In the summer of 2013, a fire came through the Sardella Ranch. Where most would see devastation, Michael Sardella, owner of the Sardella Ranch in Tuolumne County, saw an opportunity.
Sardella has been a resident of the Sonora area his whole life. Since his family settled onto the ranch in 1957, he has witnessed firsthand the effects that population growth and development have on small towns in America.
Raley’s is committed to nourishing our people, our communities and our planet through action. This mission is why Raley’s has been an essential partner of the California Rangeland Trust.
Throughout the years and between the birth of six children, numerous state elections, and the welcoming of 14 grandchildren, the Touch the Earth Ranch, located in the hills of Calaveras County, has served as a haven for John and Patricia Garamendi and their family. All who have encountered it have been undoubtedly touched by the ranch’s peaceful serenity and scenic beauty.
According to USDA’s Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, the greater Sacramento area saw an average of roughly five inches of rainfall during the early winter and spring months this year, which is down 40% compared to other years. For ranchers like Bret Ellis, owner of the East Sheridan Vernal Pool Preserve, their management of the land relies heavily on the rain season.
Ranchers who spend their lives caring for rangeland are a resource as valuable as watersheds and viewsheds. Elizabeth Marshall calls it
“heritageshed”: the invisible but tangible sacrifice of generational ranchers who see stewardship as a calling beyond financial return.
Earth Day falls on April 22nd, but for the ranching community, every day is Earth Day.
This could not ring truer for Darrel and Karen Sweet, owners of the Sweet Ranch in Alameda County and proud California Rangeland Trust ranching partners. “As you enter our property, we have a sign that says, ‘Every day is Earth Day on our ranch,'” Darrel explained. The couple received the sign from friends and fellow California Rangeland Trust ranching partners, Tim and Melinda Koopmann from the Koopmann Ranch, many years ago. Today, the Sweets remain committed to carrying out this mantra both in their words and actions every day.
An engineer decides to pick up his family and move from Los Angeles to Napa County to buy some open land. Some may call that crazy, but for John Ahmann, it was his way of fulfilling a dream passed down to him by his father.
Through all the challenges of 2020, you—our ranching partners and loyal supporters—inspired us with your resilience. From the coronavirus lockdown demonstrating the necessity of reliable food sources to statewide wildfires proving the importance of managed grasslands, this year showcased, as never before, the value of California’s rangelands. Protecting our open spaces and those who steward them is vital to a safe and vibrant future. Despite the bumps in the road, this has been a remarkable year for the working landscapes of our state. Here are just a few of the highlights we were able to achieve in 2020 because of you:
Jessica had a childhood that many of us may only dream of – growing up on the family ranch with wide-open spaces as her endless playground, doing her homework in a special spot of the old hay barn near her horse, and being called home for dinner each night by the ringing of the metal triangle. Family history and natural beauty surrounded her every day, and she saw them all as special gifts in her life.
Imagine a project that would perfectly balance meeting the infrastructure demands of a growing community while protecting a valuable working landscape in the process. A new community in West Roseville, a suburb located 25 miles east of Sacramento, California, is seeking to accomplish just that by serving as a model for thoughtful development, innovative land management, and responsible stewardship.
California Rangeland Trust is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 31-1631453) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
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