Are You That Woman

Nobby's Burger Cheese Skirt alive and well in Chico

After passing this Chico landmark many times, we finally made the decision to try Nobby's.

Actually my husband announced this morning that he wanted a cheeseburger for lunch. We looked online to find "Chico's best" recommendation. Locals and others had shown lots of love for Nobby's burger superstar. We decided it was time to taste for ourselves.

The near postage-sized building started life as a gas station. It's fair to call it a joint; that's not a bad thing. When we arrived around 1:30 on a Friday, they were serving just a handful of diners. Figuring this would beat the lunch rush. First timers, staff at the counter patiently answered all our questions about the menu. How to get the cheese skirt, all the extras, the most popular. After much consideration, we opted for the classic Nobby's cheeseburger and cheese skirt. I was off bread that day and so was offered my Nobby's cheeseburger with a lettuce wrap - perfect option. To cover all the bases, side orders of onion rings, fries, and a chocolate shake.

We soon learned that Gary Noblett, Nobby's original owner, is related to the original owner of Sacramento's once famous Squeeze Inn where gigantic burgers with cheese skirts were a burger lovers dream. That dream destroyed years ago by a litigious ADA attorney (a long story that doesn't need to be retold). Happy to discover the joy continues in Chico. I do miss the Squeeze Inn's fresh-cut fries. The frozen fries at Nobby's were surprisingly good and had a "fresh-cut" look. The side order was ample!

Gary Noblett came to Chico and Nobby's continued the cheese skirt history. Big burgers and crispy cheese. The Nobby's signature burger continued onto a second owner, and now, a third-generation of owners is at the helm. Philip and Jessica Brun took the burger reigns in early 2023. The young couple, married in 2021, are Butte natives, and both worked at Nobby's before taking ownership. They have kept the regular menu but have added some personal touches since taking over.

"We want to keep the celebrated menu," the Bruns said, "But we'd also like to contribute and create new menu items. We've added a Western Bacon Cheeseburger and a California Burger."

With my Omni-Local heart, there's so much to embrace at Nobby's. I love that all the meat comes from Chico's own S&S Organic Produce and Natural Foods. Avocados for the California Burger also coming from S&S. And buns, locally made by D'Emilo's Italian Deli & Bakery on Main Street, "are specifically crafted to fit Nobby's burgers," said D'Emilo's owner, Kaelen Davis.

While placing our order, we met Jessica's mom and grandmother who shared their fried cheese curds with us. Thank you grandma for that tasty treat! And for Philip and Jessica wishing you continued success on a burger road well traveled.

 

Chan Pheng's Mandarin Cuisine

For more than 25 years in the same location. They must be doing something right.

A welcoming, "Howdy!" was the start of another 5-star Wednesday dining experience. Thank you to Maxine and May for an entertaining evening. We were laughing and smiling from the moment we sat down. And the rest of the regulars who were clearly having a good time. The coming and going of DoorDash and Grubhub pick-ups a clear indication of the popularity of Chan Pheng's Mandarin Cuisine. The staff was on a first-name basis with many of the takeaway customers. And as soon as we introduced ourselves, they were talking to us in the same way. We loved the window into the kitchen watching the fast-paced cooking  of this two-person team Cindy and Chan. Exhausting!!!

Huge menu made the decisions difficult. An order of pan-fried pot stickers were rushed to the kitchen because they take time to prepare. Then an order of Mu Shu Pork and Chicken Chow Mein. Already knowing it was going to be too much food, we couldn't resist and had plenty for another meal. And then before our food arrived, Maxine brought us both a complimentary bowl of Egg Flower Soup. It was fantastic! Even on this incredibly hot day we slurped it right down.

Everything was so fresh. And thrilled to know they shop the Chico Farmers Market. We strongly support all things local and happy to put Chan Pheng's Mandarin Cuisine on our star-studded list of local deliciousness. We will definitely be back and have already shared this outing with other Chico friends.

 

Basque Norte Restaurant 5-star local favorite Butte County and beyond

 

 

Yes, we just added our names to that list of Basque Norte Restaurant fans. Our friend Jamie nudged us to find our way there. Didn't require too much nudging and so glad we took her advice. Family-owned and operated since 1975 it's clearly doing something very right.

Many of the reviews refer to this traditional Basque-style dining as a "steak restaurant"! While they do have a great selection of steaks, this so much more than that.

I'll get to the food. What I want to talk about is the amazing service. The owner, Susie, happily greeted us eyes smiling above her COVID mask. We had a reservation and were quickly seated in the main dining room. A Wednesday night, the place was bustling. Many families and larger groups - we were just a twosome. Our server, Tracy Hord, was quickly at the table. She was scrambling - as were all the other servers. All women! At least that night. They were carrying loaded plates of food and busing their own table. Tracy said she'd be with us quickly - she had hot food waiting to be delivered. We smiled and said we could wait.

Our first time at Basque Norte. The prices are reasonable considering the volume of food. Like everyone else, we left with more than one container of leftovers - two be to be exact. Many tables had three or four. Yes, your eyes are bigger.... Our leftovers lasted for two more dinners. In the future, we'd likely share an entrée. But we also want to try the tapas menu in the bar. The extensive menu of steaks, seafood, lamb, pork, and pasta. You couldn't possibly leave hungry.

Back to our server Tracy who has worked at Basque Norte for more than 15 years. In between her sprints to get to tables and food, she shared some of the history of the restaurant and other places to dine in Chico. We also shared some of our other local and regional favorites. Her service was definitely 5-star plus!

My husband ordered a 1/2-rack of ribs. The meat was moist - just falling off the bone. I had the marinated, grilled chicken breast. Enormous. It was a little dry, but the flavor was great! We really loved the Basque-style red beans - a little spice was just perfect. And the side-order of spaghettini was DELISH - just the right amount of garlic. Really had to resist eating too many of the side dishes that are included with the family dinners.

This locally-owned and locally-loved restaurant is worth a visit. We will definitely be back. Great food. Incredible service. Warm hospitality. Thank you Tracy!

Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary is deplorable - zero stars

I have been exploring and writing about California for more than 30 years. I also administer a wildlife and nature tourism program. You can trust I am credible and have no axe to grind. While they are sometimes listed as a Foundation, their website and other social media clearly list them as the Barry Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary. Nothing could be further from the truth. We visited as a group of four adults and all of us were horrified by what we saw.

The Cambridge Dictionary describes sanctuary (noun sanc·​tu·​ary | \ saŋ(k)-ch-wer-ē) "a place where birds or animals can live and be protected, especially from being hunted or dangerous conditions: a wildlife/bird sanctuary".

While you may find stories online painting this roadside zoo in a positive light, you only have to visit to see why there's nothing positive going on here. Most of the animals live in small, tarp-covered enclosures. I can't imagine the heat during our long hot summers. Or what they've endured during the many years of intense fires. They have few if any amenities to keep them occupied or water features other then small plastic pools. Animals are overweight either from lack of exercise or poor diets.

I have spent uncounted hours contacting local, state and federal agencies about this facility. Asking why it's still in business. The state California Department of Fish and Wildlife says that the "zoo" meets the minimum required by law. Those state regulations are decades old and those minimums are seriously lacking. When we asked about the enclosures (more like prison cells) and the lack of amenities to keep the wildlife active, even the Kirshner staff said that they "exceed the minimum required" for what they provide. Yes, the bare minimum. This complex is not rated by the zoological society or the American Sanctuary Association. They are listed as a non-profit but aren't rated by Charity Navigator or similar organizations. I filed a complaint with USDA through their APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) and despite the fact that other complaints have been filed by other organizations they are still legally permitted. And they have been cited multiple times by the USDA. As a non-profit they are also supposed to file a Form 990 with IRS. I couldn't find anything to indicate that they are current with this filing.

I have contacted Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), PETA, Butte County Animal Welfare, Butte County Board of Supervisors, and others - I can't even remember. I'm providing all of this to let you know that's how upsetting it was to me and the need to let others know. Trying to find away to shut this place down and get these poor creatures to a safe and loving environment.

The owner, Roberta Kirshner, has endless explanations about how and why none of what I am (others are) saying isn't true. You only have to visit to see the truth. I would never visit this place again or suggest that anyone go there for any reason except to see the deplorable conditions and try to help shut them down. I will continue to pursue this matter.

Some facts:

November 1, 2021: The USDA cited Kirshner for failing to provide the attending veterinarian with timely and accurate information about animal health and behavior problems. The licensee failed to notify the veterinarian of a coati’s increasing hair loss on the tail, a wound on the animal’s left back leg, and a wolf who was continuously pacing around the enclosure in a stereotypic pattern, wearing a deep track into the ground. Kirshner was also cited for failing to have accurate and complete records available for review and failing to maintain the required effective height of the perimeter fence surrounding the larger carnivores. Several items were adjacent to or leaning up against the fence, decreasing the effective height of the fence.

August 13, 2021: Cal/OSHA issued Kirshner a citation for a serious violation of workplace safety regulations after a clouded leopard attacked a volunteer. A Cal/OSHA narrative summary of the attack explained that the leopard had jumped on the volunteer after she fell down and started biting her around the neck, which caused injuries that required hospitalization. Kirshner was ultimately required to pay a penalty of $1,800.

Here are links to some other stories:

https://911animalabuse.com/barry-r-kirshner-wildlife-foundation/
https://www.peta.org/action/action-alerts/barry-r-kirshner-wildlife-foundation/
https://krcrtv.com/news/local/volunteer-hospitalized-after-leopard-attack
https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/feds-cite-kirshner-after-leopard-attack-tip-from-peta/

Butte County Watchable Wildlife

California Watchable Wildlife (CAWW) celebrates the state’s wildlife and diverse habitats by acknowledging and elevating the value of wildlife viewing and nature tourism to benefit individuals, families, communities, and industries while fostering awareness and support for conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats.

Throughout Butte County, a wide array of feathered friends, mammals, reptiles, insects, and fish are full-time residents, making it an ideal California Watchable Wildlife (CAWW) destination.

Discover red-tailed hawks, Swainson’s hawks, falcons, river otters, owls, Mexican free-tailed bats—and too many more animals to list—at Butte County’s urban parks, neighborhoods, and rivers. With its myriad of lakes, seasonal wetlands, vernal pools, and creeks, Butte County also welcomes millions of migratory birds each fall and winter as a major player on the Pacific Flyway. Each year, winged visitors make their way to flooded rice fields, nature preserves, parks and refuges where you can watch breathtaking fly-ins and showstopping fly-outs of ducks, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, snow geese and tundra swans (and more!).

Whether you walk, paddle, hike, or observe from your car, it’s easy to get up close and personal with nature in and around Butte County all year long (just look for the binocular signs).  Discover more about a few of Butte County’s official California Watchable Wildlife locations and check CAWW as more locations are added:

• Bidwell Park
  • Premium Site: worth visiting if you have limited time; has wildlife values year-round
  • The habitat: Blue Oak foothills woodland, Riparian, Grassland, Foothill Pine-Oak Woodland, Freshwater seeps/wetlands, pond
  • With both a lower and upper part to the park, Upper Bidwell Park is the Watchable Wildlife focus, with over 100 species of birds found during various seasons and critical habitat for the Eastern Tehama deer herd, the largest in California. The area also provides critical habitat for and spawning for threatened Spring Run Chinook salmon and hosts larger, seldom seen, animals, such as mountain lion, black bear, coyote, and bobcat.
• Chico Seed Orchard
  • The habitat: Oak woodland and riparian
  • Originally known as the Plant Introduction Station with the purpose of plant breeding research and plant introduction from all over the world, today the Chico Seed Orchard produces plants for projects such as reforestation, wildfire recovery, watershed restoration, fisheries, riparian habitat for threatened and endangered species, oak woodland restoration, and more. The trees and plants from around the world provide shelter for 200 species of bird throughout the year.
• Feather River Fish Hatchery
  • Located on a scenic stretch of the Feather River just below Oroville Dam, this hatchery offers stunning scenery, an underwater window view of fish using the fish ladder, close-up views of Chinook salmon and steelhead spawning and rearing, and opportunities to see fish spawn naturally in the river gravels below the hatchery. The Feather River Fish Hatchery handles 30 million eggs, 15 million fingerlings, and 17,000 adult salmon and steelhead annually. Approximately 20 percent of the ocean sport and commercial catch originates here. Best viewing will be during the salmon spawning season (mid-September to November) and steelhead spawning season (late November to February 1). Find other wildlife viewing opportunities along the Feather River, where you’ll enjoy views of waterfowl, wading birds, songbirds, birds of prey, and small mammals.
• Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
  • Premium site: worth visiting if you have limited time; interpretive programs and/or displays, well-developed facilities
  • The habitat: 35% upland, 5% permanent wetland, 60% seasonal wetland, 5% riparian, plus delivery ditch, natural slough, and creek banks.
  • Gray Lodge Wildlife Area is a spectacular, seasonal wetland, located 5 miles north of the Sutter Buttes. Wintering waterfowl, which includes over a million ducks and more than 100,000 Ross' and snow geese, enjoy loafing on the shallow ponds of this 9,200-acre wildlife area. Occasionally, muskrats and river otters are seen swimming through the deeper waterways. The upland fields and tree-lined canals provide habitat for warblers, red-shouldered hawks, ring-necked pheasants, tricolored blackbirds and much more. You may even spot some of the nocturnal life, such as barn owls and black-tailed mule deer, some of which are albino.
• Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge
  • The habitat: Butte County’s part of the Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuge is the Pine Creek Unit, which consists of 141 acres of native grasses and 423 acres of mixed riparian forest.
  • Also, the Llano Seco Unit of the Sacramento River NWR is the largest acquisition to date and consists of three separate sanctuaries with approximately 2,638 acres (4.1 square miles) of land within the historic Llano Seco Rancho, which is located between the Sacramento River and Seven Mile Lane about 10 miles southwest of Chico, California. This refuged was renamed Steve Thompson North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area in 2020.
  • The Sacramento River is an important breeding area for migratory songbirds and other migratory and resident land birds. This River is also an important migration corridor that provides stopover resting and feeding habitat for birds that breed in the nearby northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade foothills and mountains. Many mammalian species are year-round residents of the Refuge. Fish species occur at the Refuge in the main channel, sloughs, oxbow lakes, and on the inundated floodplain. Visitors to the Pine Creek Unit can enjoy about 2 miles of trails, accessible by foot or boat.

Photo Contest:  California Watchable Wildlife administers the annual California Wildlife Photo of the Year Contest. Photos can be present or past, but must have been taken in California, including the wilds of Butte County. The contest has five submission entry periods, beginning in January 1, 2021 and ending October 31, 2021. The final judging period, November – December, is reserved for selecting the Photo of the Year. Learn more about this annual contest at California Watchable Wildlife and submit your photos for your chance to win!

 

 

 

 

Heart your local farmers with a Taste of Butte County

The Sierra Oro Farm Trail will celebrate its annual Passport Weekend in partnership with Chico State’s Virtual Alumni &  Family Weekend on Saturday, October 10, 2020.

In an effort to keep our community, visitors, farmers and wineries safe, the Sierra Oro Farm Trail is pivoting to a virtual effort this year with deliciously creative options in place. Instead of in-person visits, direct-order tasting boxes from farms and wineries on the trail will be available for delivery or curbside pick-up the first week of October. Boxes will arrive in time to coincide with the virtual farm-to-fork tasting opportunities presented through hosted interactive online tasting videos through a partnership with California State University, Chico’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement .

“This year, residents and guests can tour, taste and toast their way through the Sierra Oro Farm Trail without leaving their homes,” said Nicole Johansson, organizer of the Sierra Oro Farm Trail since 2004. “A purchase of a tasting box supports family farms and wineries and allows everyone to partake in a variety of virtual tasting experiences that keep our ‘meet the farmer’ experience alive for loyal trail goers.”

California State University, Chico’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, a 16-year partner in the Sierra Oro Farm Trail’s signature passport weekend, is inviting parents and alumni to celebrate Virtual Alumni and Family Weekend by participating in the tastings and tasting box delivery.

“This is a great way for us to engage parents and alumni in celebrating our local community and college atmosphere while students are distance learning,” said Shari Anderson, director of the University’s Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. Plans for virtual family weekend can be found here. The site will be updated as plans unfold.

Food, wine and craft beer enthusiasts can order a Sierra Oro Farm Trail tasting box starting August 17, 2020. For less than the price of two passports and a tank of gas (valued at $150), guests can experience a virtual tasting experience by selecting from three tasting options at www.sierraoro.org.

• Food Box $79.99: Will include farm-fresh products made in Butte County, including Lundberg Family Farm’s debut of its new Organic Rice Cake Minis.
• Food and Beverage Box $124.99: Will include all food box items plus two bottles of wine and a limited-edition bottle of the new Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Farm Trail Harvest Baltic Porter, which will be available in limited quantities starting this fall. The first 500 Sierra Oro tasting box orders will receive the sample in their shipment. For more information on the beer collaboration visit www.sierraoro.org
• Sierra Oro Farm Trail Case of Wine $249.99: Will include a case of 12 wine bottles from Sierra Oro Farm Trail boutique wineries.

As part of the University’s participation, beef sticks from the California State University, Chico Meats Lab are included in the tasting boxes. The University Farm has also provided peaches from its beloved peach orchard for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Farm Trail Harvest Baltic Porter.

Virtual tastings will take place to coincide with the items in the tasting box. Interactive videos will run on the University’s GoToMeeting Platform, registration will be required to attend , space is limited. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will debut Sierra Oro Farm Trail Baltic Porter and a toast to Butte County. Maisie Jane Hurtado, Anders Lundberg, Dave Daley from the University Farm will participate in the video.

Three great choices of boxed Butte County foods, wine, and beer delivered right to your door! My box is already on order and will be ready for pick-up the first week in October. I can't wait! Order #1257 confirmed.

Lemons to lemonade Patio29 Spirits to hand sanitizer

Back to Made in  U.S.A. 2020 - In 2012, I started Made in the U.S.A. 2012. For 12 months, I bought only Made in the U.S.A. or recycled (second hand) products. Well almost. Some things simply can't be bought secondhand or in the U.S.A. We all know this truth. Anyway, my search and dedication brought some amazing products to my attention. Interesting to look back to see how many of these local and/or small companies are still flourishing. Of course, in this most insane time of "corona" those that were still on the front lines, may soon and sadly be a thing of the past. Unless, of course, we continue to reach out and support their efforts.

When all is said and done, we must change how we live and spend in the U.S.A. This crisis will bring about new manufacturing and creative products out of simple necessity. And, again, when all is said and done we cannot or should not abandon these amazing Americans who have risen above the insanity to makes our lives better and safe!

So today I begin again and commit to Made in the U.S.A. (aka Meet Your Maker) by sharing the first of what I hope are many inspirational stories. If there's a product or company you want to share, please send me the information.

Just two weeks ago we were exploring the wilds of Visit Yolo - much of this included small local businesses. We met and enjoyed an afternoon with the Boone family at the recently opened Patio29 Spirits Company Distillery. We tasted a wide range of products and came away with a bottle of their fabulous Yolo County Craft Vodka. Even then, the jokes were flying about using it to sanitize your hands. The magnitude of Covid-19 hadn't yet hit home.

Fast forward two weeks: March 28, 2020.
Like millions of others, we are "sheltered in place" and watching life unfold through social media. This morning an amazing post from Patio29 Spirits Company brought a smile and an "a-ha moment" to my morning routine! Yes, necessity is the mother of invention! Here's what was posted:

"Patio29 Spirits & Sanitizer Co.! Temporary name… Starting tomorrow we will have 4 oz hand sanitizer (80% ethanol) available for $5, limited to one per person. This hand sanitizer will be available a couple ways:

1. Receive one 4 oz sanitizer free with any purchase of Patio29 Spirits: Call us at (530) 794-6174 to place your order for curbside pickup or delivery. See graphic for details. FYI, we have 3 NEW Harmon’s Hot Pix Flavored Whiskeys available: Black Cherry, Mint Julep, and Lemon Maple!

2. If you are only interested in sanitizer, you can purchase it directly from our tasting room for exact cash only (we are doing this for a couple reasons, the main one being we want to minimize transaction times, and get you in and out as fast as possible). 11am-1pm will be reserved for at-risk individuals, and 1pm-3pm will be open for everyone. See graphic for details.

3. If you are an essential business, medical field or first-responder looking for large quantity sanitizer please reach out to us via email or phone. You are our top priority, and we want to make sure you and your workers are safe and healthy while you remain open.

Thank you to everyone for your continuous support. This is new territory for all of us, and we’re thankful we have a rock-solid community to keep us up. For the time being we’re going to keep busy making sanitizer. We’ll be ready for a drink once everything returns to normal. Cheers to good health!"

 

I was on the  phone with Eric Boone before day's end. The hand sanitizer was the whole family's idea. However, it started with a craft distillery in Seattle. "We saw a story about a distillery doing it there. Regulations prevented us from making the sanitizers but guidelines were loosened and now we can make this for anyone who needs it. As soon as got the green light, we put our spirits aside  - and started making sanitizer." said Eric.

 

He went on to say that this is a group effort and was discussed with the American Distillers Institute. A simple formula, the FDA provided a recipe that follows with what the World Health Organization supports. Patio29 Sanitizer uses neutral grain spirits, a denaturing agent, tea tree oil, glycerine, reverse osmosis purified water and ultra-sound gel. 

 

FYI - the tasting room is closed but Patio29 Spirits Company is providing curbside pick-ups. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbey House Inn feels like home in Visit Yolo

Rating:  Stars*Stars*Stars*Stars*Stars

We'll all be wondering where we were - where we had been - before, during, and after the pandemic! I'm thankful to have enjoyed my first stay at the Abbey House Inn, Winters, California, just before everything went crazy and to reflect on the memory. Once the dust settles, I'll be back again to enjoy the warm hospitality. Every detail! Nothing was overlooked. Intimate seating areas throughout the garden and porches. Public spaces were cozy and, yes, just like coming home - especially if you love small-town life! This is not a B&B in the traditional sense - breakfast is not cooked to order. All types of snacks, beverages, cereals, yogurts, jams, jellies, breads, eggs - uncooked and hard boiled - are there for the taking. Dining room or alfresco, it's up to you.

After settling into our room we enjoyed a quiet beer and glass of wine on the front porch. Then the manager, Annette, treated us to a complimentary pedicab tour around town before dropping us off at Hooby's Brewing - the newest brew in town and locally owned and operated by twin sisters Courtney and Jackie - so much of Winter's seems to be a family affair. Again, you'll feel right at home once you arrive. All the best foods, brews, wines and spirits are within walking distance of the Abbey House Inn, a park and walk destination. Or biking, of course!

Under new ownership since 2017, Abbey House Inn has been meticulously decorated and outfitted to address your every need including free WiFi and flat-screen TVs. Pam and Eric Tavenier, the owners, and Annette appreciate my "feels like home" mantra.

We look forward to coming home to Abbey House Inn in the weeks ahead and the rest of our Visit Yolo story! Stay tuned and stay safe says this California omni-local!

Wineries of the Sutter Buttes: Escape to another place and time

More and more I find that great getaways really are in my backyard. Once again, this was proven too true on a recent journey in and around the Sutter Buttes. The back road excursion includes three small Sutter County communities and their up-and-coming wineries and tasting rooms. Locals may want this to stay a well-kept secret, but the Wineries of the Sutter Buttes are waiting to welcome you. 

Open to the public, these three intimate wine tasting rooms radiate hospitality. You won’t find anyone but the wine-makers or their families and friends behind the pour. These are truly Sutter County’s family of “first” commercial wineries: Cordi Winery the county’s first commercial winery. Munger Family Vineyard the first in the town of Sutter. Sicilia Vineyards the first in Yuba City. 

Take a chance on unexpected places and the roads less traveled. A stress-free day trip, create your own wine trail adventure. Depending on your approach, the Wineries of the Sutter Buttes are 45-60 miles north of Sacramento and in proximity to Yuba City, Marysville, Chico, and other foothill communities. You’ll likely need GPS to help find your way. That’s a good thing. However, what I advise is that you wander, get lost, find a longer way around, and breathe in the views! 

The Sutter Buttes, unknown to most, emerge like a mythical ship that appears and disappears as you circumnavigate the 40-mile base on North, South, East and West Butte roads. A small circular complex of eroded volcanic lava domes that rise above the flat plains of the Sacramento Valley in Northern California’s Sutter County, the Buttes are situated just outside Yuba City. Recognized as “the world's smallest mountain range,” the Sutter Buttes has as their highest point the summit of South Butte, at 2,122+ feet, which is also the highest point in Sutter County. 

 “Every season in the Buttes is different,” remarked Sicilia co-owner Sandie Adams. “Lush green hillsides and wildflowers in the winter and spring give way to golden hills in the summer and fall.”

Privately owned, the Sutter Buttes are only accessible through Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes and events. There are a series of county roads that circle the Sutter Buttes; Pass Road goes through them on the south side. The loop is about 45 miles. A driving and wine tasting tour is a tranquil way to enjoy the locality. Fill your wildlife and nature senses and then your wine glasses at nearby wineries. The Sutter Buttes are also a much-loved destination for local cyclists.

           Read the entire story....

Wildflowers Arrive at Jepson Prairie Preserve

Wondrous Wildflowers & Amazing Aquatic Critters at Jepson Prairie Coming Soon in 2022   

Wildflower season is coming, and Solano Land Trust’s Jepson Prairie docents are getting ready to share the first wave of vernal pool flowers. Weather permitting, there will be two-hour guided walks starting in the spring.

A vernal pool is a world of exceptional diversity and an ecological system of great complexity, and Jepson Prairie Preserve is one of the best remaining examples of vernal pools in all of California. Enjoy an easy, meandering walk under wide-open skies with knowledgeable docents while exploring the bunchgrass prairie and walking alongside the claypan vernal pools. The prairie is transformed by winter rains into fields of stunning wildflowers including white meadowfoam, yellow carpet, and miniature lupine. Docents will also introduce you to the rare aquatic animals, all on the Endangered Species list, that live in the ephemeral pools, including vernal pool fairy shrimp, Conservancy fairy shrimp, and the larvae of the California tiger salamander.

Jepson Prairie Preserve, a designated National Natural Landmark, is located on Cook Lane, off Highway 113, about ten miles south of Dixon and eight miles north of Highway 12. Stay tuned for details about dates, times, location, price, and contact information. Participants should bring a backpack with plenty of water, and snacks or a picnic lunch. They should wear boots or sturdy closed-toe shoes, layered clothes, and protection from the elements. It is often windy at Jepson Prairie, and they should be prepared for wet trails and the chance of fog. Rain may cancel. Visitors should bring drinking water and may also want to bring a hand lens, binoculars and a camera. For directions and additional details, visit solanolandtrust.org.

Since its founding in 1986, Solano Land Trust has permanently protected more than 20,000 acres of working farms and natural areas in Solano County.  Learn more, see a full list of outdoor adventures, and become a member at www.SolanoLandTrust.org. 

What: Docent-led tours of the Jepson Prairie Preserve
Who: Solano Land Trust & Jepson Prairie Docents
When: Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to noon - dates and days to be determined. 
Where: Jepson Prairie Preserve, Intersection of Highway 113 and Cook Lane, 13 miles south of Dixon. Go straight at flashing light onto Cook Lane, gravel road.
Why: See the wondrous wildflowers and amazing aquatic invertebrates of Jepson Prairie.