4^th Annual Farm & Barn Tour to Express “Back to the Farm” Theme

Media contact: Nancyjo Riekse

Agricultural Marketing Director

(530) 889-7336

If you haven’t been on the Farm & Barn Tour, this is the year to come “Back to the Farm”. It’s a great day for an autumn drive through the back roads of Placer County, where you’ll enjoy some of the most diverse landscapes in California, along with visits to local farms, ranches, historical sites and more. This year’s tour will crisscross from Sheridan to Loomis, to Penryn and up to North Auburn. Each host has a unique “Back to the Farm” story. As you visit each site, not only will the farm or ranch story change but also the landscapes, with pastoral fields of grazing livestock, sweeping country roads lined with orchards, vineyards tucked away in rural gullies and  historic landmarks just waiting to be discovered. You will learn about who tends the farm today and the story of the land, enjoying conversations with the farmers who bring alive the heritage of this incredible county. Along with farmers that raise our food, you will meet plant growers and nursery owners that are equally connected to the land and have their own story, whether it is creating the perfect daylily color or the science that goes into creating the perfect water garden complete with beautiful Koi fish.  Come experience your three senses, hear the farm animals, taste the delicious products, and see some of the most beautiful sites Mother Nature has to offer.

Plan your visit “back to the farm” on Sunday October 14^th from 10am to 4pm. Eleven farms and historical sites welcome visitors to experience rural life at its finest. The 2007 theme celebrates the family farms that feed us and our agricultural heritage and future.

The 2007 tour includes some popular favorites such as Beard Ranch, who hosted over 500 visitors last year, Coffee Pot Ranch with their tasty samples of beef, pork and lamb and Rancho Roble Vineyard & Winery set among some of the most stunning oaks in western Placer County. For the second year Highland Orchard will be hosting the Mountain Mandarin Growers Association with all things coming up “Mandarin”. First time hosts  Gold Coast Daylilies, Bernhard Museum, and Golden Pond Nursery are looking forward to sharing their stories with you. Popular Farmers’ Market vendor Brenner Ranch returns to the 2007 tour after a couple years off, so be sure to check out those orchards and kiwi trellises where their great-tasting fruit comes from.

And don’t miss visiting the historic Blue Goose packing shed in Loomis where PlacerArts will host the12th annual AGROart™ Competition. Talented artists of every age will be crafting elaborate, quirky sculptures out of fresh fruits and vegetables, vying for awards in individual and team categories for children and adults. A cowboy poet will entertain, with an art show and agricultural exhibits to entertain those watching the sculptors.  

The tour stops are grouped into several smaller regions; it is recommended that you stop and spend time at just a few sites rather than trying to visit them all, in fact each site has so much to see and do you might only make it to one or two. And remember, if you have been there in the past there will most likely be something new to see or do!

The Placer Farm and Barn Tour is presented cooperatively by the California Arts Council, High Sierra Resource Conservation & Development Council, Local Farm Hosts, Placer County Agriculture Department, Placer Arts, PlacerGROWN, Placer Valley Tourism, University of California Cooperative Extension, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and Placer County Resource Conservation District. Cost is $10 for adults, and children and students are free. For more information visit www.placerfarmandbarntour.com  or call (530) 885-5670.