We’re regularly asked “so where are you located?” We’re between the towns of Guinda and Rumsey, which often elicits blank stares, as does mentioning that we’re in the Capay Valley. Sometimes mentioning Cache Creek Casino, about 15 minutes away, helps. Not everyone knows where Esparto (25 minutes away), Woodland (40 minutes), or Winters (45 minutes) are so we often mention Sacramento, Davis, or Vacaville. But we’re about an hour away from all three cities, in the most northwestern part of Yolo County. The point is, we’re rural. Not as rural and remote as you can get, but rural enough.
On a business front, that means we’re far from our customers. We spend a lot of time on the road getting our products to the people that eat them. One of our drivers goes to and from the Bay Area daily from Tuesday through Saturday, every week. I don’t know how he does it! When it comes to getting supplies, we’re very fortunate to be so close to Woodland, a hub for agriculture supply companies and research, making it relatively easy to get whatever we need.
Guinda currently has a post office and the Corner Store, stocked with an impressive array of products, plus a church and antiques store. Rumsey has a post office. So outside of work, it also means a lot of driving: medical appointments, school, sport practice, shopping, and many Capay Valley residents have lengthy commutes to get to and from work. Until the new Capay Valley Health & Community Center opened in Esparto in January 2024, a medical appointment meant at least a 40 minute drive each direction. Now we have a closer option.
Sometimes, like last week, instead of us needing to travel, people and services come to us! Just last week, we had a lot of people come to us that we normally have to go to.
On Tuesday, the Yolo Bibliobus came to the farm for the first time, bringing an impressive array of books for adults and children in English and Spanish. The plan is for them to visit us every two weeks. What an amazing service!
On Sunday, the Rustic Ramble brought out about 300 people from near (Woodland, Davis, Sacramento) and far (Palo Alto, Brentwood, Oakland, Marin, San Francisco) to the farms and gardens of the Capay Valley. The folks who made it up to us wandered in Dru and Judith’s stunning gardens, went on tours of the flower field, and chatted a bit with Dru, Paul, and I at our welcome table. It was great to see CSA members, longtime friends and customers, plus new folks, and everyone had a great time!
Rural areas all over the state and country are underserved and struggling, and being in a rural area has its challenges. However, we all feel so fortunate to be here. The Capay Valley is a beautiful place, especially in spring and even at night; the night sky is amazing due to so little light pollution. More than just the physical surroundings, it’s got a strong community of farmers and non-farmers, who make it a great place to live and farm. Both towns have social halls: the Guinda Grange Hall and the Rumsey Town Hall. These sites regularly host community events, including Andrew’s weekly ping pong from October to May, a monthly potluck, community theatre (the Guinda Grange Hall is hosting an upcoming production of Arsenic and Old Lace), and more. Outside of these spaces, we socialize, have book clubs, sporadic outdoor movie nights, and all the other things that “city people” have too, often announced over the local email list.
A one-day visit during one of our events, or just driving through the Capay Valley, doesn’t fully capture what it’s like to live up here, nor does coming in spring, before it gets hot. So you’ll just have to trust us. The Capay Valley life isn’t for everyone, but it’s undeniably a place with a lot of history and a lot going on today. It’s paradise for a county mouse and perhaps even to some unsuspecting city mice as well!
Elaine Swiedler, CSA Manager
