Join us for a butchery demo, regenerative ranching panel discussion and culinary gathering featuring wine, beer, and an assortment of locally sourced bites from some of the Bay Area’s most celebrated purveyors!

Space is limited for our fundraiser, so we encourage you to reserve your spot today. Scholarships (complimentary tickets) are available, please apply here by October 9th.

Date and Time

• Saturday, October 26th
• 12:30 to 5:30 pm

Location

• Downtown Petaluma
• The address will be shared via email when you purchase your ticket(s) and will also include your charitable donation receipt.

Community Partners

Special thanks to our sponsors...this event would not be possible without the generous support of Belfare Sonoma • Martha Stoumen Wines • Lagunitas Brewing Co. • Flannery Beef • Marin French Cheese Co. • Laura Chenel • Stemple Creek Ranch • Journeyman Meat Co. • Bonjerk • Cult Crackers • Rustic Bakery • PRICEFILMS

The Fundraiser Ticket Price Includes

• 90-minute beef butchery demo with Q+A
• 60-minute ranching panel with Q + A
• Happy hour with locally sourced wine, beer, and bites
• ECOBAGS canvas tote bag
• PCF’s Local Meat Purveyor Guide
• Charitable donation receipt
• Raffle tickets for culinary gift basket giveaway
  

Why Attend?

The Pine Cone Foundation (PCF) is a Bay Area-based non-profit with the mission of cultivating a better food future by supporting farming, ranching, fishing, and foodways in California. In 2022, we commenced our annual Micro-Grant Program and to date have contributed to 9 farmers, ranchers, and fisheries. This year we aim to award six micro-grants and elevate PCF’s support to 15 operations with overall funding exceeding $48k. With this goal in mind, we’re hosting The Journey from Ranch to Plate which spotlights regenerative ranching and butchery, as well as provides insights on how you can join the thoughtfully-raised meat movement, which is not only healthier for you but for the welfare of animals and the planet.

The goal of regenerative ranching is to restore ecosystem health while bringing superior meat products to market, but how do these mechanisms work together, moreover, what is our role as consumers and how can we actively participate in this process? Our workshop featuring a beef butchery demo, meat purveyor panel discussion, and an interactive Q+A will help you gain an understanding of the philosophies and challenges of land and animal management, inspiration from local purveyors’ compelling journeys, and awareness of how each of us as consumers can make a difference in this process by supporting family operations and ranches. 

You’ll walk away from The Journey from Ranch to Plate workshop with fresh insights from experts, appreciation for the mastery it takes to raise and butcher livestock, and high-quality materials to guide you with meat procurement and preparation guidelines to integrate into your daily life. Post-demo and panel, there will be a lively happy hour to engage with like-minded environmental and culinary enthusiasts while savoring locally sourced wine, beer, N/A beverages, beef bites, charcuterie, and cheese.

The Journey from Ranch to Plate workshop capacity will be limited to ensure a high-caliber community-building experience and authentic connection are enjoyed by each attendee. The tickets are priced at $235 per person and two scholarship slots are available.

This event is a fundraiser for PCF and all proceeds will go towards our 2024 Micro-Grant Program Winners who will be selected in late November. When you purchase a ticket for this event you will receive a tax deduction receipt for $175 via email within 30 days of completing your contribution. Please note, that the tax-deductible amount will equal the cost of the ticket minus the Fair Market Value, per IRS regulations. 

Unable to make the event? Please consider donating via our website to help support PCF’s 2024 Micro-Grant Program from $25 to $100. All online donations are 100% tax-deductible and will go in full to our Micro-Grant Winners.

Speakers

Anica Wu is a first-generation Chinese American who immigrated from Hong Kong and grew up in Kansas. In 2018, she began training as a whole-animal butcher and realized how much craft and dedication are required to get quality meat onto our plates. Through her work with butcher shops, Women in Ranching, and running Bonjerk, her East-Asian-focused jerky company, she has become a champion and spokesperson of the regenerative meat industry.

Katie Flannery is a third-generation butcher and co-manages Flannery Beef in San Rafael. 24 years ago, her father, Bryan Flannery, launched their company focusing on Holstein dry-aged beef and the duo has grown the business to supply top chefs, such as Nancy Silverton and David Chang, to name a few. Katie works with clients directly for custom cuts, runs the dry-aging program, and oversees their e-commerce and online presence.

Rizpah Bellard, raised on a Black Angus cattle ranch, is a second-generation rancher based in Fresno. She is the founder and president of Nova Farming, a graduate of Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, a recipient of the Fulbright Scholar Award (2020), and a member of Cowgirl Magazine’s Class of 2024: 30 Under 30. Rizpah educates youth, novice farmers and ranchers through workshops, and remains dedicated to the practice of raising specialty grass-fed Wagyu x Angus, Hereford, and Shorthorn cattle.

Vanessa Chang (moderator) is a self-proclaimed nerd with good taste. Her idea of a good time is wandering the aisles of any food store or farmers’ markets. She spent her formative professional years in food education and building brands for artisan producers such as Cowgirl Creamery, St. Benoit, Laura Chenel, and others before becoming a VP of Strategy and Operations at Whole30. With published work in The NY Times and Sunset magazine, she regularly writes and speaks about the intersection of culture, media, food, and tech on her Substack, Intellectual Banchan.

Agenda

12:30 to 1:00pm - Check-in

1:00 to 2:45pm - Butchery Demo with Anica Wu

During this 90-minute session, participants will gather around our butcher block with Anica, a trained whole animal butcher, to watch a detailed demonstration and discussion of the breakdown process of the rib plate from Stemple Creek Ranch ethically raised near Petaluma. For safety and time-sensitive reasons, this demo is not hands-on. The demo will begin promptly at 1:00pm and we are unable to delay the presentation for late attendees.

2:45 to 3:15pm - Break

3:15 to 4:30pm - Butcher Block Banter - On the Land and At the Counter

Our panel discussion led by Katie Flannery, Rizpah Bellard, and Anica Wu will touch on their journeys, regenerative and traditional ranching practices, the meaning of certification terms, and an overview of popular and alternative beef cuts. We will also review the benefits of buying in bulk directly from family-run ranches and a rundown of dry-aging beef. The session will wrap up with a Q+A to clarify participants' questions.

4:30 to 5:30pm - Culinary Celebration

The Journey from Ranch to Plate will conclude with a happy hour offering an assortment of locally sourced and produced bites prepared by Belfare Sonoma with wine, beer, and N/A beverages. This wine down will be an opportunity to get to know fellow participants, speakers, and special guests from the Bay Area foodways community while sampling some of the region’s renowned food and beverages. We will also draw the winning raffle tickets for a Stemple Creek Ranch Gift Basket, Cult Crackers Gift Bag, and Rustic Bakery’s Snack Time Gift Crate for two lucky guests. PCF is grateful for the support of the following partners: Martha Stoumen Wines, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Flannery Beef, Marin French Cheese Co., Laura Chenel, Stemple Creek Ranch, Bonjerk, Journeyman Meat Co., Cult Crackers, and Rustic Bakery.

Scholarships

Recognizing the price point of our workshop may be cost-prohibitive, PCF has created a scholarship opportunity to help ensure our programming is inclusive and accessible to our community. Those unable to attend due to financial constraints are encouraged to apply and have the full cost of the ticket waived. Applicants must reside in California to be considered for this opportunity. Two slots are available for The Journey from Ranch to Plate and interested parties can APPLY HERE.

Scholarship applications will be accepted September 5th through October 9th at 8pm. Applicants will be notified by email on October 15th if they have been selected; winners will be publicly announced on Instagram (@pineconefoundation) on October 16th. 

Age Requirements, Accessibility, and Refunds

• This event is 16+.
• Our venue is wheelchair accessible with ADR restrooms.
• Cancellations will greatly impact the success of our fundraiser; refund requests submitted via email 21 days in advance will be administered minus a 3% transaction fee that PCF incurs with each charge. After this period the name on the ticket can be transferred but no refunds will be given.