"$70? For pork??! You dumb bunny!" This, I suspect, is what my grandmother would have told me, had…read moreshe witnessed the scene. I stopped by the Holding Ranch (http://www.holdingranch.com/) booth at the market and came away $70 poorer, but rich beyond my wildest dreams in smoked maple bacon (cured nitrate-free with salt, brown sugar, dried maple syrup, & a concentrate of lemon, green tea, and celery), pork tenderloin, and Canadian-style back bacon (more on this later). So, if my grandmother were alive to judge, all I could do is invite her to dine with us this week, so that we could demonstrate the wonders of cooking with humanely-butchered farm-to-table products raised with supreme care, love, and attention. Does it solve all the ethical dilemmas of eating meat? Hardly. But I drive a car, too, even if I feel guilty for leaving behind a carbon footprint in my wake. At times like these, I feel the need for some pop cultural wisdom that only a Pig and a Rat engaged in Waiting for Godot style dialog can provide. I call, in other words, on Stephan P. of Santa Rosa, CA, for help. Here's the rat-pig exchange* in question, with the accompanying illustration here (http://media2.px.yelpcdn.com/photo/bUxF5ZzwOAZdPwk_Rn3Trg/l): Pig: Were you ever thrown out of a club? Rat: Plenty, why? Pig: Because that "Society of Cultured Pigs" group just booted me. Rat: They got word of the bacon thing, huh? Pig: ... But B.L.T.'s taste so darn good. Rat: They're too judgmental. I agree, Rat, I agree. That's the issue. Taste! Don't judge!! It is San Mateo on a Saturday. It's only a few minutes after 9 AM, but already the farmers' market is in full swing. Crowds line up by their favorite vendors, hoping to score something delicious and nutritious for their next week's worth of meals. We hadn't been to this particular market for several months, so I made a beeline for the Holding Ranch stand. They are from Shasta, and they raise some of the best cattle, lambs, chickens, and pigs in the world. But because they are a relatively modest-sized operation, and because their products are in such demand, they sell out fast. Especially the bacon and tenderloin, which they only bring to market after the Berkshire Hogs have lived a full life outdoors and are ready to be slaughtered (http://www.holdingranch.com/pages/pork.html). So I was shocked - shocked! - to discover that both bacon (in 2 styles) and tenderloin (a 2.5 lb. piece) were available. Price played second fiddle to a chance to indulge using a porkish palate to provide protein and taste variation in our largely vegetarian diet. Grandma, all I can say is that it was worth it. I'm with the Pig on this one! They DO taste so darn good. I present to you exhibits A(i), A(ii), B, & C: A(i): Grilled pork tenderloin dry rubbed with applewood smoked sea salt, cracked multicolor peppercorns, and fresh cinnamon, basted with pumpkin oil, apple cider and tarragon vinegars, lemon juice, Canadian Grade B maple syrup, and blue agave nectar; A(ii): Sourdough asiago cheese and rosemary corn-kernel biscuits sliced in two and filled up with thin-sliced cold tenderloin, fresh horseradish, Dijon mustard, radicchio, and frisée (eat your dirty sauce little heart out, Ike's!); B: Farmers' market BLTs with sprouted wheat whole grain toast, red, green, and yellow heirloom tomatoes, and microgreen mesclun; C: Winter wheat penne pasta with diced Canadian bacon "pancetta," baby spinach, rainbow chard, chopped tomato, garlic, Madeira cooking wine (from CA), Sonoma chevre, and grated Italian Parmesan. Mr. Pastis, I rest my case. Holding Ranch is guilty. Guilty of being so darn GOOD! That's some pig you've got there, my friend. Dedicated to Wilhelm Y., for his love of pork, and of 21st century Californian small farm culture, in all its many forms. (*) From the 2003 anthology, "Pearls Before Swine: BLTs Taste So Darn Good," Andrews McMeel Publishing, page 13.

I purchased 1/4 beef from Holding Ranch about two months ago. I couldn't find anyone else to go in…read morewith me on a full carcass. I selected them after comparing prices at the four closest ranches and talking to each of them on email to find out about their operation. Prices for a quarter are $5.99/lb cut and wrapped. For a half, the cost is $5.49/lb cut and wrapped and, for a whole, the cost is $4.99/lb. There was a complete selection of cuts, all wrapped, vacuum sealed, and frozen. The only bones were the shanks, soup bones and ribs. No others. There was no porterhouse with a bone, instead it was cut and packaged separately as the New York and the fillet. I think it was about 350 lbs in total, with about a third being ground beef. Took up almost exactly a top freezer space. I'm very happy with the cuts, quality and taste, although you really do need to learn how to cook grass fed beef differently than corn fed. They also sell into farmer's markets in the bay area. They are good people! If you want to find others to go in with on locally grown, humanely and sustainably raised beef and other products join this: http://bamcsa.ning.com Culinary Hatchet www.culinaryhatchet.com http://culinaryhatchet.ning.com http://twitter.com/CulinaryHatchet

Managed by people who have no experience managing a resort, campground, equestrian facility, or…read moreanything else. The last professional resort manager was let go 7 years ago and replaced with friends and family. The results have been a mass exodus of unhappy owners. Today the ranch does not have the revenue to mow the grass. Weeds and mustard grow in front of headquarters, horse pastures are fire hazards, riding trails are blocked by fallen trees. Riverfront campsites are overgrown with brush so ricer access is very limited, the boat ramp is clogged with thick green alge, trash and unusable. No maintenance and unsafe conditions for livestock continue to be a problem. All of the experienced and professional employees have been fired and replaced with friends and family of the new management. Owners are selling their shares or giving the back to the ranch. They are currently facing a $300,000. Dollar deficit and asking for higher assesments with a massive cut in available service. Go ahead and fact check this. I dare you.

Grew up coming to the R-Ranch. While it's not a Forbes 5 star resort, it is a great opportunity for…read morefamilies to have a multitude of activities at an affordable rate where they can go year round.

Recently had a ride at Rockin Maddy Ranch and the family loved it! Laura and her husband were a…read moredelight and the trail guide was amazing. Very lovely people with a lovely ranch. Reasonable prices for a ride that did not disappoint. There is also a nearby hike that I brought the children that were too young to ride on. Would recommend!

My girls had the MOST amazing horseback riding experience of their lives today thanks to Rockin…read moreMaddy Ranch! I highly recommend it.

bought there in 1971 and it was well run,now it is gone way downhill with very poor management and…read morerising cost and getting less. Stay away.so many members leaving its just a matter of time before its gone.

great place with lots of opportunities like hunting, fishing, atv riding, horseback riding and many…read moresights to see

One of my favorite late summer activities is visiting the ranch to pick peaches! They offer a wide…read morevariety, and the peach trees stretch across a vast expanse of land. It's a beautiful walk through the farm and the orchards. They seem to have dozens of peach varieties because every time I visit, there's something new to pick. Unlike other U-pick farms, their prices are very reasonable, around $1.50 per pound, and they decrease later in the season. They have such an abundance of peaches that they just want to clear them out! In addition to peaches, they also sell other fruits and vegetables depending on the time of year. This time, they had massive zucchini and loads of corn! I always grab some local honey too, which is both reasonably priced and delicious. I'm amazed that more people don't know about this local gem! I go every year and highly recommend a visit!

From the owner: local 165 Acre Southern Oregon Farm offering Grass fed beef, sold in 1/4, 1/2, or full…read more U-Pick Peaches, boxed Peaches, and Fresh Sweet corn, and other great local Produce

Elena and Alexey were so warm and welcoming. They asked about allergies and they had a celiac…read moretoaster. This is so reassuring for those us with celiac disease and problems with contamination. They were so thoughtful down to every detail. Breakfast was oatmeal and berries and coffee and then another plate with an omelette, salad and homemade pastry ( for my family). They had really good GF toast and so many great teas. We played board games with another family and we loved the biking and running trails right out back of the carriage house. We did a night walk and Alexey invited us to use his telescope. The lake close by, climbing to horse ca no on mt Shasta and see McCloud waterfalls were highlights. They offered these recommendations and we were delighted. Thank you for such a memorable weekend. We will definitely go back.

Lovely home with vintage and antiquities galore. It's whimsical but more than that too. The family…read morethat runs it is warm, friendly and generous. We felt embraced without feeling examined. The room was large and well appointed. The towels were plush. The view of the mountain was exquisite. Breakfast in the morning was a cherry on top. The location was perfect. We enjoyed lake siskiyou and hikes at mccloud. Thank you for a great weekend

I spent the best summer of my life working as a wrangler/horse trainer at Coffee Creek Ranch and…read morewas also lucky enough to come back as a paying guest twice since! It is one of the only authentic guest ranches on the West Coast (I have worked at others since that claimed 5 stars and never once had as much fun as I did at CCR). The trails and mountains are beautiful, the horses well behaved and healthy, the food is AMAZING, and the cabins are adorable! I was even able to be there recently for the Thanksgiving holiday to reunite with or meet just about every member of the Hartman family! It was pretty incredible to get to enjoy the ranch and the gorgeous Trinity Alps in the winter for the first time too. I cannot even believe some of these scathing reviews I just read! I can understand frustration if you feel like your expectations weren't met in a situation where you paid money, but this particular experience was such an isolated one that it simply doesn't speak for the ranch/accommodations/etc. quality as a whole. Coffee Creek Ranch is a family-owned, family-friendly mountain resort where people go to get away from the chaos of their daily lives and spend a few days (at least) and try out some of the many unique activities offered.It's not a place to travel all the way too if you are going to rush or try to fit too much into only a few hours. In the entire time I worked there I don't remember seeing one guests leave dissatisfied - except perhaps if they didn't catch a fish, or over-slept for the Breakfast Ride, or ran out of time to do karaoke on their last night or something like that! I just reached out to Ruth again last week to schedule a romantic weekend getaway for myself and my boyfriend in May and I absolutely can't wait!!

Back in 1961, my husband and I came for a week, and I l learned to ride horseback for the first…read moretime with your very patient staff and horses. I still remember our breakfast rides in the beautiful surroundings. On a whim, I googled Coffee Creek Ranch and was delighted to see you are still there and delighting guests.

Where to begin...this place is amazing in so many ways! We stayed for 3 snowy days in February…read morewith 3 kids under 6. We woke up in the morning to watch goats being milked, play with ducks and dogs, then collect eggs. There were great sledding hills and so much space to run around. The farm dogs liked to sleep on our front porch and would follow the kids when they played outside, which gave us some comfort. We stayed in the Meadow House and quickly learned how to live "off the grid". It was comfortable but beware, the floors are thin (so heat can move upstairs) and you can hear everything. We had all the comforts we needed (fridge, stove, washer/dryer, wi-fi) to enjoy family time. Tending the wood-burning furnace was kind of fun as was learning how to use the generator. The staff at the farm were the kindest people, answering all of my sons gazillion questions and letting us spend time with the farm animals. If you are lucky enough to get up to the farm, even for a day trip, make sure you say hi to Tim and Robbie! We cannot wait to return, maybe during summer this time!

This is the place you go to get a sense of Oregon's full beauty and peace. The lodgings were divine…read moreand comfortable. Rustic but still chic. The owner was very kind and helpful when we struggled to figure out how to work the woodstove without getting smoke everywhere. Beautiful scenery and comfortable lodging. It is on the pricey side, so certainly a splurge. But you won't walk away disappointed.

Fun experience for the whole family. Rach tours available…read moreby calling. Beautiful, hand crafted, local art; needle felted creatures, pet portraits, hand and machine spun and dyed yarn, rovings, and batting, all made from alpaca fiber, hats and socks to keep you warm in the coldest weather. Creative hand drawn cards for all occassions, inspired by the creatures out here. Unique wire wrapped gemstone jewelry. Alpacas, mini horses, donkeys, dogs ,cats, a mini mule and a big old mini pig named Merle. So call or visit the website to come out and meet Merle and the rest of the crew. Guaranteed a wonderful experience! 530)859-1994

Wonderful place to visit! The Alpacas are so adorable and the other animals are just as cute and…read moresweet. The lady showing us around was very kind and very informative. So glad we stopped in