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The Sterling Family – Iron Horse Vineyard & WineryAudrey and Barry Sterling, partners in everything since meeting at Stanford University, first saw Iron Horse Vineyards in a driving rainstorm in 1976 with the vineyard development only partially completed. There was no winery, and the 19th century carpenter gothic house was dramatically listing to one side. Somehow they still decided their dreams had come true.
Ayudando Latinos a Soñar - Half Moon Bay, CACollaborating with multiple organizations and different public institutions, ALAS brings services and takes care of farmworkers and their families. They deliver groceries and water, coordinate “farmworker Fridays” lunches at rotating farm locations and maintain a Crisis Fund to assist farmworkers and their families in emergency cases and with specific needs, such as medical bills or rent payments.
With the mission to help families to feel proud of their identity and culture and amplify their voices, ALAS also hosts several cultural arts programs, culturally-centered mental health services, wrap-around case management, immigration, and education, as well as social justice advocacy initiatives.
Mimi and Peter Buckley - Front Porch FarmMimi and Peter started farming organic blueberries in 2009 at Riverbend Farm in Oregon. In 2010, they acquired Front Porch Farm, formerly a vineyard, and began to build a farm guided by the principle that diversity is nature’s basic pattern. They have shared work experiences in business, design, education, and conservation in both the USA and Europe.
Front Porch Farm is now a 110-acre organic farm producing vegetables, fruit and cut flowers. They are an exemplary farm that highly values organic and regenerative farming principles as well as empowering their employees with competitive wages and benefits as well as an inclusive place for their family and friends. They are a model for soil health, high quality produce and cut flowers and most of all, empowering their employees with the same values and compensation for their contribution to making the world and community a better place.
Lupe Catalan is a Field Representative for the County of Sonoma, she helps ensure that the county is reaching all of District 5’s vulnerable communities serving the Spanish-speaking community, as well as the Lower Russian River geographic area. Lupe was featured in NorCal Public Media’s Emergency Preparedness TV series: Prepare Yourself! - She offers advice on how to prepare in case of an emergency. She has worked in the community to expand access to public communications through bilingual outreach, walking 40 miles in support of immigration reform, and she was honored with the Spirit of Sonoma Award from the Commission on the Status of Women, recognizing her leadership and advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion. 
Dr. Gail Myers - Farms to Grow, Oakland, CA
Dr. Gail Myers, cultural anthropologist and co-founder of Farms to Grow will tell you there is a rhythm of the land that is uniquely understood by those who participate in stewardship of it.
In her work, Dr. Myers noted the lack of support at all levels of government and industry for black farmers. In 2000, while a doctoral student at The Ohio State University, she organized the first statewide conference for African American Farmers. In 2004, Dr. Myers co-founded Farms to Grow in Oakland, CA to work in partnership with African American farmers and other farmers of color to sustain their farms, and in collaboration with various grassroots and coalition-based organizations locally and globally. In 2018, she received the Advocate for Social Justice Award from the Eco-Farm Association. Currently, she teaches, consults, serves on several boards of directors, and travels around the country screening her first documentary, Rhythms of the Land.
Trina Cunningham, a member of the Mountain Maidu tribe in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, continues the wisdom of her elders about fire by teaching a small group of non-native wild land fighters how to do a cultural burn. Trina is featured in NorCal Public Media's AWE: Awesome Women Environmentalists series where she explains the urgency for education around cultural burning. Watch Here
Susan and Lou Preston - Preston Farm and WinerySoil building and the tending of multiple crops and animals side-by-side, restoring native habitats on the creeks, keeping some areas wild instead of cultivated, leads to the balance of nature they seek and makes their organic practices more successful. Their multicultural approach to land stewardship is mirrored in the Prestons’ support for culture and community with on-farm youth programs, you-pick and gleaning days, oral history presentations.
Oshun O’Rourke is a Fisheries Biologist with the Yurok Tribe. She’s working to restore the salmon population that are vital to her tribe’s survival and cultural heritage. She and her team study the health of juvenile salmon after the demolition of dams on the Klamath River. Her work is part of the world’s largest dam removal project. Learn more about the Yurok Tribe
Watch Oshun in action on Climate California.
Hector Alvarez - Hector’s Honey, Fulton, CA
Based on a 2-acre farm in the tiny hamlet of Fulton, Hector Alvarez, founder of Hector's Honey is a legendary local beekeeper and leader in the artisanal food movement, teaching and mentoring other beekeepers on how to produce honey naturally, with minimal exposure to pesticides. Although he’s best known for his award-winning honeys, honeycomb and beeswax candles, he’s also been growing produce pollinated by his bees for many years. Fans follow him to several farmer’s markets in Sonoma County every week.
Dr. ANITA OBERHOLSTER
Anita Oberholster completed her Ph.D. in Wine Sciences at the University of Adelaide, in Australia in 2008. She moved to the Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, in California, as a Cooperative Extension Specialist in 2011, from her role as a researcher in the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.
As extension enologist at UC Davis, Anita brings research and developments from the Department of Viticulture and Enology to the wine industry and continually interacts with its vineyard and winery professionals. She has led research efforts on smoke taint and its mitigation in grapes and wine, winery sanitation and Red Blotch Virus.
Sustainability in her research focus areas is important and alternative practices to enhance sustainability are being investigated, including the use of new technologies and ‘green’ chemicals in the winery ,and the re-use of winery wastewater for the irrigation of vines.
Christopher Herrera - Deep Roots Farm, Penngrove, CA
With a heritage spanning seven generations in Sonoma County, Chris Herrera carries storied traditions in livestock, dairy operations, corn, orchards, and vineyards. Deep Roots Farm stands as a testament to his family's enduring legacy, upholding the principles of CCOF organic farming and Demeter Biodynamic Certification. The farm is committed to zero waste, composting, and humane pasturing of livestock. He and his family operate Deep Roots Farm as a regenerative demonstration market farm with a popular CSA program, rooted in the past with a vision for the future.
Don McEnhill - Executive Director, Russian Riverkeeper, Healdsburg, CARussian Riverkeeper has been successfully protecting the river since 1993. Don McEnhill helped to create and launch the Russian Riverkeeper program and has served as Riverkeeper and Executive Director since 2001 when the organization was officially launched as a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance. He grew up on Russian River and loves spending time there with his family. With his business background, he effectively works with citizen groups, businesses, property owners and government agencies to safeguard this important resource. He has researched and advocated on water supply, water quality and land use issues for the past 21 years with Russian Riverkeeper.
Dr. L. Martin “Marty” Griffin - founder of Audubon Canyon Ranch, pioneering conservationist and distinguished physician, passed away on May 22, 2024, at age 103.
Dr. Griffin helped save the Marin and Sonoma County coasts from development by preventing the building of a four-lane freeway. Working tirelessly to preserve the Russian River he led efforts to curtail industrial gravel mining in the watershed. In 1998 he wrote the awarding-winning book, "Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast," the inspiration for the documentary film, "REBELS WITH A CAUSE." A graduate of UC Berkeley's School of Public Health, Dr. Griffin was also instrumental in revolutionizing efforts to combat Hepatitis B within the California state hospital system. Throughout his career he has consistently supported the idea that human health depends on environmental health.
NorCal Public Media had the honor of awarding Dr. Griffin at the 2023 NorCal Food & Wine Awards in the category: Foundations & Philanthropists Making a Difference. We deeply mourn the loss of such an inspiring figure in our community.We featured Dr. Griffin on Bay Area Bountiful in 2023, watch the video HERE.
Carol Rathmann - Forget Me Not Farms, Sonoma County, CA
Carol developed and has directed Forget Me Not Farm since its beginnings in 1992. With more than 35 years experience in humane education and animal welfare, Ms. Rathmann holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology with studies focused on the benefits of animal assisted and horticultural therapy to child victims of abuse and neglect, as well as certification from Harcum College (1998) as a Specialist in Animal Assisted Activities and Therapy. She is the recipient of many national awards recognizing her for her innovative work in the prevention of child and animal abuse. Carol lives on a small farm along with 15 + animals she has rescued. As director and Founder Carol oversees all aspects of the Forget Me Not Children’s Services with a special focus on grants, donations, and program sustainability.
The Forget Me Not Farm’s flagship program nurtures relationships between children, animals and gardens. Since its inception in 1992, Forget Me Not Farm has helped thousands of at-risk children and youth break the cycle of abuse.
The Farm offers animal-assisted and horticultural therapeutic activities that provide a haven for children, animals, and plants to interact, bond, learn, and heal. The farm serves a variety of social service agencies that bring groups of children to the farm weekly for hour-long sessions.
Brianna Noble - Urban Cowgirl Ranch, Castro Valley, CA
Brianna Noble is the founder and owner of Urban Cowgirl Ranch (UCR), an equestrian business dedicated to expanding the accessibility of riding and horsemanship to communities historically excluded from the equestrian world. The Urban Cowgirl Ranch Foundation is dedicated to its mission of exposing youth from underserved communities to the horse world through horsemanship and riding. Her vision is to change the face of equine culture and inspire positive futures through horses.
In urban communities, opportunities to connect with nature, and the animals we share this planet with are rare. Due to high costs and limited accessibility, horseback riding's phenomenal motivational and therapeutic qualities are often out of reach. UCR is hard at work to remove these barriers, working directly with like-minded community organizations to bring these experiences to people who would otherwise not have access. The ranch is also pioneering methods of sustainably keeping animals in urban environments.
Brianna first garnered international attention when she rode her horse Dapper Dan at downtown Oakland’s Black Lives Matter protest over the death of George Floyd. She has become a beacon of hope for people worldwide as peaceful protest rides in solidarity with social change called “Heels Down Fists Up” were held by equestrian communities in the Bay Area and abroad. Brianna led the first HDFU rides in Oakland and the second in Sausalito, CA in 2020.
