Stories of Resilience
April 2, 2020
West Marin’s landscape is resilient. Through drought, wildfire and floods, this land has consistently recovered, adapted and evolved.
We at MALT are pleased and inspired to share that these past few weeks have served to highlight another long-standing, well-known truth: West Marin’s agriculturalists are resilient, too.
Already local heroes are emerging, taking dramatic steps to transform their businesses and protect their employees as they get milk to those who need it most and deliver meat and produce to families in the Bay Area and beyond. Now, more than ever, a secure local food system is what we need, and something we can work together to protect.
MALT is proud to support Marin’s agriculturalists during this uncertain time, and will continue to ask you to do the same by purchasing directly from Marin’s farmers and ranchers.
Just a few stories from the past few weeks:
- Andrew Zlot, owner of Double 8 Dairy and co-owner of MALT-protected Millerton Creek Ranch, faced a hard choice just a week into the Bay Area shelter-in-place orders. Andrew supplies buffalo milk gelato, cheese and fresh milk to many of the top restaurants and cafes in San Francisco, most all of which are now closed. Suddenly without buyers for his products, Andrew acted fast, bottled his milk, and delivered 1,400 gallons to the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank last week. And he wants to keep it up if he can. While he’s not making money doing this, he hopes this temporary solution will see his business, his staff and his herds of jersey cows and water buffalo through this pandemic.
- Julie Rossotti, owner of Rossotti Ranch, raises grass-fed veal on MALT-protected Evan-Nicasio Ranch. Seventy-five percent of her sales are typically to local restaurants. Nimble and adaptable woman that she is, Julie pivoted quickly in response to COVID-19, hustling to meet increased sales on her online store, which she established two years ago to serve customers all over the country. She’s now shipping her sustainably-raised meats — including goat and chicken — to people all over the U.S., and plans to continue her robust online sales even after restaurants reopen.
- Tamara Hicks and the team at Daily Driver, San Francisco’s only creamery, have been working overtime since shelter-in-place orders began. Not only do Tamara and her team run Daily Driver, they operate MALT-protected Toluma Farms and Tomales Farmstead Creamery, where they make goat and sheep milk cheeses. They also partner with MALT-protected Silva Family Dairy to source milk for the butter made at Daily Driver. Right now, Tamara and the team are juggling the demands of the goat and sheep dairy, which have changed radically overnight as buyers for her cheese have closed their doors. At the same time, they have turned Daily Driver, typically a sit-down bagel shop, into a take-out and delivery service. Just last week Daily Driver produced 160 pounds of butter and fired up 5,000 bagels. By continuing to feed the community Tamara can keep her incredible team of 40 employed.
Please continue to purchase directly from Marin’s farmers and ranchers. Every order makes a difference! And we at MALT promise to continue to highlight Marin’s incredible producers in the weeks to come.