
A Slow-Growth Splash
Authenticity proves key in the growth of Amador County — California’s most approachable wine scene
Many wish their favorite places in California were deeply-held secrets. But there’s the hope that, given a little perspective, our current secrets can develop in a way that maintains the original character we fell in love with, without succumbing to the broad appeal forced by faceless investment. Right now, in Amador County, the Shenandoah Valley is at that postcard moment.

Infographic: California’s Wine Industry
The Capital Region’s wine industry remains strong with Amador county as one of the most approachable wine scenes in the state. As you’ll read in one of our June features, “A Slow-Growth Splash,” staying authentic has been key in Amador county’s growth, but what will the future of California’s wine industry have in store?

Two Sides to Every County
Business creation and job growth are usually positive things for a growing county, but some El Dorado County residents are vehemently opposed to building over the rural land they love
For the past 48 years, Mike Doran has watched El Dorado County evolve— slowly. He recalls the days when the county was a peaceful, low-density community — long before the Home Depot came to Placerville, before the Dollar General got the greenlight for Georgetown, back when Highway 50 was nothing but a two-lane road.

Status Check: Legacy Crop
In 2015, we reported on the exciting new changes J-E Paino hoped to bring to Dixon with his Ruhstaller beer label (“Legacy Crop” by Allison Joy, April 2015). The 8.5-acre hop yard and farm and outdoor tasting room in Dixon, however, had their power turned off in April following a long-running disagreement with Solano County. We talked with Paino and county officials about Ruhstaller’s future.

The Market Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Oak Park Farmers Market opens for its seventh season
Oak Park Farmers Market — held at McClatchy Park — is one of 24 certified farmers markets in Sacramento County, about half operating seasonally from May through November. Joany Titherington manages this market, sponsored by NeighborWorks Sacramento, and she strives for a diverse mix of goodies including organic fruits and vegetables, baked goods and specialty items.

Head To Head
Sacramento’s mayoral candidates on jobs, innovation and working with the business community
Jobs have returned to Sacramento. Many surveys, such as the Sacramento Business Review, show that the region’s employment rates have returned to pre-recession levels. Nearly 25,000 jobs came back just last year alone. Unfortunately, two-thirds of that growth is in retail and hospitality jobs that typically pay low wages, while higher-paying jobs achieved only modest gains. Can we do better?

Behind the Beekeeper’s Veil
Our writer goes undercover — literally — with a commercial beekeeper in Placer County
Northern California’s temperate climate, fertile soil and advanced water-supply system make the region a prime spot for commercial beekeeping, and even more so nowadays. Why’s that? Almonds, which need bees — lots and lots of bees.

Down By The Riverside
MetroEdge ‘Pitch for Change’ winners want to reinvigorate Sacramento’s riverbanks for a new generation
Once upon a time, Sacramento lived and died by its rivers. As the last outpost of good society on the way to the Gold Rush foothills, Sacramento was nestled conveniently at the confluence of both the American and Sacramento rivers.

Soil Matters
Local farmers find a switch to carbon farming good for business — and the environment
Russ Lester’s property looks, at first glance, like that of many of his neighbors. He grows about 900 acres of walnut trees a few miles east of Winters. But at Dixon Ridge Farms, Lester never tills his land, and he keeps cover crops growing most of the time. He also laces the earth around his trees with biochar, charcoal-like leftovers from biomass energy production.

An Interview with the ‘Gangsta Gardener’
Urban gardening superhero Ron Finley recently screened his documentary in Sacramento
Ron Finley deemed himself the “Gangsta Gardener” with pride.He recently paid a visit to Sacramento’s urban gardening community for a screening of his documentary film, “Can You Dig This” at the Guild Theater, an event hosted by the Yisrael Family Farms. He took a moment to chat with Comstock’s about how gardens can improve communities.