A Pioneer in Organic Farming
Family business spotlight: Pleasant Grove Farms in Sutter County grows popcorn, wheat and rice the natural way
Driving along a country road in rural Sutter County and seeing endless rows of corn, you can’t help but think of the movie “Field of Dreams.” The Sills family decided to build their dream eight decades ago. Pleasant Grove Farms, a family-owned, certified organic grain and bean farm, has been growing corn and other crops for nearly 80 years.
Startup of the Month: MyFloraDNA
Gene-editing startup aims to create allergy-free peanut
Peanut allergies affect around 6.1 million Americans, with cases rising as awareness has grown. A 2017 study found that peanut allergy had increased 21 percent since 2010. But what if there was a way to eliminate the genes responsible for peanut allergies?
Celebrate Oktoberfest All Year Round
Here’s where you can enjoy German food, beer and culture in the Capital Region
You don’t need to fly all the way to Munich to get an authentic Oktoberfest experience, even after October draws to a close. Whether indoors or outdoors, in Sacramento, Rocklin or Elk Grove, this area has many biergartens and other German-style spots to choose from.
The New Crawdads on the Lake Offers Stunning Views of Folsom and Lake Natoma
The old Cliff House in Folsom is completely refurbished to showcase the natural scenic beauty surrounding it
When you walk into the new Crawdads on the Lake in Folsom, the first thing you notice are the expansive, sweeping views of the historic Rainbow Bridge, the bike trail below and Lake Natoma filled with dozens of colorful kayakers and paddle boarders. Your first thought is: “Why hasn’t this been done before?”
A Splendid Small-Town Getaway
Visitors can brunch, taste wine and spend the night in a pastoral paradise
The 10-acre Placer County business off Horseshoe Bar and Auburn-Folsom Road in Loomis may officially be called The Flower Farm, but it’s much more than that — historic inn, gourmet cafe, wine tasting room, gift shop, wedding and events center, nursery and citrus orchard.
Startup of the Month: NuCicer
Davis startup seeks to raise chickpea from fringe ingredient to mainstream hero
By applying machine learning and data analytics to plant breeding, this Davis-based company aims to elevate the chickpea as a key crop to address growing food demands while also improving crop resilience, yield and nutritional value.
In Search of Pretty Produce
Consumers want big, bright fruit, nuts and other produce. How does that affect what farmers grow?
Cuties. Chandlers. Cilantro. They all start with the letter C, but what else do those words have in common? Popularity. Do consumer preferences impact farmers and what they choose to grow?
Agave for the Soul: The Spiritual Quest for a New Tequila
How Melanie Shelby, founder of the tequila brand Enelalma, went from civic engagement to desert entanglement
Enelalma, a name that comes from the Spanish term for “in the soul” and embodies Shelby’s belief drinking great tequila is a spiritual experience.
Finding Connection and Purpose in Youth Agriculture
Meet the enterprising and inspiring young folks of FFA and the teachers who inspire them
FFA, known to many under its old name, “Future Farmers of America,” is a national youth organization run by the Department of Education. We met a number of Capital Region young people who are learning about livestock rearing, forestry and more through the organization’s local chapters.
Spotlight On: Slow & Low Smokehouse
Sacramento’s original grid guy heads to Elk Grove
Over more than a decade, Sacramento restaurateur Michael Hargis has made a reputation for himself by creating hip, one-off Midtown eateries and bars like LowBrau, Block Butcher Bar, Beast + Bounty, Milk Money and Holy Spirits. Recently he splashed out in an unexpected direction, opening a casually chic barbecuerie called Slow & Low Smokehouse in Elk Grove.