Honoring 170 Years of Women Rooted in Placer County Agriculture
Auburn, Calif. – Ever stepped onto a mandarin orchard on a crisp autumn morning? Visited a lavender field in full bloom? Tasted a menu built around local, seasonal produce?
As PlacerGROWN commemorates Women’s History Month and International Year of the Woman Farmer, the celebration hits close to home in agriculture-rich Placer County. Women have a storied farming history here – more than 170 years to be exact.
Alongside siblings, spouses, kids and grandkids, women’s contributions to farming and agriculture in our backyards have been deeply rooted for decades. Here are just a few of the women who have led the way, setting the stage for new generations to come.
Humble beginnings for Fowler Ranch
One of PlacerGROWN’s most famous farms started as a wedding gift for a bride named Bell Fagg. In 1885, Bell was gifted the land, which later became Fowler Nurseries. So they say, the rest is history, or HERstory, if you will.
Today, Bell’s great-great granddaughter, Denise Moore, is leading the fourth generation on the farm, now known as Fowler Ranch. Denise’s vision and creativity has helped bring the farm into a new era.
The property now includes Fowler Ranch Farm Brewery and boasts a beloved local pumpkin patch every fall. The farm grows fruit and nut trees for commercial farmers across the United States and hosts food trucks, live music, pop-up markets, and the only Certified Farmers’ Market on a farm in Northern California.
Fowler Ranch’s female heritage has played an integral role in the farm – inspiring change, expansion, and diversifying the farm’s offerings.
Nearly 150 years later, Bell’s home remains on the ranch.
Building on precious family history
For Camelia Enriquez, farming has run through her blood for generations. Her family’s Newcastle farm, Twin Peaks Orchard, was founded in 1912 and has since passed through three generations of family working side-by-side.
Twin Peaks specializes in sustainable, regenerative farming and grows a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each season – think juicy peaches and plums in the summer, hardy squash in the fall, and bright citrus in the winter. The farm also has a commercial kitchen on site to produce flavorful jams, conserves, and a rare treat: The hand-massaged “Hoshigaki” persimmon.
Last February, Twin Peaks Orchard was recognized as a Slow Food Farm, one of only seven in America, joining a growing network committed to producing food that is good, clean and fair. Slow Food is a global movement that supports farmers who care for the land and strengthen local food systems. For Camelia and her family, the designation simply reflects how they have farmed for more than a century: with stewardship, tradition and a deep commitment to feeding their community well.
A family tradition in the making
Since 2002, Lisa Pilz has farmed alongside her husband, Steve, at Pilz Produce at Hillcrest, one of the oldest Mandarin orchards and farms in the county.
Founded in the early 1900s, this orchard was built on fruit trees, focusing on our region’s beloved mandarins for many years. When Lisa entered the picture, she encouraged the family to expand into fresh flowers, fragrant herbs, and a wider variety of popular produce.
The farm now operates year-round, and in 2024, Steve and Lisa’s daughter, Laura, began to manage the farm alongside them, marking a new chapter for another generation of females on the farm.
Evolving into PlacerGROWN
When it comes to the movement that put Placer County farms on the map, much of the credit belongs to Joanne Neft, former director of the Placer County Agriculture Marketing Program and the driving force behind PlacerGROWN. Many know her affectionately as the “Godmother of PlacerGROWN,” and she’s widely recognized for the resurgence of Placer County’s agricultural scene.
Joanne started the first farmers’ market in 1989 and later launched the PlacerGROWN brand. Later, in 1994, she founded the annual Mountain Mandarin Festival to celebrate growers of the juicy winter gems in the scenic foothills of Placer County. Today, PlacerGROWN includes certified farmers markets happening nearly every day across Placer County.
This Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating more HERstory in the making as women farmers partner with culinary stars and local favorite restaurants to shape Placer County into a leading agritourism destination in Northern California. Bring your sisters, your friends, your daughters and experience HERstory with a day out together.
