Board of Directors
Vince Trotter
Board President
Vince has farmed since 2010, working with operations from the Sierra Foothills to the Central Coast of California and Sonoma County, including Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm. At his own farm, he grows primarily for the restaurant trade, raising a diversity of Asian specialty greens, storage crops, and orchard fruit.
Vince also serves as the Agricultural Ombudsman and Sustainable Ag Coordinator for UC Cooperative Extension in Marin County. He helps producers develop new enterprises and practices that will increase the long-term viability of their operations. As Ag Ombudsman, he also translates local, state, and federal rules affecting farms, and helps producers navigate the regulations so they can get the job done.
He has proudly served on the Sonoma County Farm Trails Board of Directors since 2013.
Lauren Bowne
Secretary
Lauren Bowne has guided her strong passion for food & agriculture into 20 years working and studying to make communities healthier and more connected to their food supply. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts with a journalism degree focused on farmers and their experience with community supported agriculture, she went on to law school at UC Davis to gain policymaking experience. Following her studies she spent 7 years working as a consumer health advocate at Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports Magazine. After starting a family and living an urban lifestyle, she and her husband moved with their young son to Sonoma County to pursue a life of rural harmony and cheesemaking. Lauren joined the Farm Trails board in 2012 just as the family started Gypsy Cheese Co., which grew for 3 years. When an opportunity arose at the local nonprofit, School Garden Network, she spent 2 years leading the organization as Executive Director.
Through Lauren’s 10 years sitting on the Board of Directors of Sonoma County Farm Trails she has worked intimately with farming community to highlight the bounties of Sonoma County. She has been committed to Farm Trails through significant transitional periods and was the catalyst in developing the much-loved Artisan Tasting Lounge for the Gravenstein Apple Fair.
Andrea Krout
Treasurer
Owner of Krouty Farms
Karen Bianchi-Moreda
director
Owner of Valley Ford Cheese Company
Alexandra Fox
Director
Alan Siegle
Director
Alex is the owner of Food & Farm Tours, guiding locals and out-of-town guests through the bounty of our local food shed on day excursions to the leading purveyors in Northern California’s sustainable and regenerative agriculture scene. She is a 3rd generation San Franciscan and Marin County native passionate about connecting people to the land and their food source. After working for a decade in the organic food industry, including stints at Straus Family Creamery and CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), Alex has fostered intimate connections with top purveyors making renowned artisanal products in Marin and Sonoma counties, from cheese and oysters to wine and spirits. Her extensive knowledge of sustainable, organic, and regenerative agricultural practices began with a BA in Environmental Studies/ Sustainable Agriculture from UC Santa Cruz and continued to grow throughout her career in the food industry. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Enterprise from Dominican University and has consulted with food and agriculture businesses big and small from the Agricultural Institute of Marin to Preserve Farm Kitchens. Alex is a true foodie and agricultural enthusiast, always hungry to check out the newest spots in town. She believes wholeheartedly that restoring people’s connection to food can change the world.
Alan has been farming for over 45 years. In the early years of Farm Trails, Alan was a regular participant in the Gravenstein Apple Fair as a partner in Bennett Valley Farm. He was a co-founding partner in Sonoma Compost Company, which began in 1985, and operated the county-wide organics composting program from 1993 thru 2015. Alan served on the Sonoma County Planning Commission from 2004 to 2008 and is currently on the Board of West County Health Centers. He presently owns and manages an organic walnut farm in Colusa County. He and his wife, Shelley Brown, are co-chairs of our Greening initiatives at the Gravenstein Apple Fair. Thanks to them, the Fair is a leader in zero-waste event production.