Valley News

FARM STANDS

1. Cal Yee Farms
2. Cherry Orchard U-Pick
3. Erickson Ranch Produce Stand
and Dahlia Garden
4. Larry’s Produce
5. Parker Farms
6. Saechao Family Farm
7. The Vegetable Patch
8. Willotta Ranch

SPECIALTY CROPS

9. Ameri-Turf Sod Farm

WINERIES

10. Ledgewood Creek Winery
11. Wooden Valley Winery

EATERIES

12. El Tapatio Cafe
13. La Barista Espresso
14. Rockville Inn
15. The Vintage Caffe
16. Valley Cafe

ART GALLERIES

17. Billy Hines Iron Art By Design
18. The Clay Station
19. Glashoff Gallery

5/14/2006
Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series examining the future of Suisun Valley.

BY BARRY EBERLING - Daily Republic

FAIRFIELD — Doreen Lum has seen Suisun Valley change during the quarter century she’s run The Vegetable Patch produce stand – and not always for the better.

Pear orchards and other fruit orchards have been torn out in recent years. In some cases, fields that once produced a bounty of crops lie fallow. “There’s a lot of land out here that’s just open,” Lum said.

Suisun Valley has long been a sacrosanct place in Solano County, a place offlimits to development. But farming is getting tougher to do economically. Plus, this piece of rural paradise abuts Interstate 80, an eight-lane behemoth with the Midaslike trick of turning most of what it touches urban.

Now a variety of political and economic forces are coming together to decide the valley’s future. Whether Suisun Valley will grow crops or houses is a question that should come into sharper focus over the coming few years.

For Lum, there is much to treasure in this 10,000-acre valley that runs from Twin Sisters to south of Interstate 80. “There’s peace and the calm of it all out here,” Lum said. At least most of the time. Commuters avoiding the freeway clog the country... click here to continue

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