The San Francisco Bay Area may be one of the densest metropolitan areas of the country, but roughly 40 percent of the region's total land area is made up of farms and rangelands.

Range of Possibilities

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If ranchers are such great conservation partners, why has ranching often been viewed as bad for the environment?

Bayview: The Growing Understanding of Rangelands

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Just as demand for locally sourced beef is rising, the ability of local ranchers to produce it is going down. The soaring rents and real estate prices that make it difficult for young writers and families to live in the Mission (or Gilman) District also make it difficult for local ranchers—young and old—to keep ranching in west Marin or southern Santa Clara.

Yellow Foot Chanterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis), an edible mushroom found in the Bay Area and displayed at this year's MSSF Fungus Fair (Photo by Trent Pierce)

Before the Annual Fungus Fair, It’s All About Finding the Right Mushroom

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Served in French dishes under the alias pom pom du blanc, lion’s mane has a texture and taste resembling lobster or shrimp. Chris Schoenstein, a lifelong enthusiast and member of the Mycological Society of San Francisco, has only seen one 2 or 3 times. But that, if you’re a mushroom hunter, is the hook that keeps you coming back to an event like the Wunderlich Foray.