Way of Life

Agriculture has thrived in western Marin County, California, since the mid-19th century when the Californios, the first Mexican land grantees, settled here. Point Reyes became known as the birthplace of the California dairy industry, and during the Gold Rush it was famous for the "other" gold-butter!-produced here and shipped by train or schooner to cities and towns throughout the West.

Soon immigrants from Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy, and other countries established family farms that are still a vital part of the local economy-both on the Point Reyes Peninsula and along the east shore of Tomales Bay.

Today, all around the town of Tomales, sheep graze on emerald pastures. In Point Reyes Station, Inverness, and the coastal valleys, beef cattle range freely. Dairy cows wend their way to milking barns. Organic growers cultivate fruit and vegetable crops. On Tomales Bay, oyster farmers harvest shellfish as they have for decades. But the future of this coastal treasure is at risk. Sprawl, development, and rising land prices threaten agriculture and family farms.

If you value this land and Marin's rural heritage, if you share our belief that the preservation of family farms and agricultural lands for local food production, open space, and wildlife habitat benefits all of us, you can play a vital role in safeguarding these irreplaceable resources. Please tour this website or call us at 415-663-1158 for more information.

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