Full Belly Files | Raising a Toast to Regenerative Done Right

“Regenerative” is quickly overtaking “organic” and “biodynamic” as the holy grail of eco-minded agricultural practices. Santa Barbara, meanwhile, is becoming a hotbed of the movement, which aims to proactively improve the environment and climate rather than just keeping the negative impacts of food and drink production to a minimum.

Though I was aware of similar concepts like permaculture long before — and had been writing about biodynamics in wine since the mid-2000s — I first heard the word used as a name for a farming philosophy back in 2015. I was writing this story about Solminer Wine Co., whose owners David and Anna de Laski told me about the regenerative tenets they were starting to introduce to their Los Olivos vineyard and farm. (It’s not specifically mentioned in the story, which probably indicates how new the concept was to me.)

These ideas got a national boost with the 2018 documentary The Biggest Little Farm, about a family property in Moorpark, and then the White Buffalo Land Trust took over a small 12-acre farm in Summerland in 2019, bringing regenerative techniques to the forefront of Santa Barbara’s mindset. In April 2021, the Trust purchased the 1,000-acre Jalama Canyon Ranch, which I covered in this long article. That move and the work that’s been done since is setting the stage for the ranch to become an international hub for all things regenerative.

Based on the energy of the crowd — and the impressive clip of the high-priced auction bids — at the White Buffalo Land Trust’s annual fundraiser last Saturday, Santa Barbara is ready and willing to support that dream becoming a reality. I’ve been to countless fundraiser galas before, but this was one of the most impressive I’ve ever attended. With more than 250 people on hand, the event, held at the Santa Ynez Ranch (formerly Bridlewood Winery), seamlessly integrated the various communities — farmers, chefs, winemakers, mixologists, philanthropists, politicians, entrepreneurs, and so forth — required to make big things happen.

“Our work has reached thousands of people and impacted over 100,000 acres of land so far, and we are just getting started,” said the Trust’s founder and president Steve Finkel in his introductory remarks to the crowd. “We believe it’s time to move beyond the goal of merely sustaining depleted resources, moving beyond the goal of merely doing less harm. We believe it’s our role as humans and as a community to be positive stewards, to make an actual positive impact on the people and on the land around us, leaving it more healthy and more bountiful at the end of our time than it was at the beginning of our time.”

White Buffalo Land Trust Founder and President Steve Finkel (left) and Director of Land Stewardship Jesse Smith | Credit: Tim Aukshunas

He was followed by Jesse Smith, the Trust’s director of land stewardship. “We really don’t know what the future holds,” he said, “but we do know that what we do now matters for our kids, for our grandkids, and for the generations to come.”

Smith’s remarks cast the event as a self-addressed love letter to Santa Barbara, a chance to sit back and bask a bit in the food & drink community that’s been cultivated here over the decades. “Anyone who cherishes Santa Barbara recognizes that it’s a truly unique place,” said Smith. “It has a special essence to it. There’s obviously beauty, but also the bounty and the diversity of this land. It’s often misunderstood as to what Santa Barbara is, and I think those that know it and intimately love it really understand it.”

No one seemed to disagree. When the speeches were done, I wandered over to the Solminer table, one of the many regenerative-minded wineries invited to pour. I said hi to Anna and David, and reminded them that they were the first to put the regenerative buzz in my ear. Mark your calendar for next year, so long as you love Santa Barbara, good food & drink, and a mission to better this planet.

More Regenerative Reading & Watching

Sticking with the theme of regenerative farming and ranching, I encourage you to read my cover story this week on Elizabeth Poett. She’s the star of the Magnolia Network’s streaming series Ranch to Table, whose fourth season just kicked off over the weekend, and the author of The Ranch Table, a cookbook and collection of essays about her life on Rancho San Julian near Lompoc. She’s also the daughter of my boss for the past quarter-century, Marianne Partridge, and I get into the awkwardness of penning a profile about someone I’ve known for most of both our lives in my story.

One of my favorite quotes from the article is when Elizabeth asserts that the only reason her family still remains on
the ranch is that they’ve adapted and planned for the future with each generation. “Diversification, sustainability, regenerative agriculture — these are all such hot topics and buzz words, but it’s truly how we have lived,” she told me. “It’s the reason why this ranch is still in our family.”

For those who’d rather watch a film about regenerative agriculture than read a story — but do both, of course! — the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network is hosting a regional premiere of the film Rachel’s Farm on Sunday, October 15, 6 p.m., at the Lobero Theater. Like the Australian version of The Biggest Little Farm, the documentary follows Rachel Ward as she deals with catastrophic fires and floods by taking the path toward regenerative farming. Rachel will be in attendance and take part in a Q&A following the film. Click here for more details and click here for the $14 tickets; 12 and under are free.

Want even more good causes and planet-healthy eats? Also on October 14 is Rooted Santa Barbara County’s free Rooted in Community event at the Community Arts Workshop at 631 Garden Street. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be bilingual kitchen demos, chalk-drawing and other kid activities, and plant-based bites from Rascals, Satellite, and others.

That evening, Rooted presents the documentary The Game Changers about plant-powered athletes, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic, and Chris Paul. That starts at 7 p.m. and costs $10 in advance, $15 at the door, which includes a glass of wine or mocktail from Satellite and craft popcorn.

Click here for full details and see rootedsantabarbara.org to learn more.

Wine Events During Harvest Time

After a very cool growing season, Santa Barbara County’s wine grape harvest — which sometimes starts as early as late July — is finally ramping up in early October. It’s likely to be the latest harvest of recent memory, if not ever, and some winemakers are already adjusting their Thanksgiving plans, as fermentations may still be underway into December.

So long as mildew-causing rain stays away, it’s likely to be an epic vintage for quality, given that the extra long hang time tends to produce more complex flavors in the grapes. Fingers remain crossed for the weeks to come, and this week’s mini-heatwave should help move things along at a critical time.

What better time to attend a wine dinner or go on a wine journey? Here are some upcoming ones that are on my radar:

Sabor del Valle Latino Food & Wine Festival: Santa Barbara County is a hotbed for vineyard workers of Mexican heritage who became winemakers over the course of their careers, including Felipe Hernandez of Feliz Noche Cellars, Ruben “The Grape Whisperer” Solorzano of Stolpman Vineyards, and Fidencio Flores of Esfuerzo Wines. Flores and his business partner Israel Villegas are celebrating that tradition by hosting the first-ever Sabor del Valle Food & Wine Festival this Saturday, October 7, 4-8 p.m. in Solvang. Check out Vanessa Vin’s story here and get tickets for the event here.

Grape-Stomping Adventure to Guadalupe on Amtrak: The Guadalupe Social Club, which I wrote about in this article, is hosting this brilliant adventure on Sunday, October 22. Hop on the 10 a.m. Amtrak from Santa Barbara to Guadalupe, hop off around noon in the historic coastal town, snap some selfies in front of the public murals, snag some Mexican cuisine at La Simpatia, stomp some grapes while sipping wine at the club, get pizza delivered to the train station, and watch the sunset on your 5:45 p.m. train ride home. Tickets for the stomp festivities are $45, and you need to set up the train rides and other meals on your own. Click here for tickets.

Foxen Dinner at Pico in Los Alamos: Coinciding with the Santa Barbara Vintner’s Festival Weekend, Foxen Winery is hosting a three-course dinner at Pico in Los Alamos on Friday, October 13. The menu will feature carnival squash from Elder Flat in Los Alamos, rabbit cassoulet from Motley Crew Ranch, and Finley Farm carrots. Tickets are here or email pico@losalamosgeneralstore.com.

A2Z x Kettmann Cellar Raid Dinners: The series of dinners that I am hosting at the Apples to Zucchini Cooking School this fall continue on October 25, where I am pouring a mix of SLO Coast and Paso Robles wines. A2Z chefs Cris Garcia and Jeff King’s six-course menu includes nicoise salad with aleppo pepper-rubbed tuna, agnolotti filled with sweet potato and ricotta, and a short rib bourguignon. That evening is already sold out, but there are still three seats left for the November 15 dinner and four seats left for the December 13 dinner. Wine themes and menus for those to come. Tickets here.

Ancient Peaks Walk for Cancer: Seeking to head up toward Paso Robles, get some exercise, and benefit a good cause? Ancient Peaks in Santa Margarita is hosting the second annual “Walk for Cancer” on Sunday, October 22, where pink-clad participants will enjoy a two-mile stroll that culminates with tacos, wine, and a live DJ. The event, which benefits Cancer Support Community Central Coast, starts at 9 a.m. and costs $50, or $10 for 12 and under. Click here to register.

Chuck Wagon Bar-B-Q @ Cuyama Buckhorn: Okay, this isn’t quite wine, but the Cuyama Buckhorn is hosting their Chuck Wagon Bar-B-Q Weekend October 13 to 15, with chef-author-son of famous actor Ben Ford on hand to share his woodfired wisdom during the Saturday night dinner. There’s also music, whiskey tasting, and a butchery class with Morro Bay Butcher. Click here for details and tickets.