Daily Democrat

Yocha-De-He Farm and Ranch opens in Capay Valley

The Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians Friday announced the official opening of the Yocha-De-He Farm and Ranch operations headquarters.

Tribal Chairman Marshall McKay and Jim Etters, director of Land Management for the Tribe, gathered with tribal members, members of Capay Valley Vision, the Yolo County Farm Bureau, and neighboring farmers in Capay the Valley to unveil the new agricultural brand.

Although the name of the operation is new, the Tribe has been farming and ranching more than 3,400 acres of land between the towns of Capay and Guinda for many years.

The Tribe is also a partner in Capay Valley Grown.

"We are very proud to see Yocha-De-He Farm and Ranch officially recognized under one umbrella " said McKay. "Our ancestors cared for this Valley and farmed on these lands, and today we carry on that spirit."

The Tribe is committed to sustainable farming and being good stewards of the land. Currently, 1,200 acres of farmed land are in permanent conservation while the other acreage is used for farming a diverse range of crops. These include walnuts, almonds, olives, wheat, safflower, sunflower, sorghum, alfalfa, oat hay and wine grapes. The Tribe also runs 60 head of cattle on 1,000 acres of native oak rangeland. These crops and cattle provide locally grown food to their business, Cache Creek Casino Resort.

Water usage is a key concern for the Tribe. Over the past two years they have taken significant steps to reduce the amount of water used for agriculture and to increase water recycling. A water retention pond is used to collect irrigation runoff from alfalfa fields, which not only recycles water, but also reduces energy use.

"We have many exciting new projects in store for the various properties in 2009," said Etters. "It is an honor to be a part of such a thriving operation." Projects include planning for erosion control on ponds and swales within the ranches, habitat restoration, and native planting. In partnership with Cache Creek Conservancy, 14 acres of riparian and upland habitat were restored back to a native state last year. Next spring, a restoration project will begin along the creek of the Yocha-De-He golf course, helping to stabilize the creek banks, provide wildlife habitat, and restore Cache Creek watershed.