11TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY HARVEST
A Grateful Harvest
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Honoré Farm and Mill’s 11th Annual Harvest Day!
Harvest with Honoré means slowing down, connecting with the land, and tasting grain that is still full of its natural integrity. It is physical, communal, celebratory work, where people participate in every step and see how wheat becomes bread and beer.
Elizabeth flanked by veteran farmers, John LaBoyteaux (left) and David Hoffman (right).
This year’s Harvest Day brought together friends, neighbors, and new faces to reap, thresh, and winnow side by side. A lively group of friends traveled up from Los Angeles to join the celebration.
Sam Gross, one of Honoré’s fab wheat educators at Mt. Diablo Unified School District.
Marin Rowing was well represented by teammates Mike Aguiar, brewer Ken Clemmer and David DeRuff along with Ken’s son Johann.
Nick Gislason of Hanabi Lager Co. winnowing — showing how it’s done!
Bluegrass music from The Wronglers carried through the fields, adding rhythm to the work and joy to the gathering. The field pulsed with energy, laughter, and a deep sense of shared purpose.
Kate Stout, who owns her own farm on the East Coast. When we ran into combine trouble, it was Kate who figured out it was the battery that needed replacing.
Mark Squire, co-owner of Tara Firma Farms.
Andrew Kim and Luisely Melecio-Zambrano led a moving land-based meditation incorporating an age old healing practice of laying on of hands. This time we laid our hands on the earth, allowing Her to heal us.
Luisely Melecio-Zambrano having fun with a sickle!
“It’s rare to participate in such a fully immersive farm experience beginning by standing in a field of golden wheat, harvesting with a sickle, and being part of a larger team with other people. I loved talking with the long-time farmers, seeing a working combine in action and then celebrating with a meal made from last year’s crop — including Hourani beer!!!”
The Rev. Cal Payne-Taylor from Christ Church Los Altos, harvesting wheat for the first time — making a physical connection between wheat in the field and bread on the altar.
Honoré's fantastic emcee, Tom Giles with honored guest Heidi Kühn of Roots of Peace.
Lisa Berman from the Wronglers jamming on her Banjo.
Doug Mosel and John LaBoyteaux bringing decades of grain growing experience to the day.
“An unexpected highlight of the day was spending time harvesting wheat in the field with Heidi. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that a descendant of California’s wheat kings would be a natural with a sickle.”
Loading stalks of wheat into the combine that threshes out the stems and chaff, spitting out the almost fully cleaned wheat seeds.
A family of farmers' market regulars that wanted to more fully experience where their flour comes from.
“I’m writing to share great appreciation for everyone in involved in Saturday’s wheat harvest and lunch. It is rare to experience something so thoughtfully curated. Fresh cut flowers on a beautiful table, programs, coffee and breakfast treats, wonderful music in the field, warm welcomes and company, cool washcloths before lunch, a gourmands’ lunch prepared by CIA Greystone, ice cold Hourani beers and the list goes on. I came away informed, inspired and full-belly and spirit.”
"The Grain Gang" is a student-based club from The Culinary Institute of American in Napa Valley.
“I was astonished to see the smiles on the students’ faces as they cut down wheat with nothing more than their hands and a small sickle. My experience has seen a new kind of student that wants to know where their food comes from and how it’s grown, and they relish the opportunity to be in the fields working for a greater community and food chain.”
After the harvest, we enjoyed a seasonal lunch by Chef Ryan Luttrell and his Culinary Institute students, featuring local produce, Hourani sourdough bread, and hand-crafted beer — a true celebration of our land and community.
We were honored to welcome Heidi Kühn, Roots of Peace, whose insights on restoring land and cultivating peace inspired the day’s celebration.
Honoré’s harvest celebration would not be possible without the essential role of our Harvest Helpers who come early to set up, lend an extra set of hands during the event, and stay afterwards to put everything back in order.
“Scrubbing the long wood tables in that communal barn while chatting with the man preparing his garlic for market woke up my exhausted soul. The harvest provided me more than I expected. The connection and joy has lingered in me for days, just what I needed after a long care-taking trip. ”
“Everything was so well and cleverly planned. Incredible people there. What great work you have achieved.” Hélène
Andrew Kim, enjoying ice-cold Hourani beer brewed by Hanabi and Ken Clemmer.
Delicious farm-to-table lunch prepared by the students from The Culinary Institute of America.
Adam Willner, Honoré Board Member and long time Crop Adopt Partner.
Congratulations and so much gratitude to this year’s winner of the Annual Honoré Field Award, Tom Giles. Previous winners include Keenan Kelsey (2024), Adam Willner (2023), Chiquita Woodard (2022), Cindy Daniel & Doug Lipton (2021) and Vincent Felice (2020).
Over the past eleven years, Honoré Farm and Mill has educated more than 15,000 people through regenerative farming, hands-on milling, and whole grain education. We’ve farmed 22 fields, propagating rare Hourani wheat from just 40 seeds to over 80,000 pounds. Our work has sequestered half a million pounds of carbon dioxide, nourished school communities, and is training the next generation of climate-smart farmers, bakers, and eaters. Together, we are reviving our local grain economy, restoring soil health, and reconnecting people to the sacred story of wheat.
Thanks to our Crop Adopt Partners
Anonymous, Elise Bauer, Marta Benson and Adam Willner, Common Table, Hendy Dayton, Christ Church Los Altos, The Clif Family Foundation, Good Earth Natural Foods, The Johnson Family, Mary Jones, Keenan Kelsey, Maggie Kinnaman, The Kirkpatrick Family, Phoebe Lang, Kathyrn Leighton, Molly Noble, Tina McArthur, Shireen Irvine Perry, The Pierrepont Family, Lydia Ruffin and Bonnie Taylor, The Springcreek Foundation, Anne Wilbur, and The Woodard Family.
The gathered community.
Gratitude to Mia Yancich, Harvest Event Planner extraordinaire.