This month was Farm & Garden to Fork. I managed to round-up seven tasting samples all from locally-sourced products.
From within two miles of Dry Creek Ranch House:
Phyllis Thompson – deviled eggs from her chickens
Aly Brown – pasta primavera with vegetables from her garden
Catherine Green – butternut squash brownies
The Natomas Farm – prickly pear ade
From a local rancher – bison meatballs
From E Nicolaus, 22 miles away:
Justin – ham from his pigs
Mitch Coppin – donated the pumpkin and I made pumpkin fudge.

It was the annual Ice Cream Social.

Thank you Shirley and Joyce for scooping ice cream with a smile.

David Marquette showed his work in the Member’s Showcase.

Dave Massengale brought his aviation art.

I shared the Christmas stockings I’ve made over the years for Thais and family.


In the Butternut Squash Throwdown, Catherine Green and I tied 11-11. I’m holding 4 votes who voted for both of us!

Maryellen Burns (far left) was the speaker. She is the author of Lost Restaurants of Sacramento. The winning Throwdown entry was Catherine Green’s Melon Ice Balls which were dipped in raspberry jam and rolled in coconut – yum. Shirley Breckinridge(far right) made melon popsicles – also very good.

Maceo did a great job as today’s speaker, it was great that so many members of his family came to support him.

Catherine Green won the Throwdown with her grandmother’s recipe for Fig Bars. This was her first win and I was thrilled!

One of my favorite families from my Westside Charter School days – the Tomlinson’s: Anna Marie, Julie and son, Sarah, and Ken.

Phyllis and I went to Gibson Ranch to meet Maceo Hart-Kapic who will be the speaker at the next RLEHS Sunday Social. 17 years old and a junior in high school, Maceo runs a successful farming operation.

Maceo attends Met Sacramento High School – where project-based learning, internships, and mentoring are central. Maceo’s interest in agriculture fits right in.

Maceo runs a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) also, providing and delivering a box of fresh vegetables once/month to those who sign up.
His free-range eggs and meat chickens are also part of his operation.

I tried really hard to create a new community event this year: a Middle School Cooking Challenge. I started organizing, planning, communicating, etc. last January. I invited 4 local middle schools to participate but did not get an enthusiastic response. Two weeks ago, I had to admit defeat and canceled the event. Shawn Baker, the after-school program coordinator at Rio Linda Prep, was the best at keeping in touch and trying to generate interest at Rio Linda Preparatory Academy. To thank him, I arranged to meet the students this afternoon and brought all the ingredients for each of them to make their own healthy after-school snack: whole-grain waffle, whipped cream cheese, (homemade) apricot-pineapple jam, and blueberries. Oh my, what a mess we made, but it turned out delicious.

At the end, I asked them what they knew about me. Huh? Finally someone read the words on my t-shirt and said “You like to ride bicycles?” Correct answer. Then each student got a goody bag of reflective stickers and snap bracelets, a pencil with a safety message, and a bicycle keychain. (Since May is Bike Month, I have lots of little things I can give away.)

Another long day but a good one. My favorite part was seeing so many friends and students from my past. Doug, Stacey, Kellen, Odin, and a member of the Little League team Doug is coaching came by.

It was great to see some former students. Julie and Anne Marie Tomlinson with grandson:

Rebecca Beals and her husband recently started a new business in Rio Linda:

Bethany and Brook Linder:

From Calvary Lutheran Church:

If you want to see even more pictures, go to
rlehs.wordpress.com

For the past 3 months or so, I’ve been a part of the team who organized this year’s Rio Linda-Elverta Historical Society’s annual Farm & Tractor Days. I was in charge of all vendors which included community organizations who provided craft activities for children on Friday or general information, volunteer groups who wanted to help out, food providers, and people selling their products. It was really hectic this past week answering all the last-minute questions.

The first to arrive this morning: about 40 FFA students from Rio Linda High School – ready to help wherever needed.

For MANY more pictures of Farm & Tractor Days, check out rlehs.wordpress.com

You can see a lot more pictures at the

Here’s my very short version. Last Thursday I began preparing for the Throwdown by boiling 2 dozen eggs, all donated by Farmer Deno (except for that white one).

On Sunday I won Round 1: Eggs with Scotch Eggs – a boiled egg wrapped in a sausage mixture, dipped in flour, beaten egg/mustard, and toasted panko crumbs, then baked just until the sausage is cooked.

I also entered Round 2: Walnuts.