.jpg)
In West Marin, the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) has purchased an agricultural conservation easement on the 585-acre Dolcini Ranch, a property the land trust has been seeking to protect for over a decade. Located eight miles south of Petaluma, the farm has been in the same family for nearly a century and currently supports ranching, organic row crops, and a small nursery. With its open fields, Victorian-era farmhouse, red barns, and clusters of live oaks, the ranch seems like a postcard from California’s rural past. Now, it also represents a commitment to the state’s agricultural future.
A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture contributed about one quarter of the $2,680,000 purchase price, but most of the funds came from individual MALT supporters. With this investment, the Dolcinis can continue as the ranch’s stewards for decades to come.
