special promotional section
Fertile soils and a temperate climate attracted farmers to Woodland more than a century ago . As the city celebrates its 150th anniversary this year , it ’ s merging the region ’ s heritage of traditional farming and agriculture — which produces more than 300 crop varieties today — with technology , innovation and sustainable practices . Once a small farming community , Woodland is now well-positioned to become a thriving hub among food and ag entrepreneurs , scientists and companies .
Central to the farming community ’ s evolution is The Food Front , a partnership among food and ag professionals that cultivates an ecosystem for producers to connect , support and learn from each other , as well as to promote Woodland-based products , says Chelsea Minor , corporate director of public affairs for Raley ’ s , the West Sacramento-based supermarket chain .
All Food Front partners are committed to responsible food and ag practices across production , harvest and processing . For example , Woodland-based artisan oil company La Tourangelle , one of the fastestgrowing cooking oil brands in the U . S ., uses organic and regenerative farming practices to produce cooking , body-care and infused oils from nuts at its solar-powered oil mill , says Matthieu Kohlmeyer , La Tourangelle founder and CEO .
Minor says The Food Front approached Raley ’ s , which supports local farmers through its Living Local program , with a portfolio of more than 70 of Woodland ’ s products to promote at the supermarket chain . Selected products are featured on special end caps , flagged on shelves and paired together along with recipes .
“ It ’ s the support infrastructure , right ?” Minor says . “ They have a relationship with Raley ’ s and they can call on us ... creating an opportunity for them to sell in a retail environment .”
Raley ’ s is also a financial supporter of Woodland ’ s The Lab @ AgStart , an incubator for food , health and ag innovation , and namesake of The Lab ’ s certified food facility , Raley ’ s Food Lab . The incubator supports technology startups that aim for a global impact on human health , animals and the planet .
Lab tenant TurtleTree , for example , uses cell-based technology to produce milk and infant nutrition products from labgrown mammary cells that replicate the nutritional value of human breast milk .
But as Woodland anchors itself to the future of food and ag technology , its homegrown sense of farming pride and community remains the pulse of the city . Woodland ’ s annual event Dinner on Main has quickly become an iconic celebration of this community spirit . The brainchild of Woodland native Linda Henigan , Dinner on Main shuts down Main Street and forms a contiguous linen-draped dining table stretching three blocks . Guests dine on a multi-course menu from Woodland ’ s fields prepared by local chefs under the night sky .
Henigan , the granddaughter of a dairy farmer , understands how thin farmers ’ margins can be , so she purchases all the food from more than 40 local vendors . “ I think there was a respect from our growers for that ,” she says . “ We wanted to make sure that we were honoring them that way rather than waiting for a handout .”
While the coronavirus pandemic has downsized this year ’ s event — and altered its name — Dinner Off Main will serve 60 people in the city ’ s Edible Learning Garden located adjacent to City Hall . In keeping with one of Dinner on Main ’ s missions to promote local agricultural education , the Edible Learning Garden , built in 2018 , provides opportunities for children and adults alike to learn where food comes from , how it ’ s grown and how it ’ s connected to the health of a growing population and our planet .
“ The future of our local food and ag industry will be made by these very people we care for ,” says La Tourangelle ’ s Kohlmeyer , whose foundation is also creating a one-acre regenerative edible garden located on County Road 98B . “ It takes a village . ... Woodland has a great future ahead and we want to help make good food and sustainable farming a pillar to stand on .”
Jennifer Junghans holds degrees in biological sciences and horticulture , and writes about food systems , wildlife and conservation , and writes the Eco Report column for Comstock ’ s . More at jenniferjunghans . com .
Abuzz at The HIVE
Woodland ’ s honey and specialty food company Z Specialty Food overcame pandemic setbacks to open its new Harter Avenue storefront and taste-testing facility The HIVE in early August .
The 20,000-square-foot , three-acre site featuring Z Specialty ’ s mead honey wine , honey varietals , beeswax , honey fruit spreads and an event center almost didn ’ t come to fruition — in the final stages of construction , everything came to a standstill due to COVID-19 .
“ Everything fell apart ,” says Josh Zeldner , Z Specialty ’ s nectar director . But thanks to federal funding , helpful staff members and holiday online sales , construction was up and running by the end of 2020 , making the business “ every bit as strong and busy ” as its beginnings .
Z Speciality was started by Zeldner ’ s father Ishai in Winters in 1979 as Moon Shine Trading Company before the company moved to its current Woodland location over 20 years ago . “ Our mission is to educate people about the full circle of plants , bees , honey and healthy habitats — it ’ s all connected ,” Zeldner says .
According to pollinator conservation initiative Bee City USA , over 20,000 global bee species and 3,600 native U . S . species enable the reproduction of over 85 % of all flowering plants and 67 % of agricultural crops . About one in three bites of food we eat is courtesy of bee pollination . Zeldner says honey offered onsite from Z Specialty ’ s dedicated bee habitats comes from over 30 different local flower species .
In celebration of the world ’ s pollinators , Woodland hosts the annual California Honey Festival , organized since its inception in 2016 by Z Speciality . Zeldner says Woodland is a national crossroads for beekeepers due to almond pollination and that “ almost every beekeeper of any size comes through Woodland .”
Woodland Mayor Tom Stallard says the festival brings in 30,000 people each year and is a “ strong part of the local food culture ” in the area , which boasts more than 185 local food and agricultural businesses . The California Honey Festival returns in May 2022 .
– Jessica Hice
2021 | comstocksmag . com 23