New recipe from Chef Patrick Mulvaney

Mulvaney’s Lemon Risotto Cake

By Chef Patrick Mulvaney Proprietor/Chef
Mulvaney’s Building and Loan

Patrick Mulvaney is a proud Sacramentan whose cooking career has spanned five time zones and two and a half decades. . Moving to the Valley in 1993, he fell in love with the year round growing season and the proximity of the farmers, ranchers, brewers and winemakers.

View Recipe

Blog post by Nicole Van Vleck : Of Capitol Concern

Recently, as part of the California Rice Commission delegation, I traveled to Washington DC to join the USA Rice Federation’s Government Affairs Conference. As we are just currently draining our rice fields in preparation for our spring work, it is a slow time for rice farmers, making it the ideal time to meet with all our local Congressmen and Congresswomen regardless of party affiliation.

As this was my first trip to Washington DC as a member of the California Rice Commission delegation, I learned a lot from those members of our group who have been going each and every year. We discussed general agricultural issues such as job creation, trade issues, the estate tax and the regulatory climate.

We also spoke of the specific rice issues such as the habitat value that California rice lands provides to 7-10 million wintering waterfowl which is worth $1.5 billion if those temporary wetlands had to be replaced. We also mentioned how the rice lands in the Sacramento Valley provide 57 percent of the food that the winter waterfowl use while migrating down the Pacific Flyway each year. We appeal to many of them when discussing the wonderful cuisine we provide, reminding them that all the sushi eaten in the US is made with California rice.

It was gratifying to hear how well received this information was. In fact, Congressman Sam Farr was among those who were quite impressed with our rice farmer’s blog. Getting more people to read about the important story of our crop is very valuable.

It’s a long flight to the nation’s capitol, but as long as we can spend some time and convey our story to members of Congress, it is a trip well worth taking.

---

Nicole Montna Van Vleck is a third generation rice farmer who farms with her parents and sister in Sutter County. Nicole is Managing Partner of Montna Farms which grows, dries and stores super premium short grain rice. Montna Farms partners with many waterfowl organizations to protect and enhance waterfowl habitat primarily on its working rice lands.

Nicole is a graduate of UCLA and The California Agricultural Leadership Program. Nicole and her husband Stan have two school-aged children.

New post by Sean Doherty: The paperwork season

So what does a rice farmer do all winter long?

Here’s how it goes for me. I usually stay working in the fields incorporating the rice straw back into the soil until a big enough rain comes and forces me to stop. That usually takes until around the end of November. Most of December is spent cleaning equipment and putting things away for the winter. Attending the annual USA Rice Outlook Conference. Also, December is "THE" big month for birthdays in my family. Basically, my wife, and all my kids have birthdays in December and we manage to fit Christmas in too. It makes for a real busy month, but it leaves the rest of the year open, which is nice.

This photo shows you how I spend January and February. Going over cropping plans, budgets, accounts, operating loan renewals, etc, etc. Basically a whole lot of paperwork, and throw in all the continuing education rice meetings on top of it.

While I’m busy in the office, my awesome crew is fixing machinery in the shop and fabricating some new pieces as well. We change oil, repair leaks, and make sure the spring equipment can roll out in, I hope, tip-top shape.

March is just around the corner and when the ground gets dry you know where I'll be- back in the field, getting everything ready for the upcoming crop.

---

Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.

He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.

Read more about Sean in Rice Farming magazine

Video post from new blogger, Brian McKenzie

Family farmer and new Calrice.com blogger Brian McKenzie of Pleasant Grove describes the steps taken during winter to get fields ready for the next rice crop.

---

Brian McKenzie proudly represents the fourth generation of rice farmers in his family. Following his graduation in 2005 from The University of Nevada Reno where he earned bachelors degrees in Economics and Marketing, Brian returned to the family farm in South Sutter County to farm full-time alongside his father, Chris. Brian and his wife, Ashley, grow several varieties of conventional and organic rice. Brian enjoys the challenges that farming brings and takes pride in producing food for the world.

New: Chico Museum debuts yearlong rice exhibit

Learn more about "Amazing Grains" - a new exhibit at the Chico Museum highlighting the value and diversity of rice.

Watch Video- Details from Curator Heather McCafferty

Watch Video- Comments from Assistant Curator Audra Hoyt

View Photo Album of the exhibit, Amazing Grains

Blog Post by Nicole Van Vleck: Mulvaney's Building & Loan Family Meal celebrates California Rice

Most of us enjoy rice as a side dish accompanying various meats and fish. Some of my favorites are sushi, teriyaki steak or simply rice alongside a chicken enchilada mixed with beans and salsa. Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney had an entirely different take on rice at their recent Family Meal Celebrating California Rice at the Crocker Cafe. The entire meal was not only rice, but six types of California rice. My family was invited as Bobbin's guests to sit at her table.

My husband, children and father joined me in this tasty endeavor. It began with the appetizers which are always my daughter's favorites: sushi and Patrick's fried rice balls. The first course was a Red, White and Black rice salad with hazelnut and tarragon. This was my dad's favorite, as evidenced by his move to take the first scoop. My son, who at first passed on the Arborio Risotto with Wild Mushroom and Fiscalini Cheddar, ended up having seconds of this dish once he gave it a taste and realized how savory it was.

The main course was paired with short grain rice, Koshihikari, that we grow at Montna Farms and was prepared in a traditional Japanese fashion with a strip of loin of beef that had been roasted in sesame with baby bok choy. As my husband is a cattleman, this was definitely his favorite course.

Finally, my favorite was the dessert. I wrongly assumed Patrick would make rice pudding. However, he surprised me with Meyer Lemon infused with Rice and Almond Cake using all locally grown rice, citrus and almonds. It was fabulous and heartening to see the surprising ways our crop can be used when it’s in the hands of a creative chef!

When you’re in Sacramento, a trip to Mulvaney’s or the Crocker Cafe is a great way to sample the bounty of foods grown right here in the Central Valley.

---

Nicole Montna Van Vleck is a third generation rice farmer who farms with her parents and sister in Sutter County. Nicole is Managing Partner of Montna Farms which grows, dries and stores super premium short grain rice. Montna Farms partners with many waterfowl organizations to protect and enhance waterfowl habitat primarily on its working rice lands.

Nicole is a graduate of UCLA and The California Agricultural Leadership Program. Nicole and her husband Stan have two school-aged children.

Guest blog post: "How rice finally won me over"

By Charlotte King

"Charlotte! Eat your rice, it's good for you!"
"But Mommmmmm....it doesn't taste....you know....good."
"But it's good for you, that's all that matters."

Many of my first exposures to rice as a kid, similar to many unfortunate kids I know, didn't kindle my affection for its abilities and tasty wonderfulness until I was older and learned how wonderful it could be. Like many families with working moms trying to provide the best for their kids we were exposed to the box flavored rice concepts that many could name, but they fell well short of tantalizing my taste buds. Since those unfortunate experiences, my appreciation for rice has grown, as I’ve tasted wonderful new options. It’s something I hope kids far and wide could enjoy, instead of some of the most popular but least enticing options in my opinion.

With the local food movement only gaining more traction all over the country it’s a wonderful time to be able to embrace your own personal food culture, and move away from processed products, that are not only not as nutritious but also not as tasty.

As a devoted foodie and Sacramento native I've been writing about food & wine for 5+ years, from foie gras to the best bacon cheeseburger out there. I’m fully focused on our local food culture; and it was only when my sister Amanda (a devoted cook in her own right) began working with the California Rice Commission did she start learning more and more about this unsung solider of the food pyramid.

Coming from an actively-disliking rice background she showed my entire family how to properly cook rice (steamer, rice cooker), the different things you could do with rice (risotto, pilaf, paella, sushi, steamed), and how many different kinds of rice there are out there - over 40,000 varieties worldwide. Now she’s a consistent educator of rice, from telling someone in the grocery store to a speaking about new techniques with celebrity sushi chefs. That’s the power of food knowledge, it goes viral, people want to share what they know with others.

So now that I’ve been properly educated by my sister, with chefs embracing rice more and more, and by tasting rice at events & dinners all the time, I have a 180 degree appreciation difference - rice tastes good! My mom was amazed at my transformation. But I’m a firm believer that it’s not the access or quantity that counts but the quality and where it was grown that makes a true difference in what ends up on the plate. Thankfully, we have plenty of rice grown just outside of Sacramento that serves as the start of many future memorable meals.

---

Charlotte King writes The Grand Adventure of a Food & Wine Diva. Her blogging has received coverage from the Sacramento Bee and Sacramento Magazine.

Blog post by Sean Doherty: Thoughts on the World’s Largest Farm Show

Last Thursday, I left the house at 4 am and picked up three fellow farmers to go to the World Ag Expo in Tulare. It’s about a four-hour drive from home and we got there at about 8 am just before they opened the gates.

This is the largest farm show in the world, with 2.6 million square feet of show grounds and 1,500 exhibitors. About 100,000 people attend this three-day extravaganza. I hadn't been for several years so this was the year to go apparently.

- Here are the farmers I traveled with to Tulare- Tyler Schofield, Bill Wallace and Mike Lux.

At the expo all the farm supply companies from Case IH, John Deere, and Claas on down to local companies show their newest and best stuff. I like to drool over all the shiny new tractors. It is an immense show, and impossible to see in one day though we tried our best.

It think it’s important to go every few years just to stay up on the new technology, like new software, GPS systems or water management tools. It was a long day and there is a lot of neat new stuff coming out that might be on my radar in the future. It was worth the 500 mile round trip.

---

Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.

He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.

Read more about Sean in Rice Farming magazine

New Recipe from Chef Ed Roehr of Magpie Café in Downtown Sacramento

New Featured Recipe from Chef Ed Roehr of Magpie Café

Steelhead and California Rice cake with Red Wine and Fennel Vinaigrette

View Recipe and Chef video comments

New- High definition harvest footage with comments from a family farmer

A Season to Remember: View harvest activity at Sheppard Family Farms in Butte County, one of 2,500 family rice farmers in California.

Video post: Winter rice fields are truly for the birds

---

Fifth-generation farmer Charley Mathews is continuing a family a legacy that began in the 1850s. Their first rice fields were planted in the 1940s and are still going strong in Yuba County. Charley is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He and his wife Hilliary have two sons, Parker and Adam.

"California Rice Facts" information sheet

Did you know that California rice is in demand all over the world? Or that family farmers in the Golden State produce more than four billion pounds of rice every year? California farmers provide a consistent supply of high quality rice that’s perfect for sushi and many other dishes.

View these and more facts on the latest California Rice Facts sheet.

Guest video: Fresh and local, as defined by Sacramento Chef Ed Roehr

---

Ed Roehr has spent most of his life in the kitchen—he has worked as a sous chef for small restaurants and training chef for an upscale steakhouse. He started his restaurant career prepping food and scrubbing pots at age 14. His culinary wanderlust led him from Sacramento to the Bay Area, Chicago to Hawaii. Ed spent a year in a small trattoria in Venice, Italy, where he absorbed a solid repertoire of Italian classics and Venetian specialties. Ed is chef and owner of Magpie Café in Downtown Sacramento.

New Post from Blogger Lauren LaGrande- Navigating through an eventful year

It’s a new year, with new opportunities, new resolutions, and that's right.. a new driver, as I just got my license!

This year we have noticed many more bird watchers compared to previous years on our ranches. As I drive out to the ranch in my truck, I see all the bird watchers' cars lined up along the rice fields, enjoying the view. My dad says we've had plenty of rain this year to fill the reservoirs, which will enable us to plant plenty of rice. Spring planting is less than two months away.

Right now Maxwell High School is in the middle of an intense basketball season. I have the bruised knees to prove it! Also, I will be taking my steer Oreo to the Colusa County weigh-ins for fair. Oreo and I have a lot of quality time ahead of us to prepare for the fair in June. I will also be attending FBLA sections soon, which will decide whether I will qualify to compete at the state finals. I will be competing in job interview and introduction to business. Wish me luck!

---

Lauren LaGrande is the latest in a family farming tradition that began nearly 100 years ago. She is a sophomore at Maxwell High School and is active in FFA, Future Business Leaders of America, volleyball, basketball and softball. When she’s on the farm, you’ll often see her with her trusted companion, Hank, the family dog. Lauren’s great-grandfather grew his first rice crop in the Sacramento Valley in 1916 and the family has continued this tradition ever since.