The Dolcini

After years of raising chickens, goats, and other livestock in Petaluma, California, Paul and Dawn Dolcini had more land than they needed, and were looking to expand their operation.

On the other side of town, Joel and Carleen Weirauch dreamed of starting a sheep dairy, but couldn’t afford to buy their own ranch.

Enter “California FarmLink”: A match-maker for passionate farmers. As executive director Steve Schwartz puts it, “we’re working to help the next generation of farmers get get a foothold, and be successful for the long term, with their businesses.”

FarmLink is one of a dozen organizations in the U.S. giving rookie farmers and ranchers access to land and financial backing. They’re also helping family farms flourish, and keeping agricultural acreage out of the hands of developers.

In the past 10 years, California FarmLink has moved 135 new growers onto existing family-run operations. But for every property available, there are four aspiring farmers looking to grow their business, which means getting the word out, and finding more farms like this one.

The need will only increase: farmers over the age of 65 outnumber those under 34 by 8 to one. “if this trend continues,” says Andrea Krout, FarmLink’s regional program director, “we’ll see less farmland in production and fewer family-run operations.”

The matches don’t always work out, but when they do, the result can be good all around. “We certainly win by having the opportunity to live on this land, and I think the Dolcini’s win because we’re helping to use the land, work the land,” says Joel Weirauch, while petting one of his lambs.

A year after signing on, the Weirauchs – and their growing herd- are producing artesian cheese and sheep milk soap. The Dolcini’s are equally pleased, saying their soil is richer because of the additional animals. And, along with cultivating new friendships, they get to share their skills and experience working the land– confident it will remain productive for years to come.