The Young Farmers and Ranchers of the San Bernardino County Farm Bureau hosted a wine tasting of the local micro-boutique winery, Coyote Oaks, at Uncorked on State Street in Redlands with a private vineyard tour the following day. The tasting was led by the winemaker, Karen Sherman.
The tasting was a comparative tasting between wines from the Escondido region and those made with grapes grown in Redlands and the surrounding areas. The event was attended by winemaking professionals from the Redlands and Yucaipa areas as well as Farm Bureau members and members of the public. Food pairings were selected from the Uncorked menu. The event was organized by the Young Farmers and Ranchers Steering Committee, comprised of Dalton Abrahms, Dylan Hatt, and John P. Beall.
This tasting is the first of a new series the Young Farmers and Ranchers have launched on the theme of wine, winemaking, and viticulture, which as an industry is one of this valley’s oldest commercial crops dating back to at least the early 19th Century. When Redlands became a dry town in the 1890s, grape growers in the area moved to Rancho Cucamonga and the Guasti District in Ontario, which became the largest grape-growing region in the world at the turn of the 20th Century. Redlands is no longer a dry city, and now farmers and homeowners are taking a second look at this water-efficient and long-successful crop, with several wineries already in operation in the Redlands and Yucaipa areas.
“The Redlands and Yucaipa areas already have several vineyards and wineries doing great things,” said Beall of the Young Farmers & Ranchers’ steering committee.The series will focus on various aspects of grape cultivation and winemaking, even on a small scale, showcasing the developments of the industry in the area. The series will also feature experiences on other special agricultural commodities of the area including olives, dairy, specialty crops, spices, flowers, and of course citrus and other fruits.
“The State of California recognizes this area as containing some of the best farmland in the state. This surprises people, because I think many take farming here for granted. There’s a lot of great things that can be done or are already happening here in agriculture, and we want to help people experience it,” said Beall, “and if people want to get started on an idea, we want to help that too. Oftentimes the biggest perceived obstacle is figuring out how to begin.”
Those interested in attending future events should monitor the Young Farmers and Ranchers of San Bernardino County Instagram page @yfrofsbco for further information. Membership is available to farmers and non-farmers who are simply interested in the area’s agriculture; to learn more, consult https://sbfarmbureau.com/.
The Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee is a program for agriculturalists between the ages of 18 and 35 involved in production, banking, business, and many other areas of the industry. Young Farmers and Ranchers provides opportunities to develop leadership skills through involvement in Farm Bureau at the county, state, and national levels.
The San Bernardino County Farm Bureau is a non-profit organization supported by farmers, ranchers, growers and business support members and is one of 53 county farm bureaus in California. Established in 1917, the San Bernardino County Farm Bureau advocates on behalf of family farmers and serves the needs of the agriculture community through public relations, education and public policy advocacy in order to promote the economic viability of agriculture balanced with appropriate management of natural resources.