By KRISTI MAYFIELD
Situated along Highway 120 between Van Allen and Von Glahn roads just west of Escalon is Zinc House Farm, which offers a place of rest and relaxation to weary travelers and wine connoisseurs alike. Members of the Escalon-Farmington Community Garden Club gathered there on Thursday, Oct. 3 for their monthly meeting. Along with handling the regular business of the club, they were also treated to a tour and learned the history of Zinc House Farm, which is named after a prefabricated house that made its way from New York to the Port of Stockton and eventually to a place near the intersection of French Camp and Wagner roads. Zinc House served as many things during its heyday including a schoolhouse, a hotel and a stopping point for local miners that traveled up and down the valley looking for gold and it now serves as the inspiration for the farm.
Founded by Carol Franzia, Michael Franzia, Paul Franzia and Brian Franzia, there is a focus on sustainable and organic practices to maintain the integrity of the land and the products that they create and sell to the public. From the floor of the wine tasting room that contains rocks salvaged from the almond huller to the redwood shavings that have been used in the garden, almost every facet of Zinc House Farm contains some aspect of sustainability. Through their pursuit of organic gardening, the Franzia family members have undertaken some labors of love with regard to the multitudes of rules and regulations that have to be followed in order to achieve and maintain an organic farm certification including annual inspections and multiple logs documenting their practices for harvesting, composting and biodiversity.
“Seeing what they’ve done here is amazing. This is a wonderful thing to have in this area,” said Garden Club member Lorraine Nicholson, a former teacher’s aide at nearby Van Allen Elementary School who has known the Franzia family for many years.
During Thursday’s farm tour, Landscape and Garden Architect Brandon Pruett shared some information about the various pest control methods that have been utilized such as using birds instead of chemical repellants to keep the rodent population down. Pruett also noted that when they have an overabundance of something such as the cherry tomatoes they have right now, they invite others to come out and pick some to donate to a local food bank.
If you are looking for something to enjoy while you’re walking around the grounds or sitting in the pavilion enjoying one of the many unique sculptures that populate the site, you might want to pop into the tasting room and enjoy a flight of their Clark Ferrea Wines (named for their grandmothers).
Winemaker Carol Franzia has filled the tasting room with multiple selections from a flavorful Albarino to a warm and rich Zinfandel. For more information regarding the farm, visit the website at zinchousefarm.com
Zinc House Farm also hosts special events such as Kids’ Days at the Farm where children can learn more about growing vegetables and fruits while also getting their hands dirty picking their own flowers and such. Upcoming events include Expressions Uncorked which is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 25 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the farm and is a fundraiser for the Juline Foundation for Children. For additional information, contact www.juline-foundation.org
Garden Club members were able to wrap up the tour by making a stop in the gift shop, able to peruse the merchandise ranging from handmade soaps, jams and arts and crafts. The farm will continue to have new products available as the seasons change, including the lemons which should ripen and be ready to enjoy near Christmastime.
