Some called him crazy, but when John Sutter came to California, he had dreams of building an agricultural empire, where cattle and crops would thrive. The geology was right, but unfortunately the geology also did him in, with Marshall accidentally setting off the Gold Rush in 1848. Despite New Helvetica falling to yellow fever, the agrarian haven he dreamed of is alive and well today, manifest in the North State by the Sierra Oro Farm Trail.
The Sierra Oro Farm Trail frames a small piece of this geological puzzle, and John McPhee explains why it truly is a part of California’s Mother Lode. “In soil taxonomy, there are ten groups in the world. Nine are in this valley,” he says of the Central Valley in his book Assembling California (p 178). “Each is suited to a differing roster of crops. Plums, kiwis, apricots, oranges, olives, nectarines- it is the North American fruit forest”
Continuing his list, McPhee also specifies beets, walnuts, grapes, cantaloupes, and tomatoes, saying “the Great Central Valley of California grows more of each of those things than are grown in any other state in the union.” With the help of Eldridge Moores, McPhee explains how the Sacramento Valley is steeped in thousands of feet of ocean silt, volcanic soils, and alluvial runoff from the Coastal Ranges and Sierras, making the region incredibly suitable for the myriad of crops that are currently harvested here.
Butte County sits on the boundaries of several different geological features, and as one follows the trail, gold is found in a variety of forms. A few nuggets are Lodestar olive oil, number 17 on the list. Their "Late Harvest" EVOO is rich, golden, and buttery. At the other end of the trail just outside of Orland is Pedrozo Dairy and Cheeses (#9 on the trail), whose Jersey cows produce a delightful variety of goudas.
Chaffin Family Orchards (#13) does it all in the shadows of Table Mountain, from olives, oranges and stone fruit to beef, lamb, and goats. Noble Orchards is #12 and just up the hill in Paradise, and Larocca Vineyards (#4) is the oldest winery in Butte County, taking advantage of the lava-rich Cohasset soil.
Along the way out to Lundberg (19) you will find Maisie Jane’s (5) roasted almonds and Mooney Farms’ (6) sun-dried tomato products. As a hub of innovation number ten on the map is the CSU Chico Farm, helping students and agricultural acolytes meld the art and science of agriculture into a priceless treasure.
Following the Sierra Oro Farm Trail is truly a journey of discovery, and as one explores the dozens of sites, one finds so much more than culinary delights. As you search for California's Gold, you'll find organic and sustainable food, fabulous people, and a culture that is rooted in the rich and fertile soils of the North State.
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