can change a whole room,” said Kate Flanagan, an interior designer residing in Healdsburg, and one of Saunders’ frequent visitors/patrons.

Flanagan suggests using pillows to express a change of season in your home, like using red throw pillows around the holidays.

Originally from Scotland, Flanagan found Saunders while on a quest for premium European linen. “The color, the quality and the weave is just superior,” said Flanagan about the linen at the Geyserville showroom.

Beyond Pillows - A Fabric Showroom In addition to pillows, throws, bed covers and window treatments all sewn in Sonoma County are also available for purchase or custom design at the fabric showroom. Fabric can change a room dramatically, acoustically and otherwise, and it’s an efficient insulator, explained Flanagan. “I end up doing a lot of custom roman shades using fabric.”

Saunders is a direct importer of fine natural fiber fabrics for the home, specializing in artisan woven linen and wool. Her showroom is open to both the public and those in the interior design trade.

Saunders carries Harris Tweed fabrics that are handwoven in the Outer Hebrides islands of Scotland and true Irish Donegal tweed woven by fifth generation father and son weavers on the rugged north coast of Ireland. This is exciting news for local interior designers who found it necessary to travel for this kind of unique sonomadiscoveries.com

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Destination Artisan Gallery Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles is a destination gallery, showroom and creative workspace in the Alexander Valley. The building is a re-imagined former Prohibition-era prune packing plant, located on Highway 128 in downtown Geyserville.

“Imagine driving down a European-style tree-lined drive and arriving at what looks like an Apple Store set in the middle of a vineyard,” explained Saunders.

The gallery space, originally designed as a sophisticated painting studio, has 14-foot tall movable walls and is filled with natural light.

Limited-edition Belgian woven jacquard tapestries by internationally recognized contemporary artists created by Magnolia Editions in Oakland are exhibited here. Work by these artists can be found in major museums from San Francisco to New York and beyond.

This fall, tapestries by artists Squeak Carnwath, Chuck Close, Don and Era Farnsworth, April Gornik, Alan Magee, Deborah Orapallo and Kiki Smith will grace the walls. The exhibitions are curated to include works for both new and seasoned art collectors and for the sheer pleasure of being able to view them in a relaxed atmosphere.

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quality and range of color.

Flanagan was taking clients to the San Francisco Design Center where millions of fabrics are housed. “It can be a little overwhelming,” she said. Having a local option for supreme fabric is a blessing for interior designers but Saunders also has other perks in mind for those in the trade.

Equipped with an ample workspace in an inspiring setting, later this fall she plans to offer continuing education units (CEU) for members of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and members of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Saunders also keeps an active resource list of local interior designers for customers seeking references.

Super fabric Like super food, there is also super fabric.

I must warn you that this is my own term and therefore my own definition as well. Super fabric is fabric unsurpassed in its ability to meet our needs, similar to the way broccoli or kale might perform nutritionally in the body.

It may come as no surprise that linen and wool fall into the super fabric category. Although they are completely different natural fibers, linen and wool do share some important qualities that

are quite ‘heroic.’ Both fabrics are known to be hypoallergenic (not likely to cause an allergic reaction), antibacterial, biodegradable, hygroscopic (absorbing and releasing water vapor with humidity), thermo-regulating (helping to keep the body at a constant temperature), and offer substantial protection from ultraviolet rays.

“I choose to work with natural fabrics for a lot of health and safety reasons,” said Saunders, who is eager to share her wealth of knowledge about fabric with the novice and the professional.

Linen Lightweight and comfortable, linen is often compared to cotton, but linen is actually made from flax—and the good news is that flax is environmentally friendly, requiring less irrigation, pesticide and energy to produce than most other fibers. Due to its antibacterial properties, linen has a long history of being used for bandages. It’s also a favorite summer fabric, not only because it provides strong protection against solar radiation but also because it’s breathable in that it absorbs and releases moisture.

The better the linen, the better the feel, and linen will soften over the years.

Real Belgian linen is considered to be of

the best quality by industry professionals.

Saunders offers linen bedding in a full range of colors. Last but not least, linen is also durable and long-lasting and can therefore be passed from generation to generation.

Wool Not all wool is rough, causing itchiness; in fact, irritation often has much to do with the type of wool and the methods of production. For example, Cashmere is a type of wool that comes from the Kashmir goat, whose wool resembles that of human hair. No wonder it’s so soft.

Since wool is a natural insulator, having a wool throw around on those Sonoma County evenings when the coastal fog rolls in is not a bad idea. Renewable and biodegradable, wool breaks down fast into the soil. It’s breathable and odor-resistant with millions of tiny air pockets that can capture dust and pollen on the top layers until it is vacuumed away or removed with a good old-fashioned “shake.” Like a true super hero, wool has the ability to stretch out and spring back into shape.

Adding a little romance to the bed Both linen and wool have a way of adorning a bed unlike other fabrics—and

let’s face it, there are some beautiful beds out there, antique and otherwise. Growing up, my sister and I had matching twin beds that belonged to my grandmother and her sister, and my parents shared a remarkable heirloom bed embellished with brass rails.

Although the pieces were amazing, that antique look could take over or create a striking contrast with simple things like a digital alarm clock.

Looking back, many of those antiques could’ve benefitted from the design and fabric help of Saunders and/or Flanagan, who recognize that no two beds are the same size or design these days. There are wood platform beds, the pillow top mattress, upholstered beds, four-post beds and other designs and configurations that can make finding just the right bedding and accessories a challenge.

Flanagan considers her specialty to be successfully incorporating modern and classics in a room, and fabric is often a way of bridging the gap. For example, she may use an old-style chair but reupholster it with a pop-up modern fabric. She calls her remodeled farmhouse in Healdsburg “a work of art.” Sounds like ‘home sweet home’ to me. SD

RESOURCES Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles dallasasaunders.com Kate Flanagan Home Design Catrionas Farm, Geyserville kateflanaganhome.com

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“It’s all about the story.”

- GORDON MARTIN

THE REINCARNATION OF WOOD Reclaimed lumber gets a beautiful new life

by Marie Butler Photos by Sarah Bradbury

W

hen it comes to reclaiming lumber from local rural and urban areas and creating custom art, furniture, flooring and wall structures, “It’s all about the story,” according to Sonoma Millworks president Gordon Martin, whose Healdsburg company specializes in custom milling services using repurposed lumber. Wine casks become doors and chairs, oak sticks change into bars and walls.

Founded in 1979 as Martin Forest Products, the business was primarily a company meeting the needs of the cooling tower industry.

Over the years, family-owned lumber companies in the area closed due to lack of timber and environmental concerns, and around 1996 Martin saw the need to diversify. While retaining the cooling tower contracts, the millworks grew to include custom milling.

“I think of this as a transformation company, not a lumber company,” he says.

Finding salvageable lumber is a story in itself. One tip leads to another for Martin in the search, and he often finds himself speaking

to ranchers at some out-of-the-way barns and farms. He discovered between 150-200,000 feet of redwood and oak near Lodi and at Beaulieu Vineyard in Rutherford. Some of the redwood, Martin estimates, is hundreds of years old. “I’d never seen redwood this nice,” he says of this treasure.

The Lodi-area lumber was spread outside over staging and loading areas formerly used by local nut growers; the redwood located there was from the now-defunct Cherokee Vineyard Association tanks. Beaulieu Vineyard’s wood was culled from some of the old oak casks, and redwood and oak uprights.

When reclaimed lumber arrives at the mill, it’s cleaned and any nails are removed. Then, the wood is run through a veneer machine or planer for optimum yield and milled to release its beauty, thus giving it a second life and keeping it from being diverted to a landfill.

“This wood has an heirloom quality,” Martin says. It has aged well and usually has developed a soft patina. With redwood, this rarer old-growth is a desired feature for furniture and larger pieces that highlight the vintage texture and grain. In some cases, customers

Facing page: Discarded oak tasting sticks from inside wine tanks, awaiting transformation. This page (l-r): Nicole Burdock tests stains with vinegar, table close-up and Gordon Martin with finished stool- and table-tops.

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Gordon Martin shows some of his company’s other products using re-purposed lumber.

supply their own used lumber to the millworks to be converted into material for new projects. The welcoming, double-front doors and tasting room bar at Seghesio Family Vineyards were created from their old redwood tanks.

The use of this reharvested, repurposed wood in clients’ businesses and projects becomes a backstory, which the clients love and can share with their own customers. Silver Oak Winery sports a bar and matching chairs made from reclaimed oak casks. Rodney Strong Vineyards reused some of its own redwood wine tank stock for an AIA award-winning outdoor tasting terrace.

Martin has an artist’s eye, enjoys designing and encourages his employees to express their creative sides by going to “the toy box,” a conceptual area in a specially built clean room on the property. His latest concept in development is an easy-to-assemble and inexpensive pergola, about 8 feet by 10 feet, with an exalted gable that most people can put together themselves. Think Lincoln Logs, only for a Sonoma County lifestyle.

Using another technique known as VinoPlank, Martin and his crew have completed some other interesting projects, including a tasting room display wall at Dry Creek Valley’s Comstock Wines, a long curved bar for Esalen Institute, and floral display shelves and end-caps at the remodeled Big John’s Market.

VinoPlank uses the discarded oak tasting sticks from inside wine tanks to create a new hardwood material that is utilized for furnishings, wall panels, bar tops, countertops, flooring, decking Cloverdale Performing Arts Center Artistic Director Yave Gusman and more. These tasting sticks are often no longer than three feet in 54

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length, and sometimes smaller. Vintners place them in stainless steel tanks during the fermentation process to produce an oaky flavor in the wine. Some sticks have been convection toasted, some fire toasted, and each has its own grain and texture.

There is, understandably, a vast supply of used tasting sticks in our area. After the millworks takes delivery of these inner-staves (still fragrant from their respective wines), they are air-dried on outdoor pallets, then kiln-dried, sanded and laminated together to create thick, strong boards. The mill can then re-saw and customize the boards to make them smoother and smaller, depending upon the future use and projects. The dark toasted edges combined with the various shades of wine, whether red or white, make for a striking pattern and grain. Each plank forms a unique striated design, intricate and rich in color.

In their more rough state, the planks are art in themselves, with the rouge hues bespeaking of the varied wine origins. The sparkle of “wine diamonds,” little tartrate acid crystals formed naturally in aging wine, glint from the reclaimed wood.

There’s a romance in all of this salvaged and irreplaceable wood; once used for more prosaic functions, it is now re-purposed as craftsman creations. That is, indeed, a beautiful story. SD Sonoma Millworks sonomamillworks.com

For All Your Lighting Needs

Design | Fabricate | Install Largest Selection of Granite and Marble Slabs in the North Bay Boutique Tile Showroom It takes a Team! Client, Designer, North Coast Tile & Stone. Imagine the possibilities.

1378 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 707.545.7944 • www.jflighting.com Monday-Friday 9-5 • Saturday 10-4 Stop in Saturdays for Cupcakes

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ART&ABOUT

Cloverdale Arts Alliance Gallery

Through Sept. 15: “Edit,” with featured resident artist Paul Maurer. Sept. 16-Nov. 17: “Fiction,” with featured resident artist Hanya Popova Parker.

Artist Reception Sept. 17. Open Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 204 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. cloverdaleartsalliance.org Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles

Sept 2-Oct. 30: “Iconography,” portraits/symbols works by Squeak Carnwath, Chuck Close, Alex Katz, Deborah Orapallo and Kiki Smith. Contemporary jacquard tapestries by internationally established artists in a casual wine country setting. Open Fri., Sat., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. or by appt.

275 Highway 128, Geyserville.

DallasASaunders.com Dovetail Collection Gallery

Handmade furniture featuring traditional craftsmanship and the beauty of fine woods, home décor and art from American artists and master craftsmen. Open Thurs.Mon. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appt.

407 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. dovetailcollection.com Erickson Fine Art Gallery

Courageous / Passdoor Gallery

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Representing the best of Northern California painters and sculptors: Bobette Barnes, Joe Draegert, Finley Fryer, Chris Grassano, Susan Hall, John Haines, Ken Jarvela, Jerome Kirk, Donna McGinnis, Michael Mew, Tom Monaghan, Jean Mooney, Jeanne Mullen, Bob Nugent, Carlos Perez, Sam Racina, Carol Setterlund, Jeffrey Van Dyke, Paul Van Lith, Antoinette Von Grone and Kathleen Youngquist.

Open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Wed. by appt. 324 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg. ericksonfineartgallery.com Graton Gallery

Through Sept. 25: “Anything Goes,” a juried show. Sept. 27Nov. 6: Bruce Hopkins. Open Tues.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 9048 Graton Rd., Graton. gratongallery.net Gualala Arts Center, Dolphin Gallery

Sept. 3-20: Scott Chieffo Photography and Sophia Sutherlands Ceramics. Opening Reception Sept. 3, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, noon-4 p.m. weekends. 46501 Gualala Rd., Gualala. gualalaarts.org Hammerfriar Gallery

The gallery regularly features original artwork by established and emerging Bay Area conceptual artists. The passion of Hammerfriar comes together with ongoing exhibits, in which selected artists show new work. Open Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 132 Mill St., Suite 101, Healdsburg. hammerfriar.com Hand Fan Museum

The nation’s first museum dedicated solely to hand fans, displaying a core collection of more than 500 fans from around the world. Open Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. handfanmuseum.org

Mark your calendar.

Bring your friends!

Chuck Close - Lucas

Deborah Oropallo - Lawless

ICONOGRAPHY contemporary t a p e s t r ie s Squeak Carnwath Chuck Close Alex Katz Deborah Oropallo Kiki Smith

September 2 - October 30

www.SonomaCountyArtTrails.org Free collector’s guide with maps available at galleries, cafes and shops all over Sonoma County or call 707-829-4797.

Local art by local artists. Discover an impressive array of original paintings, fine art reproductions, jewelry and artisan crafts. Voted one of the top three galleries in the region. Located inside Levin & Co. bookstore on the eastern side of Healdsburg plaza.

Open daily 11 am – 6 pm and ‘til 9 pm Fri. & Sat. 306 Center St., Healdsburg. 707-431-4214 Upstairsartgallery.net

Kiki Smith - Visitor

Fri, Sat, Sun 11-6

Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles

275 Highway 128, Geyserville 707-708-9065 www.DallasASaunders.com

GALLERIES Healdsburg Center for the Arts

Sept. 1-Oct. 16: Masks, Puppets, Games.

Opening Reception Sept. 3, 5-7 p.m.

Closing Tea Oct.16, 2-4 p.m. Open daily (except Tues.), 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 130 Plaza St., Healdsburg. healdsburgcenterforthearts. com Kitty Hawk Gallery

Fresh new hotspot for local and global emerging artists. Contemporary and conceptual work and rare finds.

125 N. Main St., Sebastopol. kittyhawkgallery.com Occidental Center for the Arts Gallery

Through Sept. 10: “Leaf and Petal, Root and Seed.� These pieces explore the extraordinary ways in which plants nourish and sustain earth life, from their miracles of color, light, form, pattern and texture to the cycles of growth from acorn to oak tree, from seed to flower and fruit. Open Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m.-4 p.m., during OCA events or by appt. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct., Occidental. occidentalcenterforthearts.org The Ren Brown Collection Gallery

ď€Œď€•ď€? ď€?ď€?ď€“ď€Œ  ď€Žď€Šď€’ď€’ď€Œď€•ď€˜ ď€‡ď€†ď€ˆď€€ď€?ď€œď€™ď€žď€› ď€&#x;ď€?ď€€ď€Šď€˘ď€œď€ƒď€ ď€?ď€œď€™ď€žď€› ď€&#x;ď€? ď€‰ď€„ď€‰ď€‚ď€ˆď€‡ď€…ď€‚ď€‰ď€„ď€‰ď€‡ ď€‘ď€ƒď€‹ď€? ď€?ď€€ď€‚ď€†ď€Šď€€ď€ ď€„ď€Œď€?ď€†ď€ˆď€„

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INDEPENDENT STYLIST

Through September: Celebrating Friendships – older prints by Mayumi Oda and Ryohei Tanaka. These two treasured artists have been creating artwork since the 1960s. Mayumi is known for etchings and colorful silkscreen prints of goddesses and gardens. Mr. Tanaka is famous for copperplate etchings depicting buildings and landscapes in and around Kyoto, especially thatched roof farmhouses.

Both artists have received worldwide recognition and their works are included in major museum collections. Recently, each has decided to stop making new prints. In this exhibition, we celebrate our long-time friendship with both Mayumi and Ryohei and will showcase pieces done over the last half century. Open Wed.-Sun.,10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1781 Coast Hwy. 1, Bodega Bay. renbrown.com Sebastopol Center for the Arts

Through Sept. 4: “Boundaries,� juried

by Paul Mahder in the Galletta Gallery.

Artwork related to geographical, emotional or physical boundaries.

Gift for Piece / Ren Brwon Collection Gallery

“w[o]rdrobe,” a solo installation of new three-dimensional, mixed media, book art and text-based works, created by C.K. Itamura, which serve as explorations of and commentaries on the psychology of fashion, fashion as industry, industry of oppression, and finding freedom. Gallery III: “The Continual Effect of Abuse: Using Photography for Healing,” Gary Kaplan Photography, Stephanie Hamilton-Oravetz.

Kaplan worked with Hamilton-Oravetz to create a series of portraits related to her history of sexual abuse in childhood.

It illustrates the power of the visual arts in healing from trauma. Art Trails Preview Exhibit: Featuring a piece of each participating artist’s work. Opening Reception Sept. 23, 6-8 p.m. 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Open Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.4 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 1-4 p.m. 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. sebarts.org

with collaged bits of images of bark and litter, as a gentle reminder that if we do not stop trashing the planet, trees will not grow from our garbage in the future.

Through Sept. 18: “Reverberation” by artist Father Bill Moore. The Passdoor is a love child from the Mother of Modern Art and the Father of Iconic Design, offering a uniquely curated selection of functional products and artworks for your home space, workspace, lifestyle and life’s special occasions. Open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 6780 McKinley St. #150, Sebastopol. thepassdoor.com Towers Gallery

Presents local two- and three-dimensional fine art, unique gifts and artisan foods.

New shows and receptions held throughout the year. 210 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. 707-894-4331 (call for hours). towersgallery.org

Sebastopol Gallery

Through Oct. 1: A collection of celestial abstract paintings inspired by nebulas and galaxies and the watery depths below in the sea. Mixed media paintings by Susan St. Thomas. Open daily 11 a.m-6 p.m.

150 North Main St., Sebastopol. sebastopol-gallery.com The Passdoor

Through October: Artist Linda Kline, who seeks inspiration through the natural lines and geometric shapes found in nature. Her Splintered Wisdom series are created on paper-mounted wood panels painted and splashed with watercolors.

The rich texture of the trees are created

Upstairs Art Gallery

A premier fine art gallery showcasing the work of 16 local resident artists, artisan crafts and jewelry. Featured artists: September – John Warner, watercolors of coastal landscapes and seascapes.

Reception TBA. October – Dan Scannell, Northern California landscapes and figurative paintings in oil and pastel.

Reception: Oct. 1, 2-5 p.m. Open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m., until 9 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 306 Center St., on the Plaza, Healdsburg. upstairsartgallery.net

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CALENDAR LIVE MUSIC + FOOD + WINE + ART + KID FUN + GARDENS + FESTIVALS + SONOMA FUN

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30

Barlow Street Fair

Every Thursday evening, musicians, entertainers, craftspeople and food vendors take it to the streets from 5-8 p.m. The Barlow, McKinley Street, Sebastopol. thebarlow.net SEPTEMBER 2, 4 AND 5

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend

The event kicks off at Francis Ford Coppola Winery Sept.

2 with Sonoma Starlight, a sparkling wine reception with live music, seasonal cuisine and wines under a night-sky canopy; 6:30-10 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 10-11

Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival

Head to Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville for this 40th annual event with Chaka Khan, Keb’ Mo’, Sheila E. and Nikki Hill. Enjoy the wine garden, international food court and snack bar. Canoes, kayaks, paddle boats for rent.

Some proceeds go to Food for Thought. Gates 10 a.m.

Johnson’s Beach & Resort, Guerneville. russianriverfestivals.com

SEPTEMBER 4

Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction

Fundraiser at Chateau St. John, whose donations improve local families’ lives; 12:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 5: Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch, where 200 wineries and 5 dozen local chefs serve visitors under big tents on the historic ranch.

Proceeds benefit local charities.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. MacMurray Estate Vineyards, Healdsburg. sonomawinecountryweekend. com SEPTEMBER 3-4

Sonoma County Cajun Zydeco & Delta Rhythm Festival

Experience the best of New Orleans: Cajun cuisine, beverages and live music. Saturday’s headliner: Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys followed by other nationally known bands.

On Sunday, multiple international starts from a broad range of musical genres will perform, 60

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including Zigaboo Modeliste and the New Aahkeststra and Maria Muldaur and her Red Hot Louisiana Band. Benefits West Sonoma County schools, non-profit and community groups and Rotary International humanitarian projects. 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Ives Park, Sebastopol. winecountrycajun.com SEPTEMBER 6-8

The National Heirloom Exposition

Pure food enthusiasts, talented gardeners, farmers, school groups and food industry leaders gather for education, demos, anti-GMO activism and more—but make no mistake, there’s a ton of fun for visitors and kids, including contests, shows, music, displays and

vendors. Benefits local school and educational garden projects. theheirloomexpo.com SEPTEMBER 9-10

23rd Annual Cloverdale Car and Motorcycle Show

The show opens at 6 p.m.

Friday with a car cruise, then Johnny Vegas and the High Rollers perform at 7 p.m. On Saturday, fill up your plates at a pancake breakfast at the senior center, then grab a cup of coffee and stroll over to the car and motorcycle show, where enthusiasts show off their pride and joys—200 classic cars and motorcycles. At 7 a.m. the action picks up with a concert in the plaza. cloverdalecarshow.com

SEPTEMBER 10

30th Annual Beer in the Plaza

Have an “ale of a good time” in downtown Healdsburg with dozens of breweries, food vendors and live music. 2-6 p.m.

Proceeds benefit Soroptimist programs and projects. sihealdsburg.org/beerintheplaza. html SEPTEMBER 14

“The Iron Horse comes to Cloverdale”

The story of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad’s time in Sonoma County (1872-1958).

Speaker: Alan Hemphill, North Coast Rail Authority board member. Cloverdale Performing Arts Center. 7 p.m. $10. cloverdalehistory.org

SEPTEMBER 17

HEALDSBURG

Old Grove Festival

GEYSERVILLE

Come to the Redwood Forest Theater to hear Poor Man’s Whiskey and David Luning in the heart of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Call 707-869-9177 for special needs/parking. Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, Guerneville. stewardscr.org

JIM’S AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALISTS

The Fun Place to Shop in Healdsburg 15,000 sq.ft. of Extraordinary, Nostalgic & Awesome Treasures

SEPTEMBER 17

EarleFest–Annual Americana Music Festival

707-433-8409

The lineup includes Lucinda Williams, The Mavericks and The Paladins. Proceeds underwrite vision rehab services for people with sight loss at Earl Baum Vision Center.

11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sonoma Mountain Village, Rohnert Park. earlefest.com

707-433-8449

SEPTEMBER 17

Final Rodney Strong Vineyards Summer Concert

44 Mill St., Healdsburg • Open daily 10:30-5:30

See the B-52s, billed as the world’s greatest party band. 5-8 p.m. Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg. rodneystrongconcertseries.com

Healdsburg Printing, Inc.

SEPTEMBER 24-25

Wings Over Wine Country Airshow

The Pacific Coast Air Museum presents this premier aviation event with jet demonstrations, aerobatic performers, warbirds, vintage aircraft and interactive display. Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa. wingsoverwinecountry.org SEPTEMBER 24

Bohemia Ecological Preserve Summer Bat Potluck Hike

This late afternoon/twilight hike introduces you to the wonders of the Preserve then delves into the world of nature’s magic.

There will be a potluck dinner, star watching and then the bats come out. 4:30 p.m. starting time. To register: 707-544-7284 ext.

100, landpaths.org

Complete Maintenance & Repair on Foreign & Domestic Cars & Trucks 707-857-3790 21310 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville

Shabby Chic to Victorian Gift Items Galore: We Have It All For Home & Garden Décor

Not just newspapers...

C

• b/w or full color flyers • programs & newsletters 10-29-15 • brochures & calendars • post cards & product cards • spiral bound books 707 433-1680 jobs@healdsburgprinting.com 30 D Mill Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448

S

Not N ot jjust ust a p place lace ttoo llive…It’s ive…It’s a llifestyle ifestyle

SEPTEMBER 24

20th Annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival

More than 150 heritage varieties of tomatoes are grown in K-J’s expanded estate culinary gardens. Tours, pairings, seminars, live music and Chef Challenge.

11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens, Fulton. kj.com

an old-fashioned store, rich in nostalgia and charm, yet meeting the needs of today’s townfolks and visitors.

Mens Western apparel & work clothes Saddles and tack • Hardware • antiques

SEPTEMBER 30-OCTOBER 2

Sonoma County Harvest Fair

Visit the Grand Tasting Pavilion for world-class wines, local beers and craft ciders paired with innovative cuisine. See the World Championship Grape Stomp sonomadiscoveries.com

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CALENDAR

Mail Center, 894-3222. Noon7 p.m. Downtown Plaza, Cloverdale. facebook.com/ CloverdaleKiwanis/ OCTOBER 5-15

Cloverdale Historical Society Speaker Series

This series features lectures and films about Jack London.

Speakers include USF history professor Christopher O’ Sullivan, Poet Laureate of Sonoma County Iris Jamahl Dunkle, and Jack London Society past president Susan Nuernberg. Other films from the 1930s and 1940s will be shown. Cloverdale Performing Arts Center. $10 each. cloverdalehistory.org

OCTOBER 2

OCTOBER 7 & 8

CALABASH A West County favorite featuring a silent auction of fine gourd art, tours of Food For Thought’s organic gardens, food, wine and live music played on handmade gourd instruments.

Garden art and book art for sale, and a selection from FFT Antiques. Proceeds help FFT provide free comprehensive nutrition and other services to men, women, and children affected by HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses in our county.

1-5 p.m. Tickets: 707-887-1647, at the Food Bank. 16550 Railroad Ave., Forestville. fftfoodbank.org

Looking for more calendar events in the area?

Visit our website for a complete listing of area events.

Sonoma County Art Trails 2016

Sebastopol Center for the Arts presents this annual event showcasing the abundance of creative talent in our county.

Visit the professional working studios of the Art Trails artists, situated along scenic corridors and country roads. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Refer to the catalog to plan your experience. sonomacountyarttrails.org

OCTOBER 1

Bodega Volunteer Fire Department Polenta & Beef Stew Dinner

Share a hearty meal with your neighbors and support this all-volunteer department that operates solely on donations, grants and fundraisers. 5-8 p.m. McCaughey Hall, Bodega. 707-876-9438, bodegafire.com OCTOBER 30

Cloverdale Octoberfest & Courtney’s Pumpkin Patch

Great German food, local beer and wine, live bands, pie-eating contest, Courtney’s Pumpkin Patch, big silent auction, vendors and kids’ activities and games. Tickets: 62

Enjoy a light supper at St. Stephen’s Episcopal before a tour guide in period attire leads you to the Sebastopol Memorial Lawn Cemetery accompanied by the music of the ever-popular Hubbub Club Street Band.

Follow the luminary-lit route

OCTOBER 8-9, 15-16

and shop local at the Wine Country Marketplace. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa. harvestfair.org

OCTOBER 1 sonomadiscoveries.com

Barbara Bull Memorial Sebastopol Memorial Cemetery Walk

to the gravesites of former Sebastopol residents. This year’s vignettes are: George H. Ayer, sailor, miner, farmer and friend of Mark Twain; Benjamin Franklin Tilton, a simple farmer in life who created controversy in death; Matilda and Frederick Williamson, producers of fruits, vegetables, and nine children; Joseph Morris, founder of Sebastopol; Simon “Sam” Nahmens; also, Asian burial sites revealed. Dessert follows the tour. $35. wschsgrf.org

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Geyserville Fall Colors Festival & Vintage Car Show

There’s fifties’ music in the streets and excitement in the air, starting with the Geyserville Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast, then the Kiwanis Vintage Car Show, kids’ games, scarecrows, biggest pumpkin contest, wine, food and crafts. geyservillecc.com

OCTOBER 14-15

CLOVERDALE

COMMUNITY

Graton Community Club Fall Flower Show

Come to the historical clubhouse—a former hatchery that was moved to its present location by log rollers and a team of four horses—for this year’s colorful show with the theme “Dia de los Muertos–Day of the Dead.� Original exhibits, handcrafted items, raffle with local products/services, and antiques and collectibles for sale. Come early to buy plant show favorites. Lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ($10); desserts and drinks all day.

Funds support student scholarships. Free admission. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 8996 Graton Road, Graton. gratoncommunityclub.org OCTOBER 15

Fort Ross Harvest Festival

“It’s a living history day. There are Russian families wearing traditional outfits and people wearing beautiful costumes from the era re-enacting scenes, like you walked into their world. We pick apples in the orchard in the morning, then press them into juice, so we have free cider to taste [and many more activities],� said Sondra Hunter, special event manager. Noon: Fort Ross-Seaview Winegrowers Association Tasting, with unlimited tasting of exceptional wines and local cheese. $40/person. 10 a.m.6:30 p.m. Fort Ross State Historic Park, Jenner. Fortross.org OCTOBER 23

Russian River Valley Pinot on the River

Taste small-production West Coast Pinot Noirs and artisan food on the Healdsburg Plaza. pinotfestival.com OCTOBER 27

The Hippies: The 50th anniversary of Morning Star and Wheeler’s Ranch

Refugees from the 1967 Summer of Love in San Francisco established two communes near Occidental: Morning Star and Wheeler’s Ranch. The revolutionary lifestyle outraged some neighbors but gained nationwide notice in a clash of cultures. This multi-media exhibit includes the art, photos, clothing, music and press that was created—and how some of the denizens turned out.

Thursday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. West County Museum, 261 S. Main St., Sebastopol. wschsgrf.org, 707-829-6711

Run for Your Wife - Sept. 23, 24,, 30 and Oct. 1, 7 & 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 25, Oct. 2 & 9 at 2 p.m.

Oct. 6 - Books on Stage, 7 p.m.

Alexander Vaalley Film Festival 2016 Filmmaker Panel, Oct. 22.

707-894-2214

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DIAGNOSIS • TREATMENT PRUNING • REMOVAL FREE ESTIMATES

COMPLETE TREE CARE

Timo Alli • 707-433-1327 • Cell: 707-495-3768 CLS #792251 – TCIA #67028 www.myfatherstouch.com

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one last thought+

Most Delicious Shortbread 1/2 cup or 1/4 pound butter (one stick, set out at room temperature. If you use unsalted butter, add a dash of salt.)

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (heaping) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch (heaping)

Tea Cups & Traditions

by Gayle Okumura Sullivan

T

their glorious colors, patterns and shapes.

They grace a buffet shelf in my dining room, and I marvel at them every day.

I put them to good use, too. After a big dinner, there is nothing better than a soothing cup of tea. Where my son went to grade school in the city, a favorite auction item that we hosted each year was a spring tea in the garden of our head of school. Since moving up to Healdsburg full time, a neighborhood group has invited me to gather monthly for an afternoon tea. Delightful.

My favorite shortbread recipe follows; I think it is the perfect complement to tea. It is light and flaky—and when served with sliced peaches or fresh seasonal fruit, perfection. My mom always made this during the holidays, but I think it is something to enjoy yearround. I hope you do too! SD

Gayle Okumura Sullivan is the co-owner and manager of Dry Creek Peach and Produce in Healdsburg.

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sonomadiscoveries.com

Sliced Peaches Wash the fruit first, then slice in half along the seam. Remove the pit, and slice into even portions.

Set out shortbread and sliced peaches. Then pour yourself, and guests if you have invited them over, a nice cup of afternoon tea. A wonderful break.

Favorite Tea There are just so many. A gourmand friend of mine swears by this at night: 60 percent chamomile, then equal parts licorice root, echinacea root and goldenseal root.

photo by Sarah Bradbury

ea. I relax in the afternoon with a nice chilled glass, or if the fog rolls in, a soothing hot cup. I enjoy tea after a wonderful meal, I celebrate with friends around it, and I studied tea ceremony in Japan. Tea’s history is steeped in tradition and medicine.

When traveling, I make a point of stopping in for tea at a local spot as well as farmer’s markets. And I especially love tea cups, the vessels that hold tea.

My parents were born and raised in Canada. A wonderful tradition is to celebrate major life events, such as a wedding, with an afternoon tea. Each guest brings a unique tea cup and saucer for the bride (or groom) to be, and when the celebration is over, she/he has a full and beautiful tea set.

My mother enjoyed this tradition and passed on to me some of her tea cups, in all

Start by creaming the softened butter until it is light and smooth.

Then add the sugar, and mix until well blended. Next, sift in the flour and cornstarch. Stir together until the mixture just comes together. You want the shortbread to be light and delicate, and mixing the wet and dry ingredients for too long can make the shortbread tough.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, evenly pat the dough in a circle, so it is about ¼-inch thick. Prick holes in it with a fork, to prevent bubbling and shrinkage. Bake for around 20-30 minutes. The shortbread should begin to turn golden around the edges. Cut into preferred shapes, out of the oven, while still warm.

Reclaim

Transform

707-431-1860

Inspire

1480 B Grove Street Healdsburg, CA 95448

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Experience Wine Country Golf at its Best.

Windsor Golf Club is a perfect setting for your favorite foursome or yearly tournament. After your game, relax and soak in the view at Charlie’s lakeside bar and restaurant. Serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Charlie’s features great food, fine wines and beers on tap.

isof nd est ed vito rourply.

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For tee times, call 707.838.7888 or visit www.WindsorGolf.com.

For reservations and special events at Charlie’s, call 707.838.8802.

Come See What’s New at Big John’s Market!

Finest service deli, prepared meals to go, burrito bar, fresh hot pizza, choice quality meats, fresh produce and gourmet grocery department plus an even more expansive selection of local wines & cheeses.

1345 Healdsburg Avenue at Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg (707) 433-7151 • www.bigjohnsmarket.com Open Monday through Sunday 7am -8pm

Voted Best Deli 2016