“Schlein – Hurley” are two historical El Dorado County family names carved into the sign on Garden Valley Road along with “Irish Creek Ranch”. Twenty-nine gravestones in the cemetery at Georgetown attest to the size of this large local family who lived and worked here. It was great-grandmother Rebella Schlein who continued the ranching tradition by buying up 350 acres three miles south...[Read More]
You’re likely to see your local farming family, like the Hoovers (Hooverville Orchards, Placerville, CA, or the Perez family) all pitching in to get the farm fresh produce out and about. This is where Real Honest to Goodness takes place: Real Food without hormones, pesticides, wax, sprays and irradiation. Certified Farmers Markets foster the community as well as the farmers who grew your...[Read More]
“Nothing is more rewarding or more practical than taking care of what gives you life.” On this premise, in 2008, Ben and Mary started farming on a small lot. They acquired a bunch of chicks, a bunch of compost they could add to, two boys, Yarrow and Alder, and began planting perennials, trees and plants. In 2012, they found “a very nice acre” to rent close by with good water, full sun and...[Read More]
Keven Nowell from 24 Carrot Farm, Placerville, addresses local farmers interested in establishing a Farmers Guild — an agricultural community founded by farmers for farmers....[Read More]
With the advent of Spring, Farmers Markets, CSA* deliveries, and a plethora of organics in the markets, let’s take a closer look at these superfoods and how to use them and why. The “how” might include what to do with them once purchased, and the “where” prefers organic, please. There is a lot more to greens than lettuce and a lot more to lettuce than iceberg!...[Read More]
A country road takes you up hills and curves to a 32-acre farm nestled in a forest setting that feels far and away from the city just a mile or so back there. Nearby, huge rock cliffs soar upward and serve as the name for road, “Big Cut.” Turns out it is an old gold mining piece, hydraulically troughed out, touching Coon Hollow* and the creek down the canyon....[Read More]
The Fausel Ranch is listed in California’s Agricultural Heritage Club and received special recognition in 2010 with a plaque in their honor. The ranch’s first year of operation is listed as 1877, but the Fausels were busy long before then....[Read More]
Channel 10 visited Placerville Hardware early Friday, April 8 while Walt Gray was at Sweetie Pies interviewing an El Dorado County favorite. It’s the April 15-18, 2016 Gold Prospecting and Mining Summit that is highlighting Placerville’s history prior to the September 2016 World Gold Panning Championship event at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds....[Read More]
Hooverville Orchards in Placerville, CA is renowned for its citrus. Open all day, everyday, except major holidays, this family owned and operated farm offers much more than just citrus. Cherries, plums, peaches, and the largest in the county bounty of Asian pears are among its offerings. Truly farm to fork, they offer delicious pies, jams, jellies and more....[Read More]
Anne Robichaud had a few days free during her U.S. cooking tour and dropped into Placerville recently. Lucky enough to have seen her kitchen prowess in Livermore a couple of years ago, she called me for a quick visit downtown. Every other exclamation was, “I love this town!” She prowled around the antique stores and Violet’s with fervor, had lunch at Heydey and heard all about the ghosts...[Read More]
Betty is a California-based writer whose work explores local history, travel, food, and the people who shape community life. Her storytelling is rooted in curiosity, culture, and real-world experience.
Stories of place, people, and culture - told with curiosity and heart - telling stories that bring places and people to life.
Betty is a Gold Country-based writer covering regional history, travel, food, and human-interest stories, with a focus on the people and traditions that define a place.