Here are our favorite spring getaways — from farm tours to cooking classes — for those who love to celebrate good food.
Meet the Milk Producers
“Springtime is the most beautiful time on the farm,” says Jennifer Bice, owner of Sebastopol’s Redwood Hill Farm-Capracopia, whose family has been raising goats in Sonoma County since 1964. “We have fruit orchards in bloom, but really, the highlight is the baby goats.”
Spring farm tours, often led by Bice herself, spotlight what she calls “kid cuddling”—as in the baby goat kind of “kid.” Guests are invited to sit on bales of hay while baby goats frolic and clamber into laps (one sweet kid, just a week or so old, nibbled on a corner of a guest’s shirt). The socialization is important for the young goats—as adults, they must be gentle and used to being around people to be milked, explains Bice.
Farm tours also visit a large solar array, the adult goat barns, and the milking parlor (the equipment is a mini-me version of cow-sized equipment) and teach about the farm’s commitment to sustainability and regenerative farming.
A small farmstand offers estate-grown extra virgin olive oil, goat milk soap, and bouquets of spring ranunculus, sweet peas, and other beauties grown on the farm. After hanging out with the kids, linger with an alfresco lunch in the farm’s lush picnic fields. Pick up picnic provisions at nearby Andy’s Produce Market (1691 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol) on your way to the farm.
Redwood Hill Farm-Capracopia. 5440 Thomas Road, Sebastopol. redwoodhillfarm.org
Adventure with Experts
There’s a ton of ground to cover in Sonoma County. For a refreshing change of pace, let someone else show you around as you indulge your culinary passions. Behind the wheel of a glitzy new Land Rover Defender, Bohemian Highway Travel Co. ensures that your day will include unique, often family-owned wineries, many not normally open to the public. Admiring vines up close is intriguing in any season, but traversing vineyards on sunlit spring days yields a powerful spirit of renewal.
The company’s thoughtful itineraries also acknowledge Sonoma County’s evolving food scene. Farm-to-table picnic lunches are prepared by chef Jennifer McMurry of Bloom Carneros fame, and lunch spots are carefully selected in advance. At Beltane Ranch, for example, getting to the primo picnic sites typically includes buckling into an all-terrain vehicle to bump through vineyards, olive orchards, and pastures studded with longhorn cattle and adorable sheep.
Bohemian Highway Travel Co. 707-204-9660, bohohwy.com
Overnight Ranch Stays
Who says tree houses are for kids? Located on 400 acres in Bodega, just a short distance form the coast, a 30-foot spiral staircase leads the way to the Eagle’s Nest Treehouse at Salmon Creek Ranch. When you’re not lounging on the wraparound deck, you’ll likely be hanging out with the resident cows, ducks, goats, and charming livestock guardian dogs. Grill your own dinner with ranch-raised meats from the small, on-site market, which sells filet mignon, short ribs, carne asada, and sausages.
Less than 15 minutes outside Healdsburg, the splurge-y NewTree Ranch is a biodynamic farm with the feel of a luxury wellness resort. Cook fresh produce in the modern outdoor kitchen, collect eggs from the henhouse, or take an outdoor soak alongside your partner in side-by-side clawfoot tubs. Don’t be surprised if a Scottish Highland cow or knobby-kneed Nigerian goat swings by to see what all the splashing is about.
Or, after savoring a multicourse food and wine pairing at Lynmar Estate in Sebastopol, call it a night at the winery’s luxurious Bliss House, which overlooks serene Quail Hill Vineyard and the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
Salmon Creek Ranch. 707-775-9604, salmoncreekranch.com
NewTree Ranch. 707-433-9643, newtreeranch.com
Lynmar Estate. 707-829-3374, lynmarestate.com
Forgotten Freestone
When was the last time you wandered through the tiny west county hamlet of Freestone? If you have to stop and think about it, you’ve got some catching up to do.
At much-loved Wild Flour Bread (140 Bohemian Hwy.), crusty loaves of sourdough and fougasse, fruit-studded scones, and cookies, fresh out of the wood-fired brick oven barely have a moment to cool before being snapped up. Go ahead, buy one loaf for now and one for later—and perhaps also something sweet and delish to enjoy straightaway in the bakery’s sundappled garden.
Practically next door is the new Jasper House tasting room from cult-favorite Pinot Noir and Chardonnay specialists Black Kite Cellars (12747 El Camino Bodega). In spring, owners Tom and Rebecca Birdsall and their team love taking visitors into the nearby vineyard to introduce them to the wonkish world of Pinot Noir clones.
No spring field trip to Freestone is complete without a stop at BlueGoat (380 Bohemian Hwy.). Formerly known as Freestone Artisan Cheese, the charming market features cheese from close to home and around the world. Lucky you, you’ve already got the bread.
Spring’s Apple Blossoms
The buzz these days may be all about bud break in the vineyards—but long before there were grapes in Sonoma County, there were apples. So many apples. At Gold Ridge Organic Farms in the rolling hills of Sebastopol, apples still reign supreme. “The apple orchards in spring erupt in a sea of flowers, ushering in one of my favorite sensory spectacles of the year,” says owner and farmer Brooke Hazen. “I am undecided which is more beautiful: the cornucopia of flowers in spring or the apples themselves in summer.”
With more than 12,000 apple trees and about 75 heirloom varieties, blossoms emerge in every imaginable shade of pink, violet, and white, providing food for honeybees and native bumblebees. Hazen leads walks through the rows to celebrate the season; taste his love for the versatile fruit in farm-fresh products including apple cider syrup, apple cider vinegar, and apple cider balsamic vinegar. Mandarin kumquats, Meyer lemons, and 13,000 olive trees also grow on the property. The farm hosts a “Spring Is Blossoming” celebration Saturday April 27.
Gold Ridge Organic Farms. 3387 Canfield Rd., Sebastopol, 707-823-3110, goldridgeorganicfarms.com
Outstanding Cooking Classes
“Our community is thinking about the sandwich bread and baguettes they want to make fresh for picnics, to say nothing of the artisan pizzas, hand-shaped Italian pastas, and glistening fresh fruit pies and tarts they get to share with loved ones as the weather improves,” says Lorenzo Alviso, program director at Artisan Baking Center in Petaluma. This spring at the center, James Beard award-winning pastry chef Nicole Plue is leading handson classes on puff pastry and spring tarts.
At The Epicurean Connection in Sonoma, enthusiastic students can learn how to pull mozzarella, churn butter, and create a wheel of ricotta in small classes with chef and cookbook author Sheana Davis.
And during the rare moments the kitchen is free, the magicians responsible for the lines out the door at Healdsburg bakery Quail & Condor make time to teach everything from making pasta to baking their legendary buttermilk drop biscuit with Parmesan and roasted onions. Sign up online; if a class is full, it never hurts to reach out.
Artisan Baking Center (at Keith Giusto Bakery Supply). 1120 Holm Rd., Petaluma. 707-765-5745, centralmilling.com
The Epicurean Connection. 19670 Eighth St. E., Sonoma, 707-235-9530, theepicureanconnection.com
Quail & Condor. 149 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-473-8254, quailandcondor.com
Forage in Mendocino
“I actually have the best job on this property of sharing the land with guests,” says Otis Brown, experienced forager and ranch hand at The Inn at Newport Ranch.
Located north of Fort Bragg, the 2,200-acre private ranch commands a mile and half of swoon-worthy oceanfront, expansive stretches of coastal pasture dotted with grazing cattle, and acres of old-growth redwoods.
Foraging is a way of life in Mendocino County, where the diversity of wild foods is astounding. On a spring foraging tour led by Brown, a chorus of crashing waves, cascading waterfalls, and gushing streams usher in a feeling of solitude. Guests can gather wild ginger, fiddlehead fern, waterleaf, miner’s lettuce, wild radish, and redwood sorrel—but there’s much more to the experience than simply filling your basket. Part of the joy of foraging is slowing down and letting the details of the landscape come into focus.
“I think there’s little bells and whistles that go off in our brain chemistry from foraging. There’s a satisfaction of ‘I’m going to pull this from the land and eat this.’”
The magic carries through to dinner, as executive chef Patrick Meany, formerly of Elk’s Michelin-starred Harbor House Inn, uses the ingredients you collected on your tour to create a multicourse meal: Think Humboldt Bay oysters with verjus ice and redwood sorrel, and grilled black cod in waterleaf butter sauce with porcini foam.
The bounty of the land also unleashes a feast for the eyes. “It’s such a unique property.
I find it magical,” says ranch manager Blair Foster. “There’s so many facets to explore. You have to love the outdoors, but if you have that inclination, it’s endless.”
The Inn at Newport Ranch. 31502 N. Hwy. 1, Fort Bragg. 707-962-4818, theinnatnewportranch.com
Taste Liquid Gold
Driving west from Petaluma toward the Pacific, rolling green hillsides sparkle and sightings of cows are everywhere. McEvoy Ranch, just a few miles outside town off Red Hill Road, is a place to be enveloped in nature and the bounty of locally grown products. Arriving at the ranch, a cheery sign along the winding driveway reminds you to take it slow. It’s good advice; the scenery here should be enjoyed.
There isn’t a bad day of the year to wander through the organic orchards at McEvoy Ranch; the silver-green foliage of 14,000 olive trees shimmer year-round. But with spring comes an explosion of delicate white blossoms that instill a sense of excitement for warmer days ahead. Rare dawn redwoods reawaken, dogwood and tulip trees remind why they’re worthy of adulation, and more than 3,000 tulips wrap the ranch’s Culinary Garden in a fragrant rainbow.
Ranch tours cover everything from the olive orchard to the mill, highlighting the diversity and history of this third-generation family-owned ranch. Afterward, settle into a seat on the patio—they all come with a view—for a tasting of the ranch’s specialty olive oils, including the gold-medal winning Ginger Turmeric flavor, served with Della Fattoria bread. Toast spring sunshine with a glass of McEvoy Ranch’s small-lot wine or say yes to dessert with a lemon tart topped with a drizzle of basil olive oil. Before you leave, stop into the sunshine-filled farm store for Mission fig balsamic vinegar, Sonoma wildflower honey, or the wonderful spicy green-olive tapenade.
McEvoy Ranch. 5935 Red Hill Rd., Petaluma. 707-769-4100, mcevoyranch.com
A Seafood-Filled Day in Bodega Bay
Hop from taste to taste as a breezy spring day unfolds along coastal Highway 1 in Bodega Bay. Get some steps in along the Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail at Doran Regional Park, then head to Ginochio’s Kitchen ( 1410 Bay Flat Rd.) for an order of Fish ’n Tacos. It’s hard to share—we know—but pacing is key. You want to bring your “A” game as you shuffle next door to Gourmet Au Bay for their famous smoked clam pizza ( 1412 Bay Flat Rd.).
From there, the dazzling vistas of Bodega Head are just a short drive away. It’s a bit late in the year to see migrating whales—but they have been known to blow off the calendar, so stay sharp as you wander the bluffs and beaches.
After the chill of the bluffs, warm your hands around a paper cup of steamy chowder from Spud Point Crab Co. (1910 Westshore Rd.). Afterward, for even more heat, try the grilled oysters with pickled jalapeño and shallots served next door at Fisherman’s Cove (1850 Bay Flat Rd.).
At the end of the day, the ride home will be even sweeter when you’re accompanied by a giant bag of saltwater taffy from Patrick’s of Bodega Bay (915 Hwy. 1). Try the peppermint taffy—its stripes echo the cheerful pink and white ones on the candy store’s exterior, a landmark along this stretch of the North Coast.
Wineries in Spring
Whether you want to shop for specialty vegetables or enjoy a full meal, these wineries offer both delicious sustenance and beautiful spring landscapes to explore.
Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery
Hike, ride horses, or go forest bathing at the 375-acre vineyard-studded estate that’s considered one of the birthplaces of California viticulture. Enjoy Mediterranean deliciousness from Sonoma’s Spread Kitchen—think shawarma, falafel, tabbouleh, and more—alongside a two-glass flight of Bartholomew Estate wines.
1000 Vineyard Lane, Sonoma. 707-509-0540, bartholomewestate.com
Marimar Estate Vineyards and Winery
A taste of Spain in Sonoma County. Enjoy wine paired with Spanish tapas from owner Marimar Torres on the sunny winery patio surrounded by a rainbow of purple foxglove, daffodils, and Chinese peonies. Along with honey from estate hives, you can often purchase fresh chicken eggs, and quince paste fresh from Marimar’s kitchen.
11400 Graton Rd., Sebastopol. 707-823-4365, marimarestate.com
Belden Barns
Along with hillside vines and 1800s-era farm buildings, this family-run Sonoma Mountain winery also boasts a 3-acre farm. Much of the produce is sold to local restaurants, but you can scoop up delicious pantry items, including polenta, heirloom beans, and popcorn.
5561 Sonoma Mountain Rd., Santa Rosa. 415-577-8552, beldenbarns.com
Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery
Call the hotline (707-433-5349) to find out when the famous tulips and daffodils will be in bloom, then tiptoe your way to a table in the winery’s Sycamore Grove for an outstanding Sunday brunch. Reserve in advance.
8761 Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg. 800-831-0381, ferrari-carano.com
Cline Family Cellars
Take in more than a thousand roses, then nibble on a charcuterie board featuring seasonal fruit from the winery’s orchards. Adorable donkeys, too.
24737 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. 707-940-4044, clinecellars.com