MENDOCINO Co., 6/20/24 — Last weekend, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival announced it was canceling the festival, which was due to take place in Boonville this weekend. It’s a heartbreaker for the thousands of music lovers who flock to Anderson Valley for the event, as well as for the many small businesses that rely on the festival for an extra financial boost each year. If you’ve got some time to spare this weekend, take the beautiful drive out to Anderson Valley and support a local business or two, whether it’s a winery, brewery, restaurant or shop.
Serres Blueberry harvest starts in Laytonville next week
The first crop you think of when you hear the word “Laytonville” probably isn’t blueberries — but it should be. And if you’ve ever had a Serres blueberry, you know why that is. The berries are plump, juicy and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. They’re the best I’ve had on the west coast.
Next week will be the 23rd harvest at the Serres family’s blueberry farm. The berries, which are only available for about a month between June and July, are the Duke Northern High Bush varietal. These types of berries love cool climates and thrive in the hills of Laytonville.
According to John P. Serres, the blueberry plants go dormant in the fall and wake up in the spring, similar to wine grapes. Serres says that this year’s cool spring was a boon. He said that it “provided favorable weather during the bloom, [with] less heat units than we would prefer, therefore it delayed ripening ever so slightly. The weather currently is mild, conducive to plentiful fruit ripening.” Serres added that the crop looks good. “It’s coming along and ripening nicely, and we are excited to get these berries off the bushes and into our customers’ hands!”
The berries are pesticide-free and plucked from their bushes and sent to market within 48 hours. Serres blueberries are available through the MendoLake Food Hub here.
When not harvesting blueberries, the Serres are operating their sixth generation vineyard and cattle ranch in Sonoma Valley. A portion of the blueberry harvest is used for Serres Ranch Bleusé, a canned wine made with blueberries co-fermented with aleatico grapes. The wine is available in four-pack and 24-packs at various retailers throughout the Bay Area and at the Serres website here.
Mica in Ukiah permanently closed after less than a year open
Less than a year after opening, Mica, the fine dining restaurant and bar located next to the Hampton Inn in Ukiah, has closed. For the past two weeks, disappointed customers have showed up at the restaurant only to find the doors locked, lights off and no one answering the phone. Homegrown chef Alan Molina opened Mica in December, channeling his love of American, Mexican and Asian cuisine into a diverse menu ranging from bar food (burgers and wings) to bison steaks and grilled romanesco steaks. Mica replaced Hangar 39, which closed in February 2023. I reached out to Mica for a comment and have not heard back.
The turnkey restaurant is one of the largest in the county at 12,500 square feet. As of November 2022, the space was being rented for $25,000 a month. Multiple restaurants have struggled in the space, including Hangar 39, Crush Steakhouse and Branches. Now, we’ll see what the future holds.
Digger’s in Willits for sale
Interested in buying a bar? Now is your chance. Digger’s, located in the heart of downtown Willits, is available for purchase for $250,000. The listing is managed by Coldwall Banker Mendo Realty, which announced the sale on its Facebook page. Check out the real estate listing here.
Harrah Senior Center in Willits seeking Meals on Wheels volunteer driver
The Harrah Senior Center in Willits is “desperately” seeking a volunteer Meals on Wheels driver to cover Tuesday and Thursdays shifts from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Brooktrails neighborhood. A mileage stipend is included, but the true reward is that you will be providing healthy meals to homebound older adults. Contact Joliana at (707) 459-6826.
4th Friday Food Trucks launching on June 28 in Fort Bragg
Redwood Coast Seniors is launching a new food truck event in Fort Bragg on the last Friday of the month in June, July and August. The event features local food vendors, live music, beer & wine, cornhole and pickleball. Proceeds from the event will benefit Redwood Coast Seniors. The first event is on June 28 from 5-8 p.m. at 490 N. Harold St. Interested food truck vendor should contact Jennie at (707) 961-0165.
Taste Mendocino returns on Saturday, June 29
Eat and drink your way through the finest restaurants and wineries in Mendocino County at the annual Taste Mendocino event. Presented by Mendocino Winegrowers and Visit Mendocino County, the afternoon includes more than 25 local wineries pouring everything from sauvignon blanc to pinot noir, chardonnay and zinfandels. Local chefs from throughout the county will offer small bites to accompany. Sat., June 29, 1-4 p.m., $75 (designated drivers $40), Dancing Crow Vineyards, Hopland, tickets available here.
Restaurants Care Resilience Fund accepting applications for $5,000 grants
The PG&E Foundation and Restaurants Care Resilience Fund is accepting applications from independently owned restaurants and commercial caterers for $5,000 grants to support everything from new equipment to employee training, and more. The Loose Caboose in Willits won a grant in 2023. Grants are due June 30. Learn more here.
June register roundup at Ukiah co-op supports local library association
Shoppers at Ukiah Natural Foods can round up their purchases to support the Ukiah Valley Friends of the Library Association. The nonprofit’s mission is “generate community interest and support for the Ukiah Valley Library services and facilities.” Mon.-Sun., 7 a.m.-8 p.m., 721 S. State St., Ukiah, (707) 462-4778, ukiahcoop.com.
June register roundup in Willits supports animal adoption
In Willits, customers at Mariposa Market can round up their grocery purchases to support the Milo Foundation. The nonprofit’s mission is “rescue adoptable dogs and cats from high-kill animal control shelters and adopt them to loving homes best suited to provide lifetime care.” Mariposa Market, Mon-Sat, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 500 S. Main St., Willits, (707) 459-9630, mariposamarket.com.
Join Mendocino County Foodies on Facebook!
My friend Serena Alexi and I started Mendocino County Foodies on Facebook to provide a place to share and learn about food and beverage culture in Mendocino County, including home cooking and recipes, wineries and breweries, favorite restaurants and farmers’ markets, and more. Join the conversation here.
Small but equally important updates
In Boonville – Paysanne is now open Mon 12-6, Tue-Wed 3-6 p.m. Fri-Sat 12-6 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Offspring is open Tue-Sat starting at 6 p.m.
In Fort Bragg – Don’t miss the beautiful new murals by Nicola Sttaeb at Jenny’s Giant Burger.
In Ukiah – Antojitos Mary closed and will reopen on June 25. Patrona has a new daily happy hour with $8 cocktails from 3-5 p.m. Jensen’s Restaurant is closed for repairs. An exact reopening time was not available but will be in the next few weeks.
In Willits – The bulk peanut butter-making machine is back at Mariposa Market.
Note: Sarah Stierch covers food, beverage, culture, weather and breaking news for The Mendocino Voice. Contact Stierch at [email protected]. The Voice maintains editorial control.
