The Farm Trails Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to provide training and services for the agricultural community and to educate the public about the importance of supporting local food systems.
Projects:
- funding scholarships for ag youth, ag college students, aspiring farmers, and established farmers/producers, including low-income farmers/producers
- providing trainings for agricultural producers (best practices, marketing, business management, etc.)
- hosting educational tours of agricultural operations for the general public
- preserving heirloom and heritage foods and their traditions
- producing resource guides for the public (including at-risk and vulnerable populations) regarding how to access healthy local foods, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty (as with the pandemic)
- creating local food system guides to cultivate community resilience and support food security in Sonoma County
OPT-IN NOTICE: By donating to the Farm Trails Foundation, you agree to receive periodic updates from us via email about the Foundation's efforts. Don't worry, we do not sell or share your information.
Questions? Contact foundation@farmtrails.org
Foundation Officers
Samantha Harmon
President
Samantha has been an advocate in the local food system for over 10 years. She has worked with local non-profits including Sonoma County Farm Trails and Lexicon of Sustainability. Her passion over the years has focused on consumer education and the “true cost” (or the true value) of the food we eat. She is the co-owner of a North Bay film collective who works with brands & non-profits to highlight stories that matter. Inspired by the many heroic farmers she has met over the years, she is an avid gardener, backyard chicken tender, and a "good food" superfan.
"I am so excited to join Farm Trails in this new capacity. Sonoma County has been a shining example of a community that honors its farmers— from preserving open spaces to cultivating strong neighborhood bonds. I am so honored to join this dedicated team once again and help preserve this agricultural heritage through the Sonoma County Farm Trails' Foundation."
Alan Siegle
Secretary
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 Zero Waste Team at the Gravenstein Apple Fair. Thanks to them, the Fair is a leader in zero-waste event production.
Alan also serves as President of the Board for Sonoma County Farm Trails.
Ariana Strozzi Mazzucchi
Treasurer
Ariana is a Freedom Cowgirl, wild by nature, steadfast and is passionate about healthy living and farming for sustainability in balance with nature. She is a local agricultural leader, zoologist, mother, artist, award winning author, and pioneer of Equine Guided Coaching changing lives since 1989. She is a free spirit, rooted in the ancient wisdom of plants, animals and the natural world. With innovative vision, she weaves lessons from nature, and our own somatic intelligence into a unique process for a Farm to Health lifestyle. She and her family operate Casari Ranch and Freedom Cowgirl Wines at their farm in Santa Rosa. They thrive on tending to their horse and sheep family, growing medicinal plants/teas, wilding grape vines and being a part of our local Agricultural food security.
Foundation Directors
Lauren Bowne, In-Kind Donations Manager, Food for Thought
Duskie Estes, Chef/Farmer, Black Pig Meat Co.
Carmen Snyder, Executive Director, Sonoma County Farm Trails
Ellen Cavalli, Foundation Agent