EXCLUSIVE TOURS
PLACER COUNTY
HISTORIC ORCHARD TOUR
November 15, 2025
We are excited to visit some wonderful, historic orchards in Placer County. This all-day, Autumn Adventure includes a hike through an historic olive orchard, fruit tasting, picnic lunch, and a visit to three other orchards – two with on-site farm stands (bring some money). We will visit the historic trees we love – Otow Farm where they make the famous, moist, candy-like, Japanese hoshigaki (干し柿), specialty dried persimmons; Twin Peaks Orchard Delights, an organic, slow food farm; Mark Fowler’s repository of historic fruit trees.
We will meet in Auburn at the Raley’s parking lot and car-pool to the other locations.
A waiver of liabilities must be signed in advance.
Lunch including gluten free options, can be pre-ordered for an additional cost from our wonderful friends at North Fork Chai.
$100. helps to support the work of the Felix Gillet Institute.
This is sure to be a wonderful adventure to remember, and space is limited.
Sign up and save your place.
GRAFTING WORKSHOP
Taught by Adam Nuber during the Winter months.
Sign up on our email list for notification of our next class.
PRUNING & ORCHARD CARE WORKSHOP
Taught by Adam Nuber during the Winter months.
Sign up on our email list for notification of our next class.
KATE WOLF PILGRIMAGE
May 2026 – exact date yet to be determined.
This pilgrimage takes us on a 4 mile round-trip hike to the historic homestead location where Kate Wolf was inspired to write her song The Lilac and the Apple Tree.
Here is her song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxW2hk2kdek
Of course, we will sing and enjoy Kate Wolf’s music.
After the hike, we will continue our pilgrimage to Kate’s grave and then visit the historic Goodyear’s Bar Museum.
We should be done by 2:30 pm
Remember this song Give Yourself to Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHD2aPTjqNM
and this one: The Red Tail Hawk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udRFQOsrjpU
A Waiver of Liabilities must be signed in advance.
Details will be sent upon registration.
TOUR OF HISTORIC ORCHARDS
The Felix Gillet Institute annual, historic orchard tour and is a wonderful experience and fundraising event.
This is an all-day, Autumn Adventure with a chance to see and taste heirloom fruit still on the trees. We meet between 8:30 and 9am at Heaven and Earth Farm, near North San Juan, CA and tour the Felix Gillet Mother Orchards. Then we carpool to three other historic mining camps, homesteads and ranches in Sierra County. These locations are mostly on private land, and we are allowed to go there only with special permission from the owners and caretakers. A Waiver of Liabilities must be signed in advance.
This tour includes a delicious, vegetarian lunch at an historic orchard and homestead with beautiful views over the canyon of the Yuba River Middle Fork.
$150. helps to support the work of the Felix Gillet Institute.
This is an Exclusive Tour reserved for a limited number of people.
When available, sign up and save you place.
One of our Heirloom Fruit Hunters said, “Being on this tour made me feel like I won one of Willy Wonka’s Golden Tickets.”