Yolo County
Cross Yolo County from the Napa County side east to the border with Sacramento County, and you’ll see more farmland, orchards and open space than cars or people.
There are more than 300,000 acres of production agriculture — tomatoes, wine grapes, almonds, walnuts, rice, alfalfa, corn, sunflower seed and olives — and alongside the large-scale crops are some of the nation’s most progressive growers, producing a wide variety of crops on properties ranging from 1 acre to several hundred.
For many of these farms, educating consumers is part of the mission. They welcome visitors to take part in hands-on farm opportunities, from plein-air painting to wreath making, camping, hay rides and farm dinners — lessons not just in the agriculture, but in the culture behind it.
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Fish/Putah Creek: It’s the creek that was memorialized in the Creedence Clearwater Revival song “Green River.” A stream that winds through Yolo County, it was designated last year by the California Fish and Game Commission as both a “wild trout water” and a “trophy trout water.” The former indicates that its population of rainbow trout is selfsustaining, the latter that the fish often exceed 18 inches long and are plentiful enough to be catchable on a regular basis. For first-time visitors, there are guided outings. www. putahcreektrout.org
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Learn/Rio Botanicals: Along Yolo’s side of the Sacramento River is Del Rio Botanicals, a fascinating mixture of organic produce farming, dairy keeping, gourd research and seed saving. Del Rio offers workshops, farm tours and meals with options including seed-saving techniques, making your own cheese and enjoying multicourse feasts. 20030 Old River Road, West Sacramento. (916) 919-1843. www.delriobotanical.com
Tour/Seka Hills: The members of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation may have gained fame for their Cache Creek Casino, but they’re also in the olive oil business. The Seka (“blue”) Hills Olive Mill grows their product on 82 of the 14,000 acres of land the tribe owns, using the latest sustainable farming practices. This isn’t some quaint artisanal shop: The production rooms feature industrial-size pressing machines, and centrifuges connect via shining pipes to three-story-tall steel tanks storing some of the 50,000 gallons of olive oil Seka Hills produces annually. 19326 County Road 78, Brooks. (530) 796-2810. Tastings and tours 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. www.sekahills.com Stroll/Winters: Stop by the visitors center and grab a map of the historic Main Street walking tour, during which you’ll learn about many of Winters’ buildings, dating back to the late 19th century. Cross the Southern Pacific Railroad Bridge and the Yolo-Solano Bridge, which spans Putah Creek. You can do it at your own pace, and the gazebo in the park in the center of town is a good place to rest your tired feet at the end and
check out some local color. 11 Main St., Winters. (530) 795-2329. www.discover winters.com Taste/Turkovich Family Wines & Winters Cheese Co.: The tasting room belongs to Turkovich Family Wines, a small business in which winemaker (and third-generation farmer) Christopher Turkovich crafts smalllot wines from local vineyards. The Winters Cheese Co. occupies a spot in the same building (and by that we mean a cheese case). But they’re available for sampling or buying along with the wine. 304 Railroad Ave., Winters. (530) 795-3842. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; food and flights available 5-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. www.turkovich wines.com Listen/Palms Playhouse: This is the place for live music. This intimate 220-seat venue is housed in the restored Winters Opera House, one of California’s oldest theaters. It spotlights jazz, folk, rock, country and blues. 13 Main St., Winters. (530) 795-1825. www.palmsplayhouse.com
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Steady Eddy’s: You’ll notice the cyclists first at Steady Eddy’s. It’s a stop on several bike routes and where they congregate to eat breakfast or lunch while enjoying an excellent brew from Royal Coffee. The turkey cranberry club is a local favorite. 5-A E. Main St., Winters. (530) 795-3588. 6 a.m.-3.p.m. Monday-Friday, from 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. www.steady-eddys.com Preserve Public House: A hip, rustic corner spot on the edge of town. The “preserve” theme carries throughout, with salumi and, of course, preserves — think jalapeno jelly — on the menu. 200 Railroad Ave., Winters. (530) 795-9963. Lunch and dinner Wednesday-Monday. www.preservepublichouse.com Buckhorn Steakhouse: A Winters community backbone, it’s where locals and travelers alike come for the famed tri-tip. When happy hour commences at 4 p.m., people start piling into the expansive restaurant, done up with deer and elk heads on the walls. 2 Main St., Winters. (530) 795-4503. Dinner nightly. www.buckhornsteakhouse.com Lester Farms Bakery: Sure, the cookies, cupcakes and soft serve will curb a sweet tooth, but it’s the pies — specifically, the fresh peach, apricot and apple made from local fruit — that make this bakery a standout. 606 Railroad Ave., Winters. (530) 795-1474. 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, until 4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
STAY
Inn at Park Winters: The 1865 white Victorian mansion was built by one of the first American settlers in Yolo County. In 2011, Rafael Galiano and his partner John Martin transformed it into an intimate boutique hotel. It’s also home to the only fine-dining restaurant in the county with a seven course fixed-price menu ($125 per person) served Wednesday through Sunday. 27850 County Road 26, Winters. (530) 669-3692. Rooms from $325. www.parkwinters.com