|

Profiles in Preservation
Ielmorini-Moody Dairy,
Valley Ford
About 20 inches of rain
have fallen on the town of Valley Ford this winter, and even on
a warm and sunny winter morning, it's muddy at the Ielmorini-Moody
Dairy. The earth around the milking barn and in the surrounding
fields is saturated. Rose Ielmorini apologizes to a visitor, but
her husband Leo is philosophical. "You need dirt and water
for the world to survive," he says.
The dairy, with 326
acres in Marin County and 1237 acres in Sonoma, is located on the
banks of Americano Creek which flows into Estero Americano. In January,
the Marin portion of the operation became the 46th ranch to be permanently
protected from non-agricultural development by a Marin Agricultural
Land Trust conservation easement. Financed by a grant of $395,000
from the California Coastal Conservancy and $127,600 from contributions
to MALT's capital campaign, the easement brings to 30,655 the total
number of Marin farmland acres now preserved.
The property is jointly
owned by the Ielmorinis, their nephew Steve Moody, and his wife
Jeannie. Jeannie grew up on a small farm in Cotati, and ever since
Steve was a little boy from Rio Vista visiting his Aunt Rose and
Uncle Leo during summer vacations, he's wanted to be a rancher.
"They put me to work," he remembers now, "but I also
got the run of the ranch."
Ellen Straus, MALT Co-founder
Phyllis Faber, MALT Co-founder
Barboni Ranch, Hick's Valley
Big Rock Ranches, Nicasio
Burbank (Anna) Ranch, Tomales
Crayne Ranch, Tomales
Giacomini Ranch, Point Reyes Station
Grossi Ranch, Indian Valley
Ielmorini Ranch, Nicasio
Ielmorini-Moody Dairy, Valley Ford
Jensen (Anna) Ranch, Tomales
Jensen (Bill & Eileen) Ranch, Tomales
Jacobsen Ranch, Chileno Valley
Leiss Ranch, Chileno Valley
Parks (Lois) Ranch, Tomales
Moore Ranch, Nicasio Valley
Poncia (Eugene) Ranch, Tomales
Poncia (Al) Ranch, Tomales
Pozzi Ranch, Tomales
Straus Home & Dairy Ranches, Marshall
Tomales Farm & Dairy—East, Tomales
Tomales Farm & Dairy—West, Tomales
Zimmerman Ranch, Marshall
Home
| Site Map
| Terms of Use
|