The farmers and food producers in Marin County, California, who are pioneering one of the most robust local food economies in America.
Arron Wilder grows fruits and vegetables at Table Top Farm in Point Reyes Station, CA. He tends the fields before and after his full-time job and on weekends with the help of neighbors and volunteers.
Wilder smells sage in his greenhouse. He entered college to become a doctor but surprised his family by turning his ambition towards soil science and farming.
"To me, soil is a metaphor for the real depth that I want to exist in, where everything comes together," says Wilder. "It's the place where all the life forms get to share a space together...a place of darkness that brings forth something beautiful."
"Fiber is so tactile and people are so hungry to touch real fiber," says Luebbermann. "It's as if the cells know the difference between polyester and wool off a sheep's back."
Luebbermann started a wool CSA called Local Pastures that supplies knitters with yarn from shepherds within a fifty-mile radius.
Chickens gather outside a henhouse at Red Hill Farm in West Marin, CA. Their "rainbow-colored," free-range, organic eggs are in high demand at local restaurants and grocery stores.
Tyler Tuck is a fifth generation farmer to work on the land at Red Hill Farms. Since 8th grade he's been helping his uncle Don Gilardi. He's looking forward to bringing the family business into the future.
An early morning oyster harvest in Tomales Bay, CA - a pristine estuary where coastal rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean.
Erik Schlagenhauf, the Farm Operations Manager at Hog Island Oyster Company, helps to manage 160 acres of Tomales Bay where over 3 million Pacific, Kumamoto, and Atlantic oysters are raised each year.
Oysters keep their ecosystem balanced by filtering plankton and microorganisms out of the water. A mature Pacific oyster can filter between 50-75 gallons of water per day.
A handmade weather vane decorates Fairfax Fresh, a small citrus orchard in the hills of Fairfax, CA.
Patti Elliot picks Meyer lemons in her orchard, which she started 12 years ago with a tree from her mother's garden. Elliot delivers her lemons to restaurants and grocery stores within a few miles of her home.
Peter Martinelli feeds his goats at Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas, CA. Known around Marin County for his excellent organic fruits and vegetables, Martinelli uses goats to keep the edges of his fields clear of shrubs, which attract pests.
Martinelli plows his land each spring in preparation for planting. The dark, loamy bottom soils on the Bolinas Peninsula are recognized by the State of California as some of the finest in the region.
Bill Niman raises premium grass-fed beef on his seaside ranch in Bolinas, CA. Here he greets a cow that his family keeps as a pet because of her sweet demeanor.
BIll Niman's Ranch raises heirloom Thanksgiving turkeys each year. Unlike most modern turkeys, heritage turkeys are closely related to their wild ancestors and are capable of running, flying and mating on their own.
Blooming olive trees at McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma, CA. Their artisanal olive oil is grown, harvested, milled, blended, and bottled entirely on the ranch.
Jose "Pepe" Chavez has worked at the McEvoy Ranch for over twenty years and is the company's master oil maker.
Marcia Barinaga prepares her organic sheep's milk cheese in small batches at Barinaga Ranch in Marshall, CA. Marcia's grandfather immigrated to the United States from Spain as a sheep herder; she makes a Basque-style cheese in honor of her heritage.
Fresh-pressed cheese is ready for brining. Barinaga Ranch produces two types of cheese: Txiki or 'little' in Basque and Baserri, or 'farmhouse'.
"We all are descendents of shepherds. It's a very ancient partnership. So I feel very deeply connected with my sheep," explains Barinaga.
Osteria Stellina in Point Reyes Station, CA, uses fresh ingredients sourced from local farms and ranches in Marin County.
Chef Christian Caiazzo prepares a steak from Bill Niman's Ranch, which is only a few miles from the restaurant. "He brings up the animals in a long, slow growing process to two years of age, which is very rare in the United States meat industry and he just makes a fantastic product," says Caiazzo.
"I'm really lucky because in my food system, there are so many great farmers and food producers," explains Caiazzo. "I would love to see neighborhoods all over this country not rely on big food distributors and create their own small food-based economies. Regional cooking is disappearing and hopefully there's a way to preserve it."
