The Phil Lawrence Band @ Bishop's Ranch, Healdsburg October 3, 2010

Contact: Wendy Krupnick, wendyk@pon.net; 707-544-4582

Subject: TASTE - APPLES, PEARS AND SONOMA COUNTY CHEESES

Date: Sunday, October 3, 2010, 1:00 – 4:00 pm

Location: Gina's Orchard, .1 mi. south of Bishop's Ranch, Westside Rd., Healdsburg 95448

Admission: $20. general; $10. for members of sponsoring organizations; kids under 13 half price. Cash or checks accepted at the gate.

Come celebrate Sonoma County’s agricultural diversity in a beautiful historic orchard south of Healdsburg! Discover the culinary attributes of many of our amazing varieties of apples and pears, enhanced by pairings with luscious local cheeses! Learn to grow and prepare this abundance from farmers and cheesemakers, while enjoying live music by the Phil Lawrence Band.

Over 20 varieties of apples, European pears and Asian pears will be available for sampling, including rare treats such as Claygate Pearmain, Roxbury Russet, Belle de Boskop, Hudson ‘s Golden Gem, Sierra Beauty, Api Etoile, Hoople’s Antique Gold Hardy, French Butter Pear and Duchess Bronzee. Growers will answer questions about growing, cooking and preserving different varieties of fruit. Local cheesemakers represented include Bellwether Farms, Bodega Artisan Goat Cheese, Bleating Heart, Redwood Hill, Clover Stornetta and Two Rock Valley Goat Cheese.

This event is a collaboration of organizations dedicated to wonderful seasonal food: Community Alliance with Family Farmers - North Coast Chapter (www.caff.org), Slow Food Russian River (www.slowfoodrr.org), and California Rare Fruit Growers Redwood Empire chapter (www.crfg.org).

Background
The Gina’s Orchard property was planted to apple trees in the 1870s, and later acquired by Marty Griffin when he purchased the property for the nearby Hop Kiln Winery and vineyard. The orchard is named in memory of Marty’s granddaughter Gina Monaco –a student at Westside School– whom died of leukemia at the age of 15.

The adjacent Bishop’s Ranch uses the orchard for environmental education –primarily about watersheds– and has begun to renovate the orchard with the assistance of California Rare Fruit Growers Redwood Empire Chapter. The Episcopal Diocese of California bought the property now known as Bishop’s Ranch in 1947 from an originally 8000 acre ranch owned by the White family, and now operates it as a retreat center.