Ukiah, CA

Every summer in Ukiah when hot mid-afternoon temperatures give way to cooler evenings, Sundays in the Park free music concerts reaffirm and celebrate the soul of our community. On the lawn of beautiful Todd Grove Park you see grandparents, parents, college, high school, junior high, elementary, and pre-school kids talking, laughing, dancing, eating food from the many local vendors and most importantly, enjoying the free concerts featuring world-renowned artists as well as local talent.

Heading now into its 20th year, there have been 121 free Sunday evening concerts featuring over 140 bands to listen to or dance and sing along with. In 1998, founder Spencer Brewer and John Schaefeer of local Real Goods Solar created a solar battery inverter system to power the series making it the first solar powered concert series in the country.

Over the years the park has rocked to top name acts like Richy Havens, Elvin Bishop, Joe Craven, Coco Montoya, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, Poco, Leon Russell, and Mike Marshall. Local talent has included Ford Blues Band, the Ukiah Symphony, and Hansen and Raitt, with a surprise appearance by David Raitt's sister, Bonnie Raitt.

This summer you can hear Robert Cray, Janiva Magness, Hip Service, The Funky Dozen & Top Shelf, Pete Esconvedo, and Mitch Woods and His Rocket 88's! So Bring a blanket and gather with your family, friends and neighbors to enjoy top notch performers while being part of the greater Ukiah community.

"I've been gardening all my life," Joanne Horn told me. "It runs in the family. My parents were gardeners and my sister owns a nursery!" And now Joanne grows all the herbs used by her home and body care company, AfterGlow Naturals.

AfterGlow Naturals was formed in 2000 to provide healthy herbal alternatives to the widespread use of harmful and filler materials in products we use on our skin. Joanne points out that people are far more aware and discerning about what they eat than what they put on their skin. Her products are made of only top quality, gentle and beneficial natural ingredients, and Joanne adds, only those known to have dramatic, proven effects.

She began with a body rub to help out her parents. When creating a new product, Joanne begins by asking herself what she wants this product to accomplish. With years of research, coursework, and a library of books behind her, she then blends the formulas herself, insuring the proper proportions, and puts each new product through months of testing before making it available at a farmers market and on AfterGlow's website.

AfterGlow products range from minimizing scarring after a cut or surgery, enjoying the outdoors without insect irritation, relieving pain and reducing swelling, to eye care, room fresheners, and oils to clear and focus the mind.

One of the delights of heading down to the Ukiah Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, is to be greeted by the herbal fragrance (aromatherapy!) of AfterGlow Naturals and the broad smile of Joanne Horn. The fragrance in the air pulls you right to her table of herbal body care, soaps, and home products. Once you've tried them, you return to introduce friends to AfterGlow products, and of course -- restock your supply.

Nestled in Northern California's beautiful Mendocino County wine country, Tres Classique has been in business since 1985. I thank the day I discovered their balsamics at the Ukiah farmers market. I not only use them regularly now but also send them as gifts to very grateful family and friends around the country. Tres Classique sells their custom infused balsamic vinegar and oils at farmers markets, street fairs, winery events and Christmas festivals. Once you try them, you’re hooked!

Their products are made by hand. The infusion process of garlic, ginger, basil, rosemary, red apple, currant, wild blueberry, or haberrano (their custom blend of garlic, Serrano, and Habaneros in 18 year old balsamic vinegar) produces an unforgettable flavor experience. And these are just a few of the incredible infusions they create and continue to develop.

The company owner, Thomas Allen, is a champion for finding new, healthful, and fun uses for Tres Classique products. He told me you can use them on salads, of course, but don’t limit your imagination and enjoyment. You can use them on vegetables, chicken, pasta, seafood and for bread dipping. How about adding a splash to barbeque sauce or humus, and cutting your favorite salad dressing in half to reduce the calories, fat and sodium. I buy their balsamics from Ben at the Ukiah Farmers Market who uses several of them over ice cream! Customers write in with uses and recipes you can find on their website, tresclassique.com.

Tres Classique now has a ground swell of “sales people” like me sending their products to family and friends around the country. Consequently their online mail order business is growing nearly 20% a year. Their Lemon Splash found its way into the hands of a noted and well-connected chef who is taking on several of their products. Thomas said he would only allow recipes to be produced in larger quantities where the formula works. And he will deliver the formula himself to preserve what makes these products so unique and memorable.

The Lemon Sauvignon Splash is their signature product. Lemon rice bran oil, blended with a ten year old white sauvignon blanc balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy. Try a bottle and you'll understand the "Power of Splash".

The Ukiah Farmers Market. What a great place to meet friends every Saturday morning! A cup of coffee and we're walking through the tables of locally grown, fresh produce, and made goods.

My husband reminded me of a scene in Argentina. Twice a week a grandfather walked by with his grandson in hand to buy local fresh produce out of a neighbor's garage. Friends stopped to talk, connect, smile, debate, laugh, pick up some fresh veggies and strengthen community ties. I thought about the gift that grandfather was giving to his grandson weekly connecting the two of them as they connected with their community. I was also impressed that the grandfather walked at the grandson's pace discovering the community with each step.

Grandfathers, grandsons, discovery, connecting, community, fresh locally grown produce, friends...

We have a great Ukiah Farmers Market. When I said friends in the second sentence of this post, I also meant the people behind the tables. They've become Saturday morning friends we look forward to catching up with each week. The Ukiah Farmers Market feeds community, hearts, minds, and bellies.

It is a different pace of shopping. For those of you who have not been there or haven’t been there recently I invite you to check it out. According to Scott Cratty who organizes the Ukiah Farmers Market, business has slowed this winter. Here is the opening of his recent email:

“Been taking some time off from the farmers' market this Winter? It seems that many in the Ukiah area have. Attendance at our local farmers' markets is down sharply relative to the last two seasons, both in Ukiah and in Willits.”

Looking forward to seeing you again at our our local farmers market to talk, connect, smile, debate, laugh, pick up some fresh veggies and strengthen community ties - and get a good cup of coffee on Satruday mornings.

Mendocino County has many views to offer including rugged coastlines to the west, rolling hills studded with oaks, madrones, firs, bays, serene pear orchards, and lush vineyard expanses and wineries. Our county has majestic mountains and the Mendocino National Forest to the east inhabited with hiking trails, recreation in its streams and rivers, and abundant wildlife. It is a pristine county with pastoral agricultural valleys where you will still find cattle and horse ranches and possibly a sheep ranch, now almost a memory.

You will also find vast timberland in Mendocino County, once the economic center of the county. Now there are lost and forgotten trails and remote waterfalls deep into areas of woods and forests where only those who know the way can take you to those hidden roads and wilderness hide-a-ways.

Environmentally aware Mendocino County, known to some as the “Solar Capital of the World” is budding with quality green construction and smart growth awareness. We have people who care about Mendocino’s real estate future creating earth-conscious life styles through various methods of sustainable living such as permaculture and bio-intensive gardening with solar, hydro and wind power.

As I personally walk the mountains and ranches of this enchanting county, I am immersed in what I love. Mendocino County is a beautiful region of the world. I have a philosophy not of selling bricks and mortar nor acres of land. My efforts are aimed at your achieving not just a home, but a quality of life. You can view Mendocino County real estate and in-town Ukiah real estate properties on my website, the-landlady.com or contact me through my email. I will assist you through the many phases of a real estate transaction, always mindful of your concerns regarding environment, schooling, finances, and personal lifestyle, and finding your fit with our beautify Mendocino County.