Wide-open houses

The weekend was perfect. Mild temperatures and a light, warm breeze greeted North Staters heading out for one of the busiest two days of the year, when both Chico Art Center’s expansive Open Studios Tour and the even more spread-out Sierra Oro Farm Trail Passport Weekend vied for our attention Oct. 10-11.

The art of agriculture was on my agenda so, along with my friend Tom and his 4-year-old daughter, I focused my Saturday and Sunday on the farm trail’s annual two-day self-guided tour. The Passport Weekend is the Sierra Oro Farm Trail’s showcase event for its association of 24 farms across Butte County (with a couple in Tehama and Glenn).

Tour-goers received one of the free, colorful, fact-filled farm trail maps and, for $20, a passport to sampling the wares of the farms, ranches, wineries and dairies that went all-out in setting up a welcoming atmosphere for experiencing what this agricultural region has to offer.

We managed to visit only half of the 24 farms in the two days. Of course, the choice of stops and the amount of time spent at each stop was entirely up to the Sierra Oro tourist.

As my trail mates and I planned our route, the tour took on the feel of a treasure hunt. We started at the top of the map, beginning at a tiny cheese factory, Pedrozo Dairy and Cheese Co., located down a narrow lane in Orland off Highway 45.

This family-run business provides a literal window on its production facility, as visitors could view through a glass wall cheese being produced utilizing the milk of cows in the pastures beyond the small parking lot. Chunks or whole wheels of cheese were for sale below-market prices from a small table set up in front of the family house. And a small pen holding young calves, presumably future cheese producers themselves, drew children and adults alike.

The animals were a great attraction, and the tour offered many opportunities to see farm animals in action. At Chico State’s University Farm—a veritable living laboratory—each area of farm research had tables set up with students who answered questions and gave short tours of the facilities.

I was disappointed that the Meat Laboratory wasn’t open during the weekend event, as the butcher shop offers ultra-fresh premium meats only on Thursdays and Fridays. However, the Beef Unit allowed us to watch as a burly student gave an ornery bull a shave; the Sheep and Goat Unit offered tastes of cooked lamb and goat and allowed us to explore the pens featuring very pregnant sheep; and at the organic vegetable stand we were able to buy fresh corn and melons from the students who grew them. This was the University Farm’s first year participating in the Sierra Oro Farm Tour, and the enthusiasm of the students was infectious.

At Chaffin Family Orchards (near the intersection of Highways 149 and 70 in Oroville), we were taken on a tour of a farm that produces eggs from free-range chickens, dairy products from their small herd of cows and an olive orchard from which the family produces quality oil. Seven-year-old Joshua Albrecht, son of the owners, was particularly informative about the sheep and chickens he was raising. He had a display set up to show differences in wool quality and was delightful when introducing his animals (including Sweetiepie, the chicken) to the small crowd gathered around him.

One of the most memorable stops was the New Clairvaux Vineyard, located at the Cistercian Monastery in Vina, home to Trappist monks from all over the world. Several of the monks, dressed in their austere robes, were on hand to serve visitors samples of their wine. The wine-tasting room was housed in a beautiful brick building and offered cheeses, bread, crackers and fine olive oils to taste while sipping the robust wines.

The peaceful setting at the monastery/vineyard also features a remarkable building that is being reconstructed by a master stone mason from Italy from the sacred stones—the actual imported stones—of a deconstructed 17th-century Cistercian church from Spain.

We wrapped up our weekend with stops at the Morse Farms in Oroville, followed by Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale. Morse is known for its mandarin groves and, on this weekend, its generous samples table was filled with homemade cookies and puddings and meats barbequed to tender perfection, all made with mandarin marmalade glazes and flavorings.

Lundberg was one of the largest of the family farms, having been in the rice-growing and -products business for several generations. Our tour guide was Bryce Lundberg, one of the grandsons of the founders, who enthusiastically led us through the factory where rice cakes are produced, among other rice products. His welcoming attitude and huge smile were indicative of the Sierra Oro Farm Trail experience.