We traveled to the Red Hill Ranch in Petaluma mainly to learn about MALT (Marin Agricultural Land…read moreTrust). Kitty Dolcini, the co-owner of the farm and a MALT representative whose name passes me at this time were there to greet our enthusiastic group. From Kitty we learned how she and her siblings inherited the 600 acre ranch after their dad had passed away. Five of her siblings wanted no part of the ranch, but Kitty and her brother Doug wanted to keep the ranch and carry out the family's farming tradition. The Red Hill Ranch had operated as a dairy farm. With a net worth of $5 million at the time Kitty and Doug needed help to buy out the shares from their five non-interested siblings. That's where MALT entered the picture. To make a very long story short MALT secured the dollars necessary to buy out the five siblings in exchange for the development rights to the property. Under the agreement with MALT the Dolcinis remain the owners of the land, but the land is protected for agricultural use only. The agreement is permanent and there is no opt out. Kitty now happily owns 3/7ths of the property while her brother Doug owns the remaining 4/7ths. For the time, Kitty, who also owns a landscape design company, operates her share of the farm raising nearly 400 chickens in an open pasture for their incredibly fresh eggs. Several acres of her land are leased out to other farmers, and she also operates a company on the ranch cooking up farm fresh dinners to large groups. On weekends she has a farm stand on the property offering farm fresh eggs and an assortment of beautiful produce harvested by the other farms on the property. Our group got a sampling of Kitty's ranch dinner practice when she prepared lunch for us during our visit. With some fabulous rosemary-infused lemon water to whet our appetite, our group sat down to amazing egg salad sandwiches served on fresh flaky croissants and multi-grain bread and a crispy, fresh green salad drizzled in a vinaigrette dressing. The egg salad using Kitty's super fresh farm eggs was incredible, and there were so many sandwiches left we got in on third and fourth servings. For dessert our group when gaga over four different flavors of rich, creamy ice cream from the nearby Straus Family Creamery served with edible flowers. Not usually one to partake in any ice cream action due to health reasons I sampled a bowl of the butter brittle ice cream and was so glad I did for it was outstanding. After the amazing meal Kitty led us on a walking tour of her ranch teaching us some history about the family farm, the land and her chicken pasture. While the ranch is not certified organic Kitty does feed her chickens organic pellets and farm fresh produce. We witnessed the chickens going crazy over a clump of fresh lettuce tossed into the pasture. When we noticed an occasional hawk soaring overhead we talked about the threat of predators to her chickens. Kitty estimates she's lost about 100 chickens over the years to Red Tail Hawks and raccoons. She has plans to bring in two canine shepherds specifically trained to protect birds in the fall in hopes of losing fewer chickens. We toured the old dairy barn which is primarily used for storage these days and looked out at some of the vintage farm machinery on the ranch. There is so much history on that land I'm glad Kitty and her brother made the decision to keep it. In 2018 the farm celebrates 100 years for the Dolcinis. Kitty said she doesn't have specifics yet but she's throwing a big party at that time to celebrate.

I just returned from their ranch, after reaching out for egg availability. I was able to get fresh…read moreeggs for 2 older SIP clients and my parents as well as our household. What a treat, kind, easy to work with and my clients and my mom was thrilled as they know Kitty's eggs from the Farmer's Markets they attend. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Buy Local, Support Small Independent Businesses!

What an amazing and magical place to spend a day. Thank you for showing us your incredible farm and…read moresharing your delicious cheese. Loved every second. Highly recommend a visit to all in the area!

We have been happy CSA members of Tara Firma Farms for 3+ years now and highly recommend for anyone…read morelooking for a local, sustainable farm co-op! The eggs are wonderful, delivery prompt, online store very accessible, and they conveniently partner with other local farms to provide veggies + fruit in addition to their sustainable meats (most CSAs will only provide one or the other). We came across Tara Firma initially via online / yelp searches shortly after moving to the Bay Area in 2016. When my husband and I initially started looking into vegetarianism for animal welfare reasons, I suggested we visit a farm that employs best practices of ethically and sustainably raised meat to help inform our decision. Tara Firma offers free educational tours every weekend and so we drove up one day with our 2 dogs (leashed dogs welcome!) and another family with their 3 (non furry) children for a fun Petaluma outing. The tour was informative and our guide was clearly super passionate about their mission. The farm was very beautiful and the lands idyllic -- we loved the fact that the cows were so free range that we could just barely make them out as a tiny dot in the distant hills. We all enjoyed observing the chicken dynamics around their mobile coop with their rooster guard, and they showed us how unperturbed the hens were when removing the eggs from the nest-- evening letting the children carefully take a couple out. Ultimately, we decided to pursue a vegetarian diet (especially after my husband met the pigs there), but we joined the CSA for their eggs and veggie share + cheeses (sourced from partner farms). We also have purchased meat occasionally for visiting carnivore families and friends, as we wanted to ensure if they were going to eat meat -- they were getting it from a farm like Tara Firma that does it in the right way. The best part of the CSA was their pet share as we realized buying offal from this farm would be a great compromise for our dogs (who were rebelling against our plant-based diet experiment) as we just wanted to provide our dogs protein with leftovers / byproduct without creating additional demand on the meat industry. Our pet share included amazing proteins like heart, tongue, cheeks, as well as more indulgent items like liver and kidney. Even the trotters and bones I would use to make broth in order to flavor / disguise our dogs' vegetarian kibble haha :) We also occasionally received some freezer burn meats, which cannot be sold for human consumption but safe (and very drool-worthy) for our dogs! Unfortunately, the pet share program has been discontinued but there are still plenty of diverse offal options in the farm store! Overall, a great local farm to support and highly recommend a visit!

This is one of my favorite farmers markets in the Bay Area. Always great vibes with friendly and…read moreinviting vendors from all different types of local businesses. Open on Sunday mornings. There are a few options for fresh ready-to-go food plus coffee and tea vendors so you can sip and eat while you shop. They also have live music that gets the community dancing and makes the whole market feel lively. You can buy local produce for the week, plant starters for your garden, a new ceramic cup for your office, jewelry for your loved ones and so much more is offered at this market. If you're looking for a way to spend your Sunday morning and a place to find high quality local goods this is your market!

Such a cute farmers market with a live band. I enjoyed browsing at the many different things they…read moreoffer here, beautiful handmade pottery, darling handmade clothes, scented oils, flowers, many choices of food, and hummus. I bought a very tasty hummus from one of the vendors and really enjoyed it. Also, I ordered a delicious shredded chicken from Cita's Kitchen that was absolutely amazing. It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday strolling and browsing here.

It's rare to find a real farm shop down a backroad, and True Grass Farms offers a simple…read morehelp-yourself shop on the honor system. For sale here are fresh eggs, frozen meats (lamb, pork and beef), local tea, and bone broth. We took note that this is an ecological farm using regenerative grazing practices, and yes we had to dig deeper into their website to find out exactly what that means. Impressive: thoughtful, transparent & sustainable farming. We picked up a dozen farm fresh eggs ($10) some farm made breakfast sausage (which was delicious), and large pork sausage, which we can't wait to try. Easy to connect to their free WiFi at the farm shop and pay via Venmo. Nothing better than a true backroads find!

Camping my Style…read more Working cattle ranch and farm that also happens to have camping locations available throughout the property. The Good: *You can purchase some of their homegrown meats to use at your campground. *Lone shared restroom was very not bad for an outhouse. *Multiple campsites along the Estero *You can also purchase wood to burn in the camp firepit *Located in Tomales, not too far from the ocean, it probably doesn't get too hot like most summer campgrounds are prone to getting. *Cell signal (Xfinity) was actually pretty decent in some spots. The Meh: *Directions to campground is a little confusing at first. The Ugly: *It's still camping and sleeping in a tent on an air mattress is still a nightmare. Conclusion: Still not a big fan of camping but this place is very not bad.

One of the best farmers market I've been to! There were soooo many vendors and the vibes were so…read morefun. We walked around two or three times before actually buying anything because of how happily overwhelmed we were from all the different choices! There's a parking lot across, and you can park on the street. We arrived around 9:30 and it was already packed! Such a fun farmers market! I'll be going more if I'm ever in the area at this time again!

It's another beautiful day at the Sunday Marin Civic Center Farmers Market. There are always new…read moreand interesting vendors to fill your stomachs. Everything at this farmers market is grown or made with care. Stop by and hear their stories, all interesting and beautiful. My new favorite is Gigi's One Bite Wonder and it's always more than one bite. I absolutely love their filled-to-order arroz con leche doughnut ($5). It's light and not too sweet perfection. For balance, ferments at Min-Hee Hill Garden offer many varieties and sizes. Do stop by and check them out. Music is always interesting and a joy to experience. Benjamin Glasgow was really fun on Steel Pan.

While I was between jobs, I spent a lot of time doing what I love most: taking long drives through…read morethe backroads of Marin and Sonoma. One day, I stumbled upon The Farm Stand, and it felt like discovering a hidden treasure. It is, without question, one of the best farm stand experiences I've ever had, and I've been to a lot of them. Jim could probably sell anything, but that's because he's genuinely passionate about what he does. He curates only the very best, though truthfully, the produce and goods largely sell themselves. What sets this place apart is the care behind it. The attention, the pride, the hospitality - all the things that feel like they're are waning from our country. We've become so accustomed to transactional experiences and mediocre service that they've almost become the norm. Then you encounter a place like this and realize what you've been missing. It's like waking up from a fever dream and wondering, "Why isn't everything this good?" I now drive from Sebastopol to visit The Farm Stand regularly. Not just for the incredible food, but for the experience itself. It's a reminder that places built with intention, passion, and genuine human connection still exist. And somehow, that nourishes something much bigger than an appetite!!!

After being made to stand about six feet away from all the produce, i'm assuming so we couldn't see…read morehow rotten it was, the over-eager guy in a cowboy hat assured me that their peaches were excellent and ripe. Only after arriving at our campsite, I discovered that the peaches were both incredibly firm and completely unedible. Our nectarines, however were not firm but had rot in every single one of them. Don't fall for their lies and just go to Good Earth in Fairfax instead.

Super cute place with a variety of items to purchase. Friendly service as well. Highly recommend to…read morestop by when in the area.

More than just a market! Filled with wonderful gift and food items. There are also picnic tables…read moreavailable

Beautiful Farm to stroll in the morning and take pictures. Reservation is required. We didn't know…read morethat. But Rick is real nice and let us in. BTW, entrance fee has raised to $20.

What a wonderful lavender bee farm!!…read more I've visited much bigger lavender farms in Texas in the past. This farmer is not big by any means in comparison but it's so well maintained, charming, and so beautiful. They only open for about a month during lavender season in early summer. So pencil that in on your calendar to email or call b/c it's by appointment only. The tour is $15 per person and it's well worth it. The owners JoAnn and Rick gave a very informative tour of the property, lavender fields, bee-keeping, and the history of the farm. There are plenty of photo ops and you'll also get to meet Bob who is the master dog at the lavender bee farm. The best part of the tour is the tasting in the end IMO. JoAnn served us samples of local artisan cheese and fresh watermelon drizzled with lavender honey. OMG they tasted sooooo freaking fantastic!!! And how can I forget about that lavender lemonade. WOWZ!!! After the tour, you are free to explore on your own and/or buy honey and gifts from the small gift shop. I picked up a bottle of lavender honey for $18. I can't wait to return next year and take my parents there, too! Love love!!