Mendocino County’s Local Food Guide
Find Out Who is Growing What in Our County
by Lisa Ludwigsen
Mendocino County is known for its rugged coast, towering redwoods, and picturesque vineyards. There’s also a deep tradition of small family farms and ranches providing residents and visitors with fresh, seasonal food year-round. From produce to dairy, poultry, beef, fish, nuts, honey, and fruit, Mendocino County’s network of small farms offers something for everyone.
This year marks the third printing of the Mendocino County Local Food Guide, a valuable resource for anyone wanting to support local agriculture and eat truly delicious food. In a county with under 100 farms spread over 3,500 square miles, the guide explains what farmers are growing, how they are growing it, and where to buy it.
The Local Food Guide started back in 2004, when the Anderson Valley Foodshed, a group dedicated to encouraging support for local agriculture, adopted the “C’mon Home to Eat” campaign. A foodshed is a concept that describes the geographic area that produces the food for a particular population. It’s often compared to a watershed.
“C’mon Home to Eat” challenged residents to eat entirely from local sources—specified as within a 100-mile radius— for the month of October. The goal was simple: to connect eaters with growers.
To that end, the Anderson Valley Foodshed compiled lists of farms and other food production sources. Those lists grew in subsequent years and eventually turned into the first printed issue of the Local Food Guide in 2007.
Linda McElwee, one of those original Anderson Valley Foodshed members, is excited to be involved with this new printed issue. “I’ve been dedicated to this guide since the first issue because I believe that the information is important for everyone in our county,” shared McElwee. “The Local Food Guide is meant to be a resource, used over time. This new edition has planting charts and harvesting guides for people to refer to as the years continue,” she added.
A second edition came out in 2009, and a website— mendolocalfood.org—launched in 2011. That website has been reworked a few times in the intervening years, evolving into a comprehensive resource for all things food and farming in the county. Want to know when your local farmers market or other events are happening? Check the guide. You’ll also find listings of local agencies, educational opportunities, community gardens, and more. A scroll through the website’s farm guide paints a colorful picture of the rich tapestry of farms and ranches, and the people who make it all happen throughout the county. Linda and the guide’s production team are also excited to be sharing more information on local aquaculture.
The guide has always been a labor of love, made possible by a small group of mostly volunteers. For this new print edition, local artist Michelle Noe contributed the cover artwork and Torrey Douglass of Lemon Fresh Design (and this magazine) did the graphic design. Milena Duenas translated the guide into Spanish. McElwee added, “We do our best to reach out to all local food producers but occasionally miss one. If you’re a farmer who wants to be included in the online guide you can add your farm through the website.”
Financial support came from the MendoLake Food Hub, a program of North Coast Opportunities, which won a USDA grant designed to connect local farmers with food pantries. Food pantries, soup kitchens, and food banks provide an essential part of food security in the county, and are included in both the print and online versions the guide. Many of these organizations welcome donations of excess produce from farms and gardens.
In a food system dominated by large-scale industrial agriculture, the Mendocino Local Food Guide is more than just a list of places to buy food. It is a dynamic force that champions the viability of small farms, empowers residents with access to healthy, delicious food, and offers visitors an unparalleled, authentic taste of Mendocino’s agricultural heritage.
Find a printed Local Food Guide at independent grocers, farmers markets, and other spots around the county. Find the information online at mendolocalfood.org.
Lisa Ludwigsen has been working in environmental education and small-scale agriculture for 25 years. She chronicles her experiences and travels at Food, Farms & Families at lisaludwigsen.substack.com
Photo by Torrey Douglass