Beet Generation Farm, Forestville – Aleta Pierce
Aleta Pierce is Owner-Operator of Beet Generation Farm. For the past decade, Beet Generation Farm was based in South Sebastopol on private land. In 2023 they relocated to a new property, on the traditional unceded territory of the Southern Pomo tribe, in what is now Forestville. They use regenerative and organic practices and focus on sustaining a vibrant healthy ecosystem. 2023 was devoted to building out the new farm infrastructure and building up healthy soil. Now they offer a farm share membership with weekly shares of nutrient-dense vegetables, herbs, berries and melons in season, with multiple pickup locations in Forestville, Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. You can also find them every Saturday at the Santa Rosa Original Farmers Market in the LBC parking lot.
(707) 480-0086, beetgenfarm@gmail.com
Bernier Farms, Geyserville – Yael, Paul & Zureal Bernier
Bernier Farms is a small certified organic farm nestled north of Healdsburg, California with several sites in the Dry Creek and Alexander valleys. The farm specializes in garlic varietals for seed and market, and produces fruits and vegetables for local farmers’ markets and restaurants throughout the year. Their wine grapes sell to several local wineries. You can find them at the Santa Rosa Original Farmers Market at the Luther Burbank Center every Saturday throughout the year; the Healdsburg Farmers Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays from May until the end of December.
Grower of Ark products. Snail of Approval recipient.
707-849-7592, bernierfarms@gmail.com
Black Pig Meat Co, Black Piglet, – Duskie Estes & John Stewart
Bacon! Where to find it? Right here. Black Pig Meat Co
Snail of Approval recipient.
You can find the Black Piglet food truck around Sonoma County and beyond. Local, seasonal food, mostly pork, and the best BLT during tomato season.
Snail of Approval recipient.
Buttitta Design, Santa Rosa – Patti Buttitta
Patti Buttitta is creative director of Buttitta Design, a full-service graphic design firm specializing in logo
identity and branding, wine labels, packaging, integrated collateral and marketing materials and web assets. The design firm serves individuals, professional firms and businesses, publishers and non-profit organizations.
707-546-1257, info@buttittadesign.com
DaVero Farms & Winery, Healdsburg – Colleen McGlynn & Ridgely Evers
“Grow what belongs here. Be Patient.” This simple premise summarizes everything about DaVero Farms & Winery and guides them in everything they do. Visit them and experience the great joy they have in thoughtfully introducing you to the wonders of the farm — what is grown and why, their deep commitment to regenerative farming, and, of course, the exceptional wines and olive oils they produce. All visits/tastings by appointment only.
(707) 431-8000 766 Westside Road, Healdsburg
Snail of Approval recipient.
The Epicurean Connection, Sonoma – Sheana Davis and Ben Sessions
The Epicurean Connection, with Sheana Davis and Ben Sessions, offers cheese- and butter-making classes and culinary classes, along with catering (from small gatherings to large-scale events), and a weekend retail shop. The shop offers a revolving selection of prepared foods that feature local ingredients and seasonal products. Products include artisan and culinary treasures from cheeses, chocolates, olive oils and vinegars and more; many of these are from other Snail
of Approval businesses. The Epicurean Connection proudly supports our local farms.
Snail of Approval Recipient
707-235-9530
Farm to Fight Hunger, Healdsburg – Bruce Mentzer
Farm to Fight Hunger is a non-profit organization that grows, harvests and delivers fresh nutritious produce, free of charge, to those in Sonoma County in need of healthy food. Eggs laid by happy pastured hens are also donated to local food banks. We farm in an earth-friendly sustainable manner and work to improve the soil health, therefore improving the nutritional content of the food we grow, increasing the amount of carbon the soil can hold and reducing greenhouse gases. We will work to make the farm its own healthy balanced ecosystem, with habitat for both native plants and beneficial insects.
Snail of Approval recipient.
Gradek Family Farm, Healdsburg – Ken Gradek
The 10-acre orchard at the Gradek Family Farm in the Dry Creek Valley contains over 600 trees producing multiple varieties of peaches, nectarines, figs, apples, European and Asian pears, persimmons, and citrus. The Farm’s fruit appears on the menus of major restaurants in Sonoma County and is sold in grocery stores and farmers’ markets. They are especially known for the 12 types of Asian pears they grow.
Snail of Approval recipient.
707-217-7393
Jackson Family Gardens, Fulton – Tucker Taylor
Located in Fulton, Jackson Family Gardens grows specialty produce for the culinary team at Jackson Family Wines as well as several other chefs in the San Francisco Bay Area. The four acre culinary garden is an educational space that speaks to the importance of fresh food in hopes of inspiring people to grow some of their own food and support local farmers. Being soil-farmers, the focus is primarily on building soil organic matter through composting, crop rotations and cover cropping which results in nutrient-dense produce. Through Farm to Pantry and the Redwood Empire Food Bank, some of this produce makes its way to those in need in our local community.
Grower of Ark Products. Snail of Approval recipient.
5007 Fulton Rd, Fulton, CA 95439
Little Paradise Farm, Sonoma – Mark Schlesinger & Christine Russell
Mark Schlesinger & Christine Russell are the owners of Little Paradise Farm. Little Paradise is an organic farm that is certified by both CCOF and the Real Organic Project. Tucked against the Mayacamas foothills in the Sonoma Valley, it is operated in the interest of promoting sustainability and respecting the environment. Under the attentive supervision of Ramon Contreras and Olivia Castro, they grow a thriving array of fruits and vegetables that are “cultivated with care.” The farm is also home to a small chicken flock and apiary. Little Paradise Farm proudly remains small and family-owned.
Snail of Approval recipient.
Little Paradise Farm, PO Box 391, Sonoma, CA 95476
Moon Dog Olive Farm, Cloverdale – Chris and Dawn Lindelof
Planted and farmed by two crazy people who didn’t think about the work–they just wanted to make their slice of the world a little more delicious! Moon Dog Olive Farm is planted in traditional Tuscan varieties; Leccino, Frantoio, and Pendolino. The 280 trees are organically farmed by Dawn and Chris Lindelof in their “spare time.” Moon Dog Olive Farm is located in the Northern part of Alexander Valley in Cloverdale, not far from the Russian River. This Extra Virgin Olive Oil is only available at the farm and local markets and special events. Every vintage is a little different. But the fruity fragrance and spicy finish is definitive in every bottling.
Oddone Vineyard, Healdsburg – Pier and Barbara Oddone
The Oddone family has grown grapes in the Piedmont region of Italy for over 400 years. That tradition continues in Dry Creek Valley where, nearly 30 years ago, Pier and Barbara Oddone found the perfect place to grow premium wine grapes. In 1998 they planted the family vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon and a field blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. Oddone Vineyard is sustainably farmed and certified by California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA).
Oz Family Farm, Valley Ford – Kelly Osman
OZ Family Farm is nestled amid the rolling hills outside the small community of Valley Ford, California, a few miles inland from the Sonoma coastline. The heritage breeds of turkeys the Osmans raise–Midget Whites, Narragansetts, Blacks, Bourbon Reds, Royal Palms and Slates–and the critically endangered American Buff and larger Embden geese are a good fit for the cool coastal climate. The farm also raises ducks and rabbits. OZ Family Farm rabbits are the staple of the farm, with a mix of endangered heritage breeds such as the Blue and White Americans and the American Chinchilla rabbits, along with commercial breeds such as New Zealands and Californians. They round off their offerings with some of the best fertilizer available: vermicompost from their rabbits, described time and again by Master Gardeners and other specialists as ”Bunny Gold.”
Pappa’s Pizza Café, Cloverdale – Mike and Denaire Nixon
Pappa’s Pizza Café is a family owned and operated business. The café has a bar with 10 taps and offers a full menu of appetizers, sandwiches, calzone, and more than 13 types of pizza. There is also a gluten-free menu. The pizza dough is made daily from scratch, hand-rolled and left to rise naturally. Many of the fresh toppings are sliced in-house, including California mozzarella cheese, and marinara and ranch sauce are also made in-house. “Pizza the old-fashioned way!”
105 N Cloverdale Blvd, Cloverdale
707-894-4453, 707-894-4454, Online Ordering
Patisserie Angelica, Sebastopol – Gergana Karabelov
Patisserie Angelica is a cozy, Parisian-style café serving delectable pastries, coffees, and High Tea. Specialty cakes are artfully and custom-designed. Non-GMO & organically focused. 95% of all our products are house-made. It’s true; baked goods, cakes, fillings, buttercream, curds, preserves, jams, and jellies, to name a few. We even make our own mocha mix for coffee. No artificial preservative-laden synthetic food colors are used, ours are all natural plant-based colors.
Snail of Approval recipient.
6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol
707-827-7998, info@patisserieangelica.com
Relish Culinary Adventures, Healdsburg – Donna Del Rey
Relish Culinary Adventures has returned to its adventurous roots after closing its downtown Healdsburg location after 15 years. Now focusing on corporate events and private cooking parties interspersed with some public cooking experiences and culinary adventures. Their goal is to celebrate seasonal, local food and provide a fresh and inspiring learning experience for everyone at every event. Stay tuned for more memorable and delicious cooking experiences to come.
Snail of Approval recipient.
707-431-9999, info@relishculinary.com
Roots of Change, Michael Dimock
Michael Dimock is Executive Director of Roots of Change (ROC), a program at the Public Health Institute. ROC works together with California’s and the nation’s diverse array of food producers, advocates, universities, and communities to ensure that every aspect of our food—from when it’s grown to when it’s eaten—can be healthy, safe, profitable and fair for all.
ROC’s wide-ranging work includes food policy advocacy, demonstration projects that show how to scale change, and consulting in strategic planning and partnerships. Michael is also host of ROC’s podcasts, “Flipping the Table,” conversations about food, farming and the future.
Seven Moons Farm, Sonoma – Rebecca Bozelli
Seven Moons Farm is a diverse landscape of fruit trees, perennial herbs, berries, flowers, native habitat, and fields for row crops. We pride ourselves on growing the highest quality produce for local restaurants, farm boxes and the farmers market by focusing on sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Seven Moons is a small two family farm in Sonoma Valley.
Visit them on Saturday mornings at the Santa Rosa Original Farmers Market at The Luther Burbank Center.
Grower of Ark Products. Snail of Approval recipient.
707-404-8016, Instagram
SingleThread Restaurant and SingleThread Farm, Healdsburg – Katina and Kyle Connaughton
In the heart of downtown Healdsburg, one of the country’s most accomplished chefs, Kyle Connaughton, along with Head Farmer Katina Connaughton, brings you SingleThread Farm-Restaurant-Inn. A Japanese ethos is the common thread that binds the entire organization, from the warm hospitality in anticipation of every diner’s needs to the chef’s 11-course kaiseki-style menu designed to highlight Northern California’s seasonality. Their 24-acre farm supplies vegetables, fruit, herbs, and flowers to the restaurant kitchen year-round.
Snail of Approval Recipient
SingleThread Farm at Dry Creek is nestled in the Dry Creek Valley, bringing 24 acres of biodiversity to wine country. It is fueled by and thrives at the hands of thoughtful farmers with a shared ethos to respect the land and practice responsible land management. Driven by nature and in stride with the seasons, they work the fields by hand to minimize the impact on the land. SingleThread strives to grow healthy soil to support a healthy habitat for future generations to come. Deriving their inspiration from the chefs, fellow farmers, and friends around the globe. SingleThread Farms grows with care and integrity hundreds of different varieties of culinary and floral crops throughout the seasons.
Snail of Approval recipient.
info@singlethreadfarms.com
(707) 723-4646
Strong Arm Farm, Santa Rosa – Heidi Hermann
Strong Arm Farm wild-harvests Sonoma Coast Seaweed, leads seaweed forage experiences, and grows CCOF certified organic tuberose lilies. Heidi Herrmann began Strong Arm Farm in 2009. Originally with a focus on vegetables, the farm now offers seaweed and tuberose. Heidi is a Sustainable Agriculture Instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College, at their renowned Shone Farm facility. She has an Ornamental Horticulture degree from Cal Poly University, with an emphasis in pest management and nursery production, and a Master’s from Sonoma State University, thesis: Experiential Agriculture Education. She teaches ‘Native Plants in Restoration’ focusing on habitat/mitigation plantings at Sonoma State University. Running Strong Arm Farm is truly a ‘practice what you preach’ example. Heidi is a strong-armed woman producing an array of beautiful and nutrient-dense delectables.
Sunray Farm, Sonoma – Mark Feichtmeir
Mark Feichtmeir is the Owner/Founder of Sunray Farm. Sunray is a 1.5-acre farm with the belief that good organic matter management, good mineral management, and good tillage management produce healthier, tastier vegetables. They believe in sustainable agriculture as a keystone of healthy regions. Nourishing bodies and souls with fresh food and flowers is their chief practice. In doing that they are also operating a small local business and working cooperatively with other local businesses, improving regional food security and resilience, stewarding a tiny portion of the valley’s ecosystem, and celebrating a grounded way of working and living.
You can find them at the Petaluma Eastside Farmers Market every Tuesday 10am – 1:30pm.
Snail of Approval recipient.
info@sunrayfarm.com (707) 210-9720
Tallgrass Ranch Olive Oil, Sonoma – Nancy Lilly
Tallgrass Ranch Olive Oil is a small producer of Extra Virgin olive oil in Sonoma. Locally my oil can be purchased at The Epicurean Connection in Sonoma. Our newest oil (2015) has been certified by the COOC and we are recipients of the Good Food Award for our oil for 2014. I am a Sonoma native, a lifelong farmer (grapes in addition to the olives) and a founding member of the Panel of Tasters for the California Olive Oil Council as well as Paul Vossen’s UC Extension Research panel.
Snail of Approval recipient.
Wine Country Cafe & Deli, Santa Rosa – Enrique Alvarez
Wine Country Cafe serves Organic Coffee and Tea, Fresh Pastries & Baked Goods, Sandwiches, Hot and Cold Breakfast Items, Salads and more. Swing by our drive-thru before work or come hang out for lunch! P.S. Try the House Made Kombucha
707-230-2462, hello.winecountrycafe@gmail.com