Agricultural Lands & Rural Communities Tours
Starting in April 2008, SACOG partnered with cities and counties to see first-hand the challenges and opportunities facing the rural areas of the six-county region. A tour of Sutter and Yuba counties was held in April, followed by a tour of Yolo County in September. Tours of El Dorado and Placer counties are scheduled for October and November, and a tour of Sacramento County will be held in the spring of 2009.
Slide Show
Click on the image below to see a slide show of the RUCS tour in El Dorado on October 24, 2008.
Videos
Maryann Argyres, Apple Hill Growers Association
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Apple Hill: Out of a Challenge, An Opportunity:
Dave Bolster, El Dorado Ag Council
- View: Ag Tourism and Direct Marketing
David Girard, David Girard Vineyards
Nate Rangel, Owner, Adventure Connection
- View: Operating on Public Resources
Pierre Rivas, Placerville Councilmember
- View: History of Placerville
Dale van Dam, Folsom Lake College
- View: Convenient Workforce Training
Valerie Zentner, El Dorado County Farm Bureau
- View: El Dorado County Farm Bureau: Natural Wildlife Corridors
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About the Tour
Presenters
Stops
Background
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Slide Show
Click on the image below to see a slide show of the RUCS tour in Sacramento county on October 15, 2009.
Videos
4-H Students:
- View: Taylor, age 15, describes her 4H activities, including leadership development.
Seann Rooney, Community Activist; Clarence Chu, Property and Business Owner:
- View: The Town of Locke is challenged to find balance: between preservation and restoration, between a working town and a historic attraction.
Mike Conner, The Nature Conservancy
- View: The Cosumnes River Preserve is 46,000 acres of protected habitat, and agriculture is part of what makes it work for wildlife.
Florin High School Ag TECH Academy students
- View: The Agriculture Technology Academy at Florin High School is forward-looking ag program in an urban setting.
Sean Hagan, Farm Manager, Soil Born Farms
- View: Soil Born Farms is a unique urban farming enterprise that combines advocacy and education with growing food.
Virginia Hemly-Chaabra, Cold Storage and Packing
- View: A local pear and apple packer describes the increasing regulation of large trucks on Delta roads, and the solution she found by working with the county board of supervisors.
Ron Kelley, R. Kelley Farms U-Pick and Farm Stand
- View: U-pick specialty crops, including black-eyed peas, appeal to ethnic markets.
Russel van Loben Sels, Amistad Ranches
- View: Agriculture is more than food to a community, and better farming techniques are resulting in better air quality and increased wildlife habitat.
Jim Mills, Produce Express
- View: Produce distribution in the Sacramento area is easy for restaurants and stores.
Patrick Mulvaney, Mulvaney's B&L Restaurant
- View: A leading chef and caterer centers his restaurant on local products, reflecting that "this is a special place."
Mark Scribner, Scribner Bend Winery
- View: A multi-generation farming family turns to winemaking to add value and counteract low commodity prices for grapes.
Peter Struffenegger, Manager, Sterling Caviar
- Part 1 | Part 2: Support from UC Davis research and the Dept. of Fish and Game made sturgeon farming possible in the Delta.
Debbie Thompson, Deputy Ag Commisioner
- View: The challenges of residential development amid farmland, including ways to protect residents from chemical applications.
Tami Tollenaar, Tollenar Dairy
- Part 1 | Part 2: A methane digester was the solution to meeting waste discharge requirements, creating electricity that goes into the SMUD grid, providing local construction jobs, and fertilizer that goes to area nurseries.
Rabbi David Wechsler-Azen, CEO, Fresh Producers
- View: Hiram Johnson High School students sell produce in their urban neighborhood and prepare for a national business competition.
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About the Tour
Presenters
Stops
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Slide Show
Click on the image below to see a slide show of the RUCS tour in Placer on November 13, 2008.
Videos
Tony Aguilar, Highland Orchard:
- View: Small mandarin orange grower talking about his operation
Patti Beard, Beard Ranch:
- View: History of the Beard Ranch
- View: Local markets and public information about agriculture needed
- View: Importance of the Williamson Act
- View: Part-time farming is a full-time job
Carol Iwasaki, Twin Peaks Orchard:
- View: Life on the Orchard
- View: Local regulatory challenges
Dan Macon, Flying Mule Farm:
- View: Modern agriculture and needs for the future
- View: Micro climates
- View: Knowing your customer
- View: Local processing challenge
- View: Local markets
- View: Future farmers
- View: Opportunities
Tosh Kuratomi, Otow Orchard and Fruit Stand:
- View: Water challenges
- View: Hoshigaki process (dried persimmons)
Jan Thompson, Newcastle Produce:
- View: History of Newcastle Produce
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About the Tour
Presenters
Stops
Products
Background
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Slide Show
Click on the image below to see a slide show of the RUCS tour in Sutter/Yuba on April 17, 2008.
Videos
Paul Buttner, California Rice Commission:
- View: Habitat Benefits from Rice Farms
Rajinder Chohan, Farmer
- View: Orchard Diversification
Kulwant Johl, Farmer
- View: Rising Agricultural Input Costs
John Miller, Valley Truck and Tractor:
- View: Rising Agriculture Input Costs
Al Motna, Chairman USA Rice Federation 2008:
- View: What is California Agriculture?
Don Schrader, Yuba County Supervisor 2008:
- View: Yuba River Accord and Water Needs
Dan Silva, Sutter County Supervisor 2008:
- View: Economics of Orchards
- View: Importance of Rootstocks in Growing Orchards
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About the Tour
Presenters
Stops
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Slide Show
Click on the image below to see a slide show of the RUCS tour in Yolo on September 18, 2008.
Videos
Georgeanne Brennan, Slow Food Advocate:
- View: Food, Wine and Agriculture Marketing
- View: Promoting Agriculture Online
- View: Getting Institutions to Buy Local Food
- View: Davis Farm-to-School Connection
John Donlevy, City Manager, Winters:
- View: Improving Infrastructure in Winters
Jim Durst, Durst Organic Growers:
- View: Agricultural Tourism
- View: Distribution is a Challenge, and an Opportunity
Sue Heitman, Capay Valley Vision:
- View: Challenges Facing Small Towns
- View: Revitalizing Small Towns
Rick Landon, Yolo County Ag Commissioner:
- View: Challenges Facing Farmers
- View: Marketing Local Products
Marty Mariani, Mariani Nut Company:
- View: Need for Processing Facilities
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About the Tour
Presenters
Stops
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