Nov/Dec 2017
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A Letter from the Editor
Nourish, Recover, and Rebuild. Like everyone else in Sonoma County, I was impacted by the devastating North Bay fires. On October 8, just before 11pm, I ran out of my house in Santa Rosa’s West End neighborhood to the horrifying sight of a wall of fire in a nearby field, whipped by strong winds. My…
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A Nourishing Tradition
How commercial-scale bone broth came to the North Bay. Cesar Vernier’s surgical steel pot would reach his waist if it sat on the ground. Because he’s hoisted it onto a stovetop, the co-founder of The Bone Broth Company uses a small step-ladder to add ingredients, which, at this point in the lengthy process, are simply…
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Learning to Farm
At What’s Up Farm, the students of Redwood Adventist Academy study by the seasons. EDITOR’S NOTE: With great sadness, we must report that Redwood Adventist Academy and What’s Up Farm sustained severe damage in the Tubbs Fire. The school community has committed to rebuilding. We decided to run this story despite the circumstances as both a…
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Savorbang!
Savorbang is a regular recipe column based on the cooking blog of the same name by local stand-up comedian and teacher, Sarah Whitmore. For this latest installment, Sarah puts her unique spin on the winter comfort food superstar known as beet pie. Savorbang’s Beet Pie Oh, hey, pumpkins. I hope you enjoyed your centuries of…
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Locavox
Ronni Sands Garden Teacher at Summerfield Waldorf School and Farm Willow Summer Author and Garden Teacher Soon after meeting, Willow Summer and Ronni Sands knew they would write a book together. As the founder of City Slicker Farms in Oakland and the author (with Novella Carpenter) of a book on urban farming, Summers had established…
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A Spot for Tea
Local tea businesses brew up different approaches to an ancient commodity. Originally embraced by Buddhist monks in China who drank it for medicinal and spiritual purposes, tea has grown in popularity to the tune of 3.3 billion tons produced for consumption each year. Most tea is produced in subtropical and tropical climates, which offer prime land…
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No Spray Zone
The Toxic Free Future campaign wants to end the use of Roundup on public land in Sonoma County. Hidden Valley Park on the northeastern edge of Santa Rosa lives up to its promising name. A thick swath of dandelion-dotted grass at the center of the city-owned property calls up a longing to sunbathe or do…
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Adventures in Wine
Glögg, Glögg, Glögg… West Wines introduces Sonoma County to glögg, a boozy Swedish holiday tradition. A few years ago, a customer at Katarina Bonde’s West Wines became enamored of the Christmas decorations at her Healdsburg winery. Bonde moved to America from Sweden nearly three decades ago. Every year, she bedecks the winery that she owns…
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What’s in our Made Local Holiday Gift Bag?
I’m convinced that food—when chosen expressly with your giftee’s particular taste buds in mind—is the very best holiday gift. It doesn’t have to be stored for long periods of time, and it offers an opportunity to surprise people with unexpected tastes and products that they might not have discovered on their own. Finally, buying food…
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Locavortex
Relief in Sight The holidays are a perfect time to give to our communities. And as the North Bay recovers from devastating October 2017 fires, there’s no better time to give back. Here are a three fire relief funds with a proven impact on those who need relief the most. All donations are tax deductible.…