Stories You Haven’t Heard

Since as early as he can remember, Ted had always been drawn to the ocean. As a boy, he idolized Jacque Cousteau. A desire to understand the mighty sea burned within him through childhood, adolescence and on to his first year of college, where he would find himself at the docks of his maiden voyage … Continue reading “A Sailor, a Scientist and a Squal – Ted Sommer”

It is the dead of winter but the rice fields in the Sutter Basin are full of life. It is the dead of winter but the rice fields in the Sutter Basin are full of life. It’s the slowest time of year for most farmers; crops have been harvested and the spring planting season is … Continue reading “The Many Benefits of Growing Plump, Gourmet Bugs – Roger Cornwell”

There is a saying that goes; “you can never go home again,” but Jeff Sutton is proving you can. The phrase refers to our tendency to have unrealistic or only nostalgic memories of where we spent our formative years, but for Sutton, he is returning to the irrigation district his great- great-grandfather helped create and … Continue reading “Coming Home – Jeff Sutton”

His neck bent backward allowing his eyes the chance to follow the bark line to the top of the towering pines reaching toward the majestic blue above. Beneath his gaze flowed a forest green ocean of pine needles pinching the branches as so they would not be lost to the wind. The whistling sound the … Continue reading “The TreeGazer – Willie Whittlesey”

At just eight years old, Andy was set free into the woods. To be clear he wasn’t abandoned. This was the early 1980s and kids were given immense freedom to explore the outdoors on their own accord. Spared from the fears of parents today, the brown- haired boy with dust coated jeans and a t-shirt … Continue reading “The Perfect Combination – Andy Fecko”

It was supposed to be just like the other trips they took to the Sonoma Coast. But this time, they wouldn’t make it to Fort Bragg for the Memorial Day Weekend holiday. Parked along a two-lane road, the brake-line in their RV-Bus conversion failed and the Bair family was tossed about the camper as it … Continue reading “The Optimist – Lewis Bair”

He nearly called balls and strikes for a living, but thankfully for the Chinook salmon, he chose to count fish instead. Ted Trimble was on his way to becoming a baseball umpire before he decided to stick with his job as waterman in a small community south of Chico. He had a family friend who … Continue reading “Never Counted Out – Ted Trimble”

The sight of cigarette smoke spiraling upward toward the porch ceiling is an image Sean Earley will never forget. In the scene, his grandfather is leaning back on the wood bench resigned to his sweat-drenched plaid shirt and dirt-caked boots, all in an effort to locate a moment of peace before the sun falls below … Continue reading “The Fixer – Sean Earley”

Introducing the Water Resources Managers Series:   How their Ridgetop to River Mouth Approach in the Sacramento Valley is Serving Water for Multiple Benefits   If you faced the ocean from your beach chair on the warm smooth Carlsbad sand, you’d be hard pressed to miss the young, blonde-haired girl splashing in the waves. You’d … Continue reading “Destined for Great Water – Kristin Sicke”

Most can make adjustments when conditions are optimal, but when faced with real adversity, that is when one’s character is revealed. The Erdman story begins in 1920. Kim’s grandfather, Fritz Erdman, suffered a traumatic loss when his mother was struck and killed by a train in the family’s home state of Oklahoma. Fritz and his … Continue reading “The Art of Adaptation – Kim Gallagher”

The rhythmic patter of hooves skimming the earth below was a sound Amy never tired of when she was young. Whether in the hot sweat-inducing summer or the bone-chill frost of winter in upstate New York, the sound was ever-present, because Amy was always riding. With 100 acres and the surrounding landscape of woods, creeks, … Continue reading “The Collaborative Steward – Amy Merrill”

Much like a pinball, he was seemingly in constant motion whizzing from one side to the other. But, instead operating inside an arcade game, George Kimball was bouncing across Northern California in old Dodge truck delivering some of the best fruits, vegetables, eggs and meats Yolo County farmers had to offer. George was a farmer … Continue reading “142 Miles and Counting – Mary Kimball”

Growing up, Julie Rentner watched the vast rolling hills north of Mt. Diablo in the heart of the Bay Area get gobbled up by tract homes and paved streets. Her favorite playground along Marsh Creek felt like it disappeared overnight. Her parents saw the hurt in their daughter’s eyes, and offered a bit of hope … Continue reading “Bringing Laulima to the Rivers – Julie Rentner”

The lure of a ten-speed bike was all it took. This was no ordinary bicycle, however. This was a radiant red Schwinn with swooping sight lines, 10 gears of unfettered pedal power that would serve as a freedom chaser to propel 9-year-old Ann Hayden to explore country roads in her rural Yolo County neighborhood. And … Continue reading “Creating Habitat Through Collaboration – Ann Hayden”

Even as he dreamt of herding cattle on ranch lands in Northern California, a body of water was ever present in that cowboy fantasy. Whether a pristine lake or a rippling river, the youngster was always drawn to the beauty these waterways imposed on the landscape. Some 60 years later part of that dream was … Continue reading “Dreams of a Cowboy – Jeff Volberg”

As thick white smoke filled the air, Charlie took a moment to soak in the moment. This former small-town farm boy was with one of the biggest action movie stars in history, who also happened to now be the governor of California. If only his father could see him now. For most of his life, … Continue reading “The Farmer Who Defied His Father – Charlie Hoppin”

The eyes of the beast hovered slightly over the water. The seemingly unworldly reptile peered across its horizon at the little girl who sat frozen in the canoe. Only a thin sliver of aluminum separated the two. With the hot Texas sun leaving beads of sweat across her brow, Maya believed “this was it.” Before … Continue reading “Like Father, Like Daughter – Maya Kepner”

From the time he was old enough to slip into a pair of waders, Jacob could be found down at the creek perfecting his fly-fishing technique. In those early days you would find the father and son fishing northern California together everywhere from Putah Creek, little Sierra lakes and the Truckee River. Many times, the … Continue reading “Chasing Nigiri – Jacob & David Katz”

A trail of dust swirled behind the ‘57 Chevy pickup as it barreled down the path in an attempt to keep the herd in the pasture. Not one’s typical choice to prevent the cattle from veering off course, but when you’re nine months pregnant, it is a bit easier to maneuver when you have a … Continue reading “Son of a Rancher’s Daughter – Brent Hastey”

How Meghan Hertel’s failed farming attempt was a boon for wild birds in California There wasn’t an older brother or sister. Single mother worked full time, and in an age when this was normal, the outdoors became her babysitter. Few of her friends lived in the same Pinehurst, North Carolina neighborhood, so Meghan was left … Continue reading “Birds, Farms and a Carolina Girl – Meghan Hertel”