Along Farm Trails
A Journey to Rainbow’s End
By Fern Staton

More than 100 El Dorado County farmers and ranchers have created a place that could very well be found at the end of the rainbow, an enchanted place where fruits ripen on the tree and gardens are lush with an abundance of crops.

Welcome to Farm Trails Association of El Dorado County. About 12 years ago, a group of farmers applied for and received a small grant that enabled them to form an association to promote rural El Dorado County and the farms that dot the countryside.

Their hope was to introduce the public to a lifestyle that once upon a time might have been considered the norm but has long since been replaced by a “life in the fast lane” lifestyle. Their efforts continue to remind folks that the small farm is alive and well and can be found in El Dorado County.

A map was formed, and to this day, that map will take the public through the county, where they’ll find families of farmers who open their farms so that the consumer can enjoy fresh-picked and vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh salad greens, sun-ripened strawberries, early spring asparagus and just about every kind of commodity they are looking for.

In the orchards are peaches, apples, pears, chestnuts, olives and cherries. Vineyards are alive with grapes that are grown to produce some of the country’s best wines. Pastures are green and filled with goats, sheep and cattle. And some of the farms are filled with rare irises and colorful daffodils, with the rhizomes offered for sale. In the winter, you'll find Christmas tree farms that offer nature trails as well as choose-and-cut Christmas trees.

Plan now for a day trip to El Dorado County and the Farm Trails. You may find yourself seeking lodging in the county, and spending yet another day on the trail that leads to “the rainbow’s end.”

For more information, visit www.edc-farmtrails.org or call Alauna Bray at (530) 676-3509.