Agricultural Heritage Outing
Working with the Wild: A Fall Day on Duckworth Ranch
Hosted in partnership by LandPaths and Gold Ridge RCD
When: Saturday November 5th, 2016, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
This event has passed, but scroll down to see some photos of the day!
Part of a conservation easement held by your county’s Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District, Duckworth Ranch produces local food and stewards the land. This is the Sebastopol-based farm’s fourteenth year of organic commercial hay production and fifth year of blueberries on a ranch that cares for a wide diversity of animals. Meanwhile, wildlife has thrived on Duckworth Ranch. On this outing, we will see the dense bird habitat provided by the relic black oak forest and tree-lined Blucher Creek, learn about the creek’s aquatic residents (otters, crawdads, fish and endangered shrimp!), and enjoy the rolling green hills that provide for sheep, horses, lizards, snakes, bees, butterflies and so much more!
Come spend the day on the ranch with Oscar and Lorri Duckworth and their family. We’ll hear this family’s story and philosophy as farmers who work with the wild. We will meet a variety of farm animals (sheep, horses, chickens), and their wild neighbors, see fall foliage on the blueberries and relax beneath the oaks on this beautiful property for a bring-your-own-lunch picnic. There will be an easy 1.5-mile hike on these beautiful 80+ acres along Blucher Creek to watch for birds and bobcats. Afterward, we’ll teach wool-spinning by hand, using the Duckworth’s own sheep’s wool. This event will be wonderful for all ages, but especially great for children to come and get a full farm experience meeting animals and learning about where our food comes from.
This FREE outing is made possible by the voters of Sonoma County who funded the Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District’s work with a quarter-cent sales tax.
