Weekend Along the Farm Trails 2016

Picnics, tours, and "Animal Cuddling" are on the delightful docket of this Sonoma County tradition.

BEHIND THE BARN DOOR: If you've ever driven by a farm and pondered all of the good things happening there, from the growing of berries to the tending of chickens to the keeping of bees, you may have briefly longed for a moment where you could go beyond the fence and find out just what a day is like on the property. But, alas, we're so busy streaming by in our automobiles, and people on a farm are incredibly engaged in myriad ways, that such an in-depth connection rarely forms. It shall, however, over the final weekend in September when Weekend Along the Farm Trails returns to Sonoma County with an informative array of happenings, experiences, tastes, and to-dos. If you're wondering from the outset, though, if there will be sheep and goats and other critters to coo over, wonder no longer, for...

"ANIMAL CUDDLING"... is one of the delightful events on the lengthy list of offerings. That might be all you need to know, for the prospect of befriending a furry sweetheart is tempting unto itself, but there shall be several other focuses, from bees to juicing to U-Pick to artisan cheeses to plants to trees. Might you run into a farmer, or artisan food maker, or creator of wine, and might you find out more about what they do? You definitely might. Can you picnic, or nosh at a food cart, or snack upon a baked good? Opportunities will abound on Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25, so yep. Can you hop onto a tour, or visit a country store, or inquire about the raising of chickens, or look into the gathering of wool, lavender, and/or honey? Yes and yes and yes and yes.

FREE FUN: "Most of the stops are FREE," advises the Farm Trails' online HQ, but you'll want to arrive ready to purchase a yummy-looking loaf of bread or lavender sachet, if something catches your eye. And the next time a farm in the distance catches your fancy, and you wish you knew more about what went on behind the barn door, you'll be able to think back to your weekend toodling around Sonoma County getting better acquainted with farmers and vintners and bakers and bee keepers. So best let your farm-based curiosities come to full flower over the final weekend in September. And pet a goat or two along the way, too (bonus).

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