A Farmer’s Story That Needs To Be Told: Reprint of 2017 Special to the Mountain Democrat
The year was 1947. The place is Pasadena, California. The people gathered around the bridge table are regulars. The topic is a regular complaint about the lousy weather, and the city congestion. It was, as L. G. “Frank” Beals put it at the time, “making him sick.” Frank was is one...[Read More]
After my return from the Positano Italy trip during October 2019, moving from Placerville became the priority, as planned. We need a more manageable home and yard. Luckily our realtor, Scott Derkson, projected our path quickly to find a 55+ community and lovely home in El Dorado Hills. ...[Read More]
Bill Kitagawa of Sacramento’s “Toichi Domato” bloom took third place as well as peoples’ choice in the Murer House show. Second place went to Folsom’s Jim Raines’ “Haru NoUtena.” Sonyia Noonan of Folsom took first place with her “Mathotiana Supreme” bloom. Best of show was again Jim Raines with his “Swadas Dream,” a 20-year old plant according to Raines. Last year at Murer...[Read More]
“Just days ago on Feb.16 the California almond industry celebrated National Almond Day with a big campaign to get the entire nation eating one of California’s top crops.
“Don’t limit yourself to just one nut, however. California Assembly Bill 1067 approved by the governor on July 10, 2017 made the almond, pistachio, pecan and walnut all the State Nut....[Read More]
California may be known for its gold discovery, but the real deal are in the nooks and crannies in and around Main Street USA. Placerville, in the foothills of the Sierra, is one such town where “Destination” speaks loud and clear. In this little town of approximately 8,000 people treasures are real for art and history buffs, farm and quilt trail visitors, fishing/hiking spots, family fun,...[Read More]
Gold Panning Championships Finals in Placerville on September 17-18 wound upwards into high levels of cheering by onlookers of every country, including a bagpiper from Spain. Amid the din, flags swirled, the announcer’s enthusiasm mounted, and the competitors panned faster than ever....[Read More]
The Placerville Fairgrounds was a-buzz with visitors, competitors, vendors, and golf carts darting to and fro on missions of every description to keep everyone happy. Most of the day was a waiting game: for the spectators and competitors alike, until their turn came to pan....[Read More]
El Dorado Gold 2016 in Placerville, CA Sept. 11-18 opened with a bang! They appeared in costumes, with banners, flags, horse teams and carriages. Nations from A to Z by the hundreds came in for the panning competition (tomorrow’s blog)....[Read More]
The year was 1947. The place is Pasadena, California. The people gathered around the bridge table are regulars. The topic is a regular complaint about the lousy weather, and the city congestion. It was, as L. G. “Frank” Beals put it at the time, “making him sick.” Frank was is one of the gang with a regular itch for country life and hopeful for a resolution to his “citified”...[Read More]
If it’s Labor Day the chances are pretty good that tomatoes are available and in demand. Ingomar Packing is one of the biggest tomato processing companies in the Central Valley / Los Banos area. A typical tomato truck holds 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, which is about 300,000 tomatoes. California is the nation’s largest producer of processed tomatoes, accounting for 96% of U.S. output and...[Read More]
Betty is a California-based writer whose work explores local history, travel, food, and the people who shape community life. Her storytelling is rooted in curiosity, culture, and real-world experience.
Stories of place, people, and culture - told with curiosity and heart - telling stories that bring places and people to life.
Betty is a Gold Country-based writer covering regional history, travel, food, and human-interest stories, with a focus on the people and traditions that define a place.