We are excited to invite you to a morning near the coast that includes the full circle of grower, producer, and consumer.

Tour of Stemple Creek Ranch, Tomales

followed by lunch at Estero Cafe, Valley Ford

and a cheese tasting next door at Valley Ford Cheese and Creamery

Tickets (available soon) are $35 for members and $45 for non-members, attendance is limited

Stemple Creek Ranch,Tomales

At over 1,000 acres, Stemple Creek Ranch raises beef, lamb, and pigs. Most of the pastureland is Certified Organic, and the free range beef and lamb are 100% grass fed and grass finished. Stock is grazed rotationally on open pasture from birth to harvest. They are never supplemented with grains, corn, or soy, and never receive artificial hormones, growth promotants, or antibiotics. Their pigs are humanely raised in large outdoor pens where they enjoy a vegetarian diet with plenty of room to socialize and express natural behaviors.

The ranch has been in the Poncia family for five generations, and is 100% protected through the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) to insure it will remain a productive part of the Marin County agricultural landscape forever. Loren Poncia and his wife Lisa have reinvented the family business with a vision for raising superior quality grass fed and finished meats.

“We practice regenerative organic agriculture. To that end, we actively preserve sensitive wildlife habitat, maintain and restore natural watershed areas, utilize cutting edge solar and gravity flow technology, and practice an intensive schedule of rotational grazing. We seek to enhance and rehabilitate our entire ecosystem by focusing on soil health and increasing carbon in our land.”

Stemple Creek Ranch is part of the Marin Carbon Project, which showcases how best regenerative agriculture practices can harness atmospheric carbon to improve soil content on farms, and mitigate the effects of global warming.

Estero Cafe, Valley Ford

Conveniently located right on Highway 1 in Valley Ford, Estero Cafe offers fresh, farm-to-table classic American-style comfort food for breakfast and lunch. They support area farms, ranches, and other producers. All dishes are lovingly prepared with locally-sourced proteins and vegetables. In addition, their beverage selection features products from local and regional producers.

Our Lunch Menu

Cheeseburger with Stemple Creek Ranch beef and Valley Ford cheese)
OR
Grilled cheese sandwich with Valley Ford cheese
French fries
Beverage

Estero Cafe is a Snail of Approval restaurant

Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery, Valley Ford

Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery is located on the rural coast of Sonoma County, California. The company produces handcrafted, Italian style artisan cheeses made from 100% Jersey cows milk. The cows have access to pasture 365 days a year, are never treated with growth hormones or anitbiotics, and the land is certified organic.

Valley Ford makes four types of cheese: old style Fontina, regular and reserve of an Asiago/Montasio style, and a Gorgonzola style.

The store also offers soft-serve ice cream!