Hikes & Tours

Spring 2008

Artists are out painting the West Marin landscape in preparation for MALT’s Ranches & Rolling Hills art show and sale. To celebrate the publication of the art book inspired by the show, Ranches & Rolling Hills: Art of West Marin -
A Land in Trust, we are offering a varied selection of art activities and classes on the farms for adults and children. Our Food and Farming on the Urban Edge talk series continues, and we have MALT’s first-ever cooking class on the farm. Yummy!

Our hikes, tours, and talks visit some of the farmers and ranchers profiled in the book Marin Farm Families—Stories & Recipes. Their lives revolve around the rhythms and tempos of Marin agriculture. Some are ranchers with thousands of acres of land and a legacy spanning three or four generations; others are first-generation growers leasing land and making their own history, one day at a time. Look for the in the list below, and be sure to order a copy of this little book about diversity, adversity, tenaciousness, extraordinary devotion, and FOOD for yourself at the MALT Shop. Proceeds benefit MALT’s work of preserving Marin County farmland.

To sign up for an event, contact MALT at 415-663-1158 or hikesntours@malt.org.

Legend:

		=Easy
		=Moderate
		=Difficult
		=Family

Hike up the Bolinas Ridge through fields of wildflowers. The Stewart/Truttman Ranch is located in the Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is renowned for its certified Black Angus herd. Joanne Stewart and her daughter Amanda run the beef operation as well as raise horses and organic chickens. Hike with Amanda on the Truttman Ranch, leased by the Stewart family. MALT founder, board member, and naturalist Phyllis Faber will be along to help identify wildflowers and native grasses.

TIME: 10 A.M.–2 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET:Truttman Ranch, Hwy 1 (1.2 miles south of Olema, turn left at corrals)
WHAT TO BRING: Water, hiking shoes, picnic lunch, layered clothing, binoculars, field guides, camera
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
COST: $25 / $30 non-members

Join local oystermen for a tour of their oyster-growing operation. Taste oysters grown in Tomales Bay while enjoying great views. Eat your own lunch or order one from Tomales Bay Foods. After lunch, carpool to the Straus Dairy where Albert Straus will talk about keeping the dairy’s organic feed free of genetically modified corn. Learn about the methane digester and other energy-producing and conserving techniques used at the ranch, and watch cows being milked.

TIME: 11 A.M.–3 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET: Hog Island Oyster Co., 20215 Highway 1, Marshall (10 miles north of Point Reyes Station). Carpool to dairy.
WHAT TO BRING: Water, picnic lunch, shoes that can get dirty, layered clothing
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
COST: $30 / $35 non-members ($20 additional for local-foods lunch.)

Tour Nan McEvoy’s 550-acre organic olive ranch located in a spectacular valley near the Marin-Sonoma border. Walk through flowering orchards and learn how olives are grown. Tour the olive-pressing facility, and sample the oil. If you like, purchase a variety of products made with this wonderful farm product.

TIME: 10 A.M.–noon (please arrive on time.)
WHERE TO MEET: McEvoy Ranch, 5 miles south of Petaluma at 5935 Red Hill Rd. (aka D Street or Point Reyes-Petaluma Rd.)
WHAT TO BRING: Water, walking shoes
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
COST: $15 / $20 non-members

Learn to make chalk pastels from the earth beneath your feet. Ane will demonstrate how Leonardo da Vinci made his “pastellos,” then you will grind the dirt and make your own chalk. Using Ane’s chalks and prepared paper, participate in a pastel art lesson and capture the beauty of nature at Spirit Rock. Ane is an artist, zoologist, and storyteller specializing in handmade and non-toxic art materials. She has participated in MALT’s Ranches & Rolling Hills art show for many years.

TIME: 9:30 A.M–2:30 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET: Spirit Rock Meditation Center, 5000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Woodacre
WHAT TO BRING: Water, picnic lunch, layered clothing, sun protection, folding chair, drawing tablet (min. size 12” x 18” to also be used as drawing board)
COST: $65 / $75 non-members

Bring your children for a farm visit to see baby animals bounding over spring-green fields. Feed the lambs, llamas, cows, and goats. Hunt for nature’s treasures, create a work of art, and walk around the pond to hunt tadpoles. Mimi Luebermann breeds and raises a variety of sheep. She’ll show us various fleeces and wool products and teach us how to card and spin wool. Bring a picnic and enjoy lunch in the garden or fields.

TIME: 10:30 A.M.–1:30 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET: 2263 Chileno Valley Rd., just south of the Sonoma border. From Marin, take Hicks Valley Rd. Turn right onto Marshall-Petaluma Rd. and continue onto Chileno Valley Rd. From Petaluma take Western Ave. west 2 miles, take a left onto Chileno Valley Rd., then travel 3.6 miles to the farm.
WHAT TO BRING: Water, picnic lunch, shoes that can get dirty and wet
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
COST: $15 / $20 non-members ($10 for children, $55 for a family of four or more)

Join Naturalist David Wimpfheimer for a long hike along Walker Creek on two ranch properties protected by MALT easements. Learn about the riparian habitat and identify a variety of birds. There have been sightings of tropical migrants like Wilsons’ warbler, black-headed grosbeak, and warbling vireo. On the top of the ridge enjoy the views of Tomales Bay and learn about the beef operations from third-generation ranchers Mike Crayne and Gene Poncia.

TIME: 10 A.M.–2 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET: Keys Creek Public Fishing Access, Hwy 1 (15.5 miles north of Point Reyes Station and 1.5 miles south of Tomales)
WHAT TO BRING: Water, picnic lunch, hiking boots that can get dirty and wet, layered clothing, binoculars, field guides, camera
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
COST: $25 / $ 35 non-members

Join local oystermen for a tour of their oyster-growing operation. Taste oysters grown in Tomales Bay while enjoying great views. Eat your own lunch or order one from Tomales Bay Foods. After lunch, carpool to the Straus Dairy where Albert Straus will talk about keeping the dairy’s organic feed free of genetically modified corn. Learn about the methane digester and other energy-producing and conserving techniques used at the ranch, and watch cows being milked.

TIME: 11 A.M.–3 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET: Hog Island Oyster Co., 20215 Highway 1, Marshall (10 miles north of Point Reyes Station). Carpool to dairy.
WHAT TO BRING: Water, picnic lunch, shoes that can get dirty, layered clothing
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY:
COST: $30 / $35 non-members ($20 additional for local-foods lunch.)

Thanks to Environmental Forum volunteers,  we are starting to offer a series of cooking classes using seasonal produce and products from Marin, a delicious way to support Marin agriculture. Our first class will feature Thai chef Usanee of Maikham Catering. She was born in Thailand and has been cooking in the U.S. for 20 years, specializing in the imaginative use of fresh local ingredients to create a Thai taste experience. Our menu could include spring rolls with a salad of spring greens and broccoli picked from Liz Daniels’ garden at Cow Track Ranch, chili-spiced oysters, curries,,and local beer, followed by a handmade dessert.

TIME: 10 A.M.–3 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET: Cow Track Ranch, Nicasio (1 mile north of Nicasio Square; turn right just after county corporation yard; continue on dirt road 1.25 miles, bearing right through iron gate. Park near barns.)
WHAT TO BRING: Chef knife, paring knife, cutting board, apron
COST: $95 / $110 non-members

This two-day workshop, open to beginning and intermediate students, will be held at a scenic ranch in West Marin. Tim has painted for MALT’s Ranches & Rolling Hills art show since 2004. Outdoor classes include demonstration and discussions on materials, scene selection, composition, value, and brushwork, with critiques and individual attention throughout the day. For more information, visit www.horndesign.com.

TIME: 9 A.M.–4 P.M.
WHERE TO MEET & WHAT TO BRING: Directions to farm and list of suggested supplies and color palette will be sent upon receipt of payment.
COST: $240 / $280 non-member

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