AGRICULTURE

  People in Sonoma County earn their living in many ways. In the agriculture industry farmers plant, raise and harvest crops. Other people take these products to market. 

A farm in Sonoma County

  Agriculture in Sonoma County began many years ago. The Russians grew the first wheat, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, prunes and grapes. The Spanish padres planted grapevines and olive trees that they brought from Spain.

The Korbel Brothers who made wine, also harvested prunes. Here the prunes dry at the winery near Guerneville.

Sebastopol Ranchers organized the first Gravenstein Apple Show in 1910 to promote their apples.

 Agriculture has been, and still is , very important in Sonoma County. Many people make their living on farms and ranches. There is fertile soil, good climate and easy transportation so many things can grow here, such as, fruits, berries, hops, grapes and timber. 

Families who picked hops near the Russian River in the late 1800's. Every summer adults and children lived in the fields and worked all day picking the tiny, thumb-sized hops from 15 to 20 foot vines.

  Apples and pears are grown in Sebastopol, Healdsburg and Sonoma. Pears used to be grown all over the county but now only a few farmers sell them. Prunes are the oldest crop grown and used to be the largest crop here.

Apple Blossom Trees in Sebastopol

 Grapes are one of Sonoma County's most important crops today.       

VINEYARDS	GRAPES	Korbel Winery, 1880's

  The first grapevines were planted by the Spanish padres. Most of the grapes grown today are sold to wineries. Sonoma County wines are very famous and are sold all over the world. 

Many residents made wine in their basement.

At one time, the Petaluma area produced more poultry and eggs than any other place in the world.

A giant egg basket, symbol of Petaluma's status as the "World's Egg Basket" and one of the region's largest agricultural industries during the 1920s

Petaluma was known as "The Egg Basket of the World". Today, chickens are still raised in the county but not as many as in the past.

Women work at the egg packing plant in Petaluma in the early 1900's.

  Rohnert Park is where vegetable seeds were grown. Lettuce, beet, onion and carrot seeds were the most important ones grown. The seeds were shipped all over the world for people to plant.

 Other crops grown are wheat, oats, corn and hay used mostly to feed the livestock.

  Dairy farms are also an important business in mostly southern Sonoma. Milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt is processed at the dairies.

Bodega Creamery 1890

1880 Dairy Farm

 Sonoma County is also good for raising beef and sheep. Lambs are sold for food in the spring and beef is shipped to markets throughout the year.