#PlacerGrown Week is Coming Soon

Over the last year or so I have been able to get more involved with Placer Grown. It's interesting to learn more about all the items grown in Placer County, once one of the top grape (yes, that means wine) and stone fruit agriculture regions in the world. Now the biggest export is actually rice, but walnuts, grapes (for wine), fruits, vegetables and hops (for beer) are all making a resurgence.

I started my afternoon off with the official event at Wise Villa Winery, where I, along with a few other bloggers and members of the media enjoyed a fabulous lunch with wine pairing. The farm fresh arugula and beet salad was a highlight, but the steak, pork chop, pasta, tuna and wines were all spectacular and enjoyed by all. I even bought a bottle of Wisdom of Wise (their red wine blend) for "Wine Fridays" at my office.

While at lunch a few people had mentioned Goat House Brewing Company just down the road, so ... not being one to miss out on opportunity ... I decided to make the three minute drive to enjoy their beer flight. It was a good decision, eight beers for $18, while talking to great people, including the husband and wife brewery proprietors. I'm looking forward to going back with my dad so he can taste the beers too.

Placer Grown Week is October 11-18, 2014. It includes a variety of events, including a Crop to Tabletop Dinner (I already bought my tickets ... limited quantity available and it's only $35/pp), family fun, farm tours and much more (see below).
Photos for those with iPads.

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND CELEBRATE PLACERGROWN WEEK—OCT. 11-18
Family-Friendly Events Offer Farm-to-Fork Fun and Award-winning Wines 

AUBURN, Calif.—The third annual Celebrate PlacerGROWN Week, October 11th through the 18th, will showcase the more than 100 family farms, 20 Placer County Wine Trail wineries and 9 farmers’ markets in the Placer County region.  Families should mark their calendars for family-friendly activities, farm-fresh eats and award-winning wines.

“This is the best opportunity throughout the year to experience the Placer County region’s abundance of farm-fresh food and wine,” notes PlacerGROWN Executive Director Carol Arnold.  “It’s a great way to meet local farmers and ranchers, and experience unique Placer County activities firsthand.”

“The Placer County Board of Supervisors proclaimed Celebrate PlacerGROWN Week in 2012 and the commemorative week has since grown in scope and popularity,” said Placer County Agricultural Commissioner Josh Huntsinger. “We look forward to welcoming back families and friends to join in the celebration.”

The 2014 “Celebrate PlacerGROWN Week” includes four, fun events:
Auburn Wine & Food Festival: Saturday, Oct. 11th from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Enjoy Placer County wines and dishes sure to delight the palate. Tickets are available at auburnwineandfood.com at $45 each; designated driver and food-only tickets are $20 each.

PlacerGROWN Farm & Barn Tour: Sunday, Oct. 12th from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Take part in a free, self-guided tour that includes farms, ranches and vineyards, all spanning the beautiful Placer County countryside. Visit placergrown.org for details.

PlacerGROWN Harvest Festival: Saturday, Oct. 18th from 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 19th from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Johnson-Springview Park in Rocklin.
This family-friendly fest includes a pumpkin patch, scarecrow-building contest, farmers’ market, free family movie at dusk and more. Visit placerharvestfestival.com for details.

Placer County Farm Bureau Hoe Down: Saturday, Oct. 18th with dinner held at 6:30 p.m.
The 25th annual event includes dinner and a live auction benefiting agricultural students. Call 916-663-2929 for tickets and more information.      

ABOUT PlacerGROWN:
Supported by Placer County, PlacerGROWN is the information source dedicated to educating residents about the freshest agricultural products the region has to offer.  Through its website, social media channels, and other outreach programs, PlacerGROWN connects community members with the farms, orchards, ranches, wineries, nurseries, farmers’ markets and specialty food stores in one of the most diverse growing areas in Northern California. To discover the bounty of agricultural products produced by farmers who call Placer County home, or for more information about PlacerGROWN, visit www.placergrown.org.
Lunch and wine tasting was provided by Wise Villa Winery and PlacerGROWN. I purchased my own bottle of wine to take home and beer tasting. All thoughts are my own.