Climate Action Champion Nominees
The Climate Action Champion Award is presented every year at Gather for the Planet. The award recognizes a local producer or artisan who is demonstrating climate action through one or more of the following nine criteria:
Climate-Friendly Agricultural Practices
Renewable Energy
Green Transportation
Energy Efficiency in Infrastructure
Reducing Food Waste
Reusable Foodware and Packaging
Upcycling
Environmental Justice
Sustainable Arts and Design
We are so pleased to have 12 nominees to announce this year. The winner will be announced and invited on stage at this year’s Gather for the Planet on October 4, 2025.
Blake and Stephanie Alexandre, Alexandre Family Farms
Nestled between the Coastal Redwood Forest, the Pacific Ocean and the Smith River, the Alexandre Family’s farmland sits at the confluence of an exceptional wildlife habitat. As stewards of that land, they put forth their best efforts to care for wetlands, riparian zones, the surrounding land, and any critter that calls their farm home. Hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife choose to live there, even if some are just passing through along their migratory journey, the Pacific Flyway. Just like their organic farming practice, healthy soil and year-round green grasses are the foundation for benefits much larger than their farming ecosystem.
They work with the California Fish and Wildlife Service, California State Parks, the North Coast Regional Land Trust, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to conserve and nurture wildlife habitat on and around their farm. They have property dedicated to different conservation easement programs such as the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the Grassland Reserve Program. They do this because they want to protect, restore, and enhance grasslands and wetlands on
their property. These long-term conservation and wildlife practices ensure that wildlife can roam on their lands for generations to come. This allows them to enhance the plant and animal biodiversity while simultaneously protecting their important grazing areas.
Vraj Patel and Nirali Maru, Leafy Veda
Vraj and Nirali, the heart and soul behind Leafy Veda, come from diverse backgrounds to share a common passion for all-natural farm to table freshness. Vraj being an IT professional, has deep family roots in farming spanning six generations. His love for nature perfectly complements Nirali's background in healthcare and her dedication to promoting proactive wellness & holistic well-being. Nirali is an Occupational Therapist and an Autism Specialist. Together, they embarked on a journey to cultivate health and happiness. A shared vision to produce healthy, all-natural food with zero pesticides/chemicals.
Leafy Veda is not just about growing microgreens; it's about fostering a community where health, sustainability, and deliciousness intersect. Each microgreen variety they grow is a testament to their commitment to quality, freshness, and the vibrant energy of nature. By embracing vertical farming, they grow nutrient-rich microgreens sustainably and efficiently.
Rocky’s Quality Meats
Introducing Rocky’s Quality Meats, a hidden gem inside Santa Venita Market on San Pablo Ave in San Rafael, CA. This family-owned butcher and deli offers a mouthwatering selection of meats and sandwiches that will leave you craving more.
With a focus on quality and passion for their craft, Rocky’s Quality Meats prides itself on serving up top-notch sandwiches and barbecue favorites. From tender ribs to juicy tri-tip, there’s something on the menu for every meat lover.
Customers rave about the friendly service and welcoming atmosphere at Rocky’s, with mentions of the fantastic BBQ offerings on Fridays and the delicious porchetta that's a must-try. The dedication of the staff, including Dante and Dominic, shines through in every bite.
Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or a special order for a celebration, Rocky’s Quality Meats has you covered. Their sandwiches hold up well and are perfect for a picnic at McNears Beach or a quick bite on the go.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to indulge in the delectable treats at Rocky’s Quality Meats. Stop by for a taste of Marin County’s finest meats and experience the magic of this family-run establishment.
Darren Oyobio, Mossed Juicery
Mossed Juicery was founded in 2022 by Darren Oyobio in memory of his late brother. Mossed Juicery is an AIM market participant and an alumnus of the Racial Equity Fund program. Darren produces juices from whole foods and sources his ingredients from local farmers and producers. He has a brick and mortar store in Santa Rosa.
Read more about Darren from our blog post.
Sarah Keiser, Wild Oat Hollow
Sarah is a community organizer and grazing advocate, combining grazing ruminants and her experience to do regenerative land stewardship & vegetation management in Sonoma County, CA. She is an innovative community builder facilitating the development of community grazing cooperatives and collaborative land stewardship projects through her consulting service, The Holistic Herder.
These community-based, sustainable land stewarding concepts empower private landowners and public entities with the skills and support to use grazing ruminants, planned burns and community education to steward their land and commons to a healthy fire ecosystem.
Sarah brings neighbors, fire marshals, indigenous fire ecologists, arborists, and media together to develop strong community alliances for fire safety and to practice regenerative land stewardship. She created the Penngrove Grazing Project, a community-based, sustainable, land-stewardship conceptworking to improve the health and aesthetics of the land while increasing atmospheric carbonsequestration into the soil.
There are now 12 grazing co-operatives in neighborhoods around Sonoma County. These grazing cooperatives create and enhance community connection in a very personal manner and facilitate the stewarding of these neighborhoods back to healthy fire ecosystems.
Candice Koseba, Sonoma County Bee Company
Founded in 2019, Candice Koseba created Sonoma County Bee Company out of a love for nature and a deep appreciation for all that bees contribute to nature. In everything they do, they aim to protect the honeybee and hope to preserve nature for future generations.
They offer an exclusive range of skincare products and holistic remedies, deeply rooted in sustainability and crafted with utmost respect for nature and the remarkable bees, harnessing their natural gifts to nurture your health and beauty.
Each one of their products is responsibly produced in small batches with the highest standards. They carefully formulate, refine and consider seasonality and the scarcity of the hive when creating each of our products to honor nature and the hive.
Sonoma County Bee Company is leading the way in redefining beekeeping. They practice regenerative beekeeping, which goes beyond traditional practices to create a more sustainable and bee-friendly environment. Regenerative beekeeping focuses on restoring and enhancing the natural habitat of bees, rather than simply managing them for honey production. Their honey is seasonal and available in limited quantities to align with the natural cycle of the colony.
Straus Family Creamery Suppliers
The group of small-scale organic dairy farms that supply milk to Straus Family Creamery. These farms are: Bordessa Family Dairies; Correia Family Dairy; Drake’s View Dairy; Hughes Family Dairy; JJ’s Family Dairy; Moretti Family Dairy; Nosecchi Family Dairy; Robert McLelland Dairy; Silacci Dairy; Straus Dairy Farm; and Tresch Family Farms.
Tamara Hicks and David Jablons, Tomales Farmstead Creamery
Tamara Hicks and David Jablons, alongside their daughters, Josy and Emmy, began stewarding the land in 2003. With backgrounds in health care, they knew firsthand the positive impact that a healthy ecosystem and good, whole foods can have on one's mental and physical health.
Without previous farming experience, Tamara and David set out to revitalize what was then a defunct cow dairy, restoring its battered barns and breathing new life into neglected soil. In 2007, Toluma Farms opened its doors as a goat and sheep dairy. Soon after, Tomales Farmstead Creamery was born.
150 acres of Toluma Farms are certified organic by Marin Organic Certified Agriculture. The lower section is home to a historic barn, milking parlor, creamery, and apple orchard. Up the very-nearly-vertical farm road are windswept pastures, where 80 sheep and 200 goats are rotated regularly to graze and roam.
In 2015, Toluma Farms was selected by the Marin Carbon Project for the development of a Carbon Farm Plan. In 2017, the farm received a USDA Healthy Soil three-year grant to plant a windbreak of 450 trees and bushes, as well as apply compost to our pastures. Made up of a variety of local shrubs and trees—like Monterey cypress, California coffeeberry, and coast silk tassel—the two windbreaks stretch a quarter-mile in length. When fully grown, they will look very different from the conventional windbreaks of cypress and eucalyptus trees found in West Marin. The diverse native trees and shrubs, with their varying mature heights, will excel at blocking wind, all while providing flowers for pollinators and habitats for wildlife.
Joe and Kathy Tresch, Tresch Family Farms
With more than 2,500 acres and 750 Holstein, Jersey, and Jersey-Holstein cross breed milking cows, the Tresch Family Farms, located in beautiful Sonoma County, is Straus Family Creamery’s largest milk supplier. Joe and Kathy Tresch own the farm, working alongside their three adult children Joey, Lindsay, and Lydia. Joe and Kathy are deeply connected with their land. In 1995, they started the conversion to organic and in 1996, their cows became the second certified organic herd in California.
The Tresch family has been in the California dairy business since Joe’s family emigrated from Switzerland to California in the 1870s. The family’s journey led them to their current location in Petaluma, where Joe’s grandmother, Olympia Nonella Tresch, arrived as a 15-year-old with her family in 1905. They also brought two Holsteins, tied to the back of a springboard wagon. After Joe’s father passed away, he purchased the 320 acres from his stepmother in 1988 and leased an adjacent 1,189 acres.
The leased acreage brought Joe and the Straus family together when, in 1988, the City of Santa Rosa attempted to acquire the leased land to create a sewage reservoir. Joe and Kathy fought this plan and found allies in the Straus family, active members of the Friends of Estero organization, which tried to prevent the creation of the reservoir. After six years, they succeeded in saving the valley, and in 1996, the Tresches won the Sierra Club’s Environmentalists of the Year Award.
Joe had always been committed to a pasture-based and herbicide-free operation and followe numerous organic farm practices. When the Creamery needed more milk and the Tresches wanted to transition to organic, the collaboration was a natural one. The values that began with their great grandmother and nurtured by their parents are alive and thriving in the current generation of the Tresch family.
In addition to the dairy, Kathy Tresch, alongside her daughters, runs Olympia’s Apple Orchard on one of the two Tresch farms. The orchard grows more than 50 varietals of apples that are sold at farmers markets and local roadside fruit stands.
William Henpenn, Umbel Roots Farm
Throughout his dynamic culinary career, William has remained steadfast in his commitment to seasonal, organic food. Originating from the Pacific Northwest, he began his journey by opening his first restaurant in Portland, Oregon, where he embraced super seasonal culinary practices and a dedication to using locally sourced produce.
This ethos continued as he transitioned to New York City, where he served as a beverage director and sommelier at Michelin-starred restaurants, always prioritizing the freshest, healthiest ingredients. Upon relocating to Napa Valley, William pursued his passion for food at high levels by founding Kicking Bull Farm, emphasizing organic farming methods.
Today, as the driving force behind Umbel Roots Farm, William remains committed to this philosophy, utilizing no-till, organic techniques on the CCOF-certified, 7-acre farm. Umbel Roots is dedicated to serving both restaurants and CSAs, while also focusing on cultivating medicinal herbs and flowers in a market garden style.
Vince and Larry Tristano, Triple T Ranch and Farm
Larry Tristano began selling zucchini to local Lucky Markets in 1983, when the fecund summer squash was his primary crop. By the mid 1990s, he had expanded what he grew and in 1995 became a vendor at the Marin Civic Center Farmers Market in San Rafael. In 1996, he was admitted to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market at the Veterans Building in Santa Rosa.
The farm consists of 13 acres on Melita Road in Santa Rosa and another 2 acres at St. Francis Winery on Highway 12 near Kenwood. The winery uses some of the produce for its wine pairings and the farm sells the rest. It takes six employees to tend the properties and manage stalls at five farmers markets each week.
Anna and Sarah Dozor, Winter Sister Farm
The farm is owned and operated by sisters Anna and Sarah Dozor, who grew up in Sonoma County and came to farming through different paths but with a shared love of good food grown well and a commitment to sustainable agriculture. Anna started her farming journey through cheesemaking and livestock management, and was inspired by this CSA model during her years working with David & Kayta at Green Valley Community Farm (now West County Community Farm). Sarah started growing
vegetables at Odiyan Retreat Center before co-managing Oz Farm in Mendocino County, and dreamed of a winter farm for years.
Farming always has an impact on the land, but the health of our soil and ecosystem is central to our farming systems. We work to grow soil first, vegetables second (to pay for the soil building!), and to minimize our impact on the land. We cover crop every field once a year, whether in the winter for our summer production fields or the summer for our winter production fields, and graze the sheep at least once through the cover crop, which saves us tractor work and builds the soil faster. We use compost applications to further boost organic matter and fertility, and some additional organic amendments to boost the nutrients available to plants and avoid depleting our soils.
We also are trying to meet a scale that can sustain our business and our bodies, which means we balance tractor work with hand work. We use a reciprocating spader as our primary tillage, which results in less compaction than a rototiller, and once our beds are prepped, most cultivation and all harvest is done by hand. Though we are not certified organic, we follow organic principles and beyond-organic standards for the health of the soil and the people who work it.