For Sean McDonald, improving the food production system is the future of his business —  and the entire agriculture industry. His work toward those improvements starts with … (drumroll please) … crickets.

When Leah Yadon saw a flier for the Sacramento Natural Food Co-Op Community Kitchen sessions at Wellspring Women’s Center in Sacramento, she signed up immediately. Food has always played a big part in her life, Yadon says, but no one ever taught her the basic building blocks of a healthy lifestyle. 

Once upon a time, a quarter- century ago, mischievous twins David and Phil Ogilvie and their friend Tom Merwin played on their family farms in bucolic Clarksburg. Time and circumstance eventually led all three back to the family farms and, in March of 2014, they decided to do together what all three had dreamed of separately: open a winery.

The phrase “wine country” harkens to Napa, Sonoma, Calistoga. But Solano? Not so much. In fact, the Suisun Valley appellation was formed in 1982, less than a year after Napa’s. The local environment boasts much of the same benefits, too.

Sacramento is a thirsty region. From agriculture to restaurants kitchens, our food system slurps down a big chunk of our existing water supply. The looming question is how each of us can partner with these industries to conserve.

Lodi celebrated local wineries and their number one varietal, Zinfandel, with the 11th annual three-day outdoor affair, ZinFest May 15-17.

If you want to eat out but can’t decide which restaurant to go to, try asking yourself a different question: How much do I want to pay? That’s the idea behind Requested, a name-your-price app that’s been turning Sacramento’s dining arena into a digital bidding zone.

New Yorkers Jim and Tessa traveled west from New York to California. They met up with friends in the capital who gave them a tour of Old Sac, pointed out Indo Cafe and mentioned casually that the owners were looking to sell. It was kismet.

I know how to do Sacramento weekends right — it’s sort of a point of pride.