Page 46 - Sonoma County Gazette Janaury 2019

Christmas was duly welcomed by the local community who gathered to sing Christmas carols Dec. 14. We met at the Grange Hall, which the Grange offered to the group without cost, and we met many locals who have started the youth movement, the Sanctuary of the Heart Ministry (Ministerio del Santuario del Corazon (which also meets at the Grange).
Bodega Goat Ranch, for 34 years!
It was lovely. The day was a bit rainy, but it did not deter the many community members who got together to share the Christmas carols. We had big family groups, and lots of children, who joined right in, especially on Little Drummer Boy and Jingle Bells.
Patty Karlin is an engaging fixture of Bodega. For twenty years, from 1984 to 2004, she ran the Bodega Goat Cheese Company with her husband Javier Salmon. I have fond memories, when as a young girl in the 90’s, I spent time on the ranch playing with the baby goats. When the marriage ended, they both kept the rights to the business name.
The youth group and some of the members of Fisherman’s Chapel furnished excellent cookies and sodas to the members after the long singing program. The youth group joined in the singing, which is orchestrated by Maggie Tagalala (whose technical expertise got the words to the songs up on the screen) and Naomi Sarasau whose beautiful voice led the singing. Special is the usual rendering of Oh Holy Night (Cantique de Noel) by Naomi, which leaves the audience speechless.
To distinguish herself, in 2008, Patty created the new brand, Bodega Artisan Cheese, expanding her product line. Though Patty sold the label and recipes
in 2013, she still has control of the 7.5 acre ranch that can sustain 60-80 goats at a time.
The group was part of the Sancturary of the Heart Ministry, a group
that meets at the Grange Hall on Friday evenings. Their minister, Rev. Reuben Sanchez, is supportive and urges the youth to speak out about their concerns. It is a Christian group and they sing and join in prayers for those in need. I was lucky enough to be asked to visit one evening. It was indeed an eye-opener. The services are in both English and Spanish, and the aura is wonderful. It is not only a worship group, but on alternate dates the group plays games and enjoy each others’ company.
Since 2014 she has run “Patty’s Farm Stay” through AirBnB. When you stay with her, she offers discounted farm tours, cheese tastings, and the option of a farm to table breakfast.
Many of the participants are most comfortable in Spanish, but most are truly bilingual. The group was happy and sharing. Several members of the Fisherman’s Chapel brought cookies and provided support in many ways.
Patty has always been interested in
sustainable agriculture and now has more
time to pursue making it a reality for her,
the neighbors, greater community and future generations. Her goal is “leaving a legacy that’s a model for small scale sustainable agriculture where farmers can make a living.” She will ideally have zero inputs, meaning no bills, by decreasing costs - which is the only way for small farms to generate profit.
The most remarkable thing about the audience was the spirited singing of the Christmas carols and the participant of many very young children as well as the teen-age regulars. The rendering of Nino Lindo in Spanish was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Patty is very concerned with carbon footprints. In one year, for 60 goats, she pays a $25,000 feed bill, which could be drastically lessened by growing the needed food herself. She discovered that 50% of the commercial feed cost goes to fossil fuels. Another downside of purchasing feed from an outlying entity is that hay and grain is best for sheep and cows, but the original diet for a goat is trees and shrubs. This natural diet uses less pasture and the goats absorb it all. When you go back to nature’s pure form, the carbon inputs go way down.
The Youth Group represents a part of Bodega Bay which outside of school has never participated much in the community. They have made up for that and are meeting weekly to enjoy each others’ company and worship God with prayers and thanks. Rev. Reuben Sanchez is a wonderful leader.
On the property there is an 80,000 gallon water tank for agricultural rain catchment used for irrigation during dry months. The Permaculture Skills Center installed an 11 roof system designed to catch rainwater; its main intention is to stretch the water as far as possible. Hence, the goal of “dry farming” is to use the least amount of applied irrigation. All up the side of the hill are a series of swails to catch more rainwater to directly saturate the birms that will have shrubbery (a.k.a. goat food) planted in them.
For those of us who live in the Harbour or in the other parts of the community, this was a special way to meet our neighbors and worship with the youth and the little ones (especially the young man who volunteered to be Little Drummer Boy). We all celebrated Christmas by singing and sharing.
At first, Patty focused solely on the barn, which houses the cheese room and milk parlor, where I remember drinking the freshest milk I’ve ever had right out of the big vats. She explained that “eventually you see the value in the land” itself, and is now doing her best to utilize the whole property to the fullest. She sprouts barley seeds which take only seven days until the grass is ready to feed to the goats. She also makes seed balls by embedding seeds in clay, too large for turkeys to gobble up.
Several adults admitted that it had been several years since they had sung all the traditional Christmas carols (who can sing Silent Night without a small tear.) Watching the many truly little ones paying attention and joining in the songs (like Jingle Bells) was a delight.
Even though it was raining, the turnout was excellent. It was delightful to see those of Fisherman’s Chapel mix right in with those of the Sanctuary of the Heart.
As the world turns...Patty’s big questions are “What legacy are you going to leave?” “Who’s going to run it when I’m gone?” Her children have other careers; she wants it to remain with someone to carry out the vision.
We are lucky enough to have received a little rain. It is amazing how the plants thrive with just a little watering. We have a big increase in deer in our neighborhood. One doe is so comfortable that she insists in bringing her fawn right into our yards for a feast.
The ranch only keeps Alpine goats, which are “lean machines” that make the most milk with the least fat. Currently Patty has four, but wants to add more goats little by little only as they grow enough foliage to feed them.
We have a program to honk loudly at her to get her to avoid the road and the car traffic. She seems to feel invincible (but she certainly is lovely.) Hope she is a better mother than she seems..
She runs the ranch with a “team approach to farming,” where all five people who live on the land share farm chores. She notes that “farms are folding left and right” and countless dairies on the Sonoma County Cheese Trail are going out of business, so people need to get creative and bridge the gap since most farms are not subsidized and land is so expensive.
Underlying all is a concern for those in need. Reach out; enjoy your family and your neighbors. Don’t forget to eat your black-eye peas to assure
a good New Year, and pass some resolutions that you might actually follow. Delight in friends and family and reach out to those in need.
Happy New Year!
46 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 1/19
The Italian community brought dairies to Sonoma and Marin Counties in the 19th Century. Five generations later, the grown children are now going back
to the land and reviving their family legacies. Patty predicts that before too long, all fossil fuels will collapse and we will have to go back to 17th Century living where people depended on the land. The goal is to get the farm to support itself by providing for the people, animals, and earth. Patty is in need of a ranch or dairy manager. Please contact her in regards to that or for other questions: email bdgagoat@sonic.net or leave a message at (707)876-3483.