Small farmers in Butte County are banding together this weekend, hoping the bounty of their harvests can outshine the latest big box store gewgaws.
Virtually all of the growers who opened their fields, vineyards and orchards as part of the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Passport Weekend in October are readying for a reprise Saturday – with holiday gift-givers in mind.
Officially called ‘Holiday Cheer & Charm Out on the Farm,’ the event seeks to match the public with unique, locally-made fruits of agriculture, explained Jaime Johansson, owner of participating Lodestar Farms.
“I always say you have from pickles to olive oil to wine,” he said.
Johansson has been growing olives since 1993, and more recently added Meyer lemons and peppers. He said several wineries will be uncorking new releases and that Mandarin oranges – another locally grown favorite – are at their seasonal peak.
Lodestar also has something special on offer, Johansson said.
“On our farm we just started pressing last weekend,” he said. “And we have a holiday harvest that we press and bottle immediately, unfiltered and it is a very robust olive oil – pretty unique.”
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 28. No tickets are need. For more details and a map visit the Sierra Oro Farm Trail’s website.