STATE PARKS FUND EVENT AUGUST, 2012

A special fundraising event is being planned for August 26th for Chanslor Wildlife’s State Park Fund.  The one day event is planned to include 2 bands, 4 food vendors, 10 wineries and 20 craft vendors as well as many recreational activities including horseback riding, hang gliding lessons, kayak lessons and fishing.  Details will be available on the website and Elaine Norton is the event contact at (707) 875-2721 or Chanslor2660@gmail.com

Karen Quest Visits Chanslor Ranch

As part of our Spring 2012 Membership Event Program, Cowgirl Trick’s Karen Quest will be performing at Chanslor Ranch.  Karen provides a unique fun-filled Vaudeville-style Western Comedy Act complete with Trick Roping, Whip Cracking, Music and Lots of Surprises!  Karen performs as “Lucky Starr” – an eight-foot tall cowgirl.  While she travels all over the world – she is a resident of San Francisco and we expect to make her a regular part of our entertainment program at Chanslor.

Vision Cellars ‘Greens Cook Off’

'Mac' and Lil McDonald

On August 20th, Mac and Lil McDonald, owners of Vision Cellars in Windsor, held their annual invitation only  ’Greens Cook Off’ at their winery and vineyard.  This fantastic event included presentations from Chef Jeff Mall of Zin Restaurant in Healdsburg, Chef Jeff Henderson from Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas, Chef Josh Silva of Jackson’s & Petite Syrah’ in Santa Rosa, Chef Justin Wangler of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, Chef Neela Paniz of Neela Restaurant in Napa, Chef Richard Pannell of Cuisine Noir Catering Sacaramento, Chef Marwin Brown Food Fidelity, Chef Dean Dupuis of Pican

Chef Bea Beasley & Briskit

Restaurant in Oakland, Chef Bea Beasley and amateur category cooks Thomas Drummer, Ed and Janice Anderson, Lou Garcia of Stover Oaks Winery, Emily Williams and Roy Asucion.  We are hoping to have a ‘southern cooking’ event at Chanslor Ranch in the Spring with Mac and Lil McDonald and Vision Cellars and this was a wonderful opportunity to sample the wines and cuisine.  Mac McDonald’s history from the Visions Cellars website is unique:

I was born the son of a Texas Moonshine maker. My Father, Sue, was considered by many to be the finest Moonshine maker in all of Texas, because of the fine grains he used to make his corn whiskey. My Mother Elbessie, along with her brothers and sister, made wine from the various fruit we grew.

Even though I grew up around distilled spirits and fruit wines, I did not develop a taste for either.  It was not until I tasted my first Burgundy, long about 1955, that I fell in love with fine wine.  In that year, I happened upon a taste of 1952 Burgundy, and vowed to myself then and there that I would someday aspire to make a wine as fine as that.

Years later, after tasting Pinot Noir from the world over and following several trips to Burgundy France, my wife Lil and I purchased the best fruit available to us and my personal vision to become a winemaker was realized, with our first bottling of our 1997 Pinot Noir…so named “Vision Cellars”. My sincere wish is that you enjoy this wine and while sharing it with others you will appreciate my “Vision”… Staff of Vision Cellars receive membership benefits at Chanslor.

TIPI CEREMONIES AT CHANSLOR

A representative of the Native American Church from the Lakota Sioux conducted an overnight prayer ceremony for 35 members of the Church at Chanslor on October 16th.  We have had several ceremonies conducted on the property and anticipate hosting at least four per year involving tribes from throughout the states.  Chanslor Ranch and the surrounding coastal area has a rich Native American history involving both Pomo and Miwok.  Over the last 20 years we have sought the cooperation of both these tribes and educational institutions such as Sonoma State, Columbia University, UC Davis, UC Berkeley and the Santa Rosa Junior College to explore this aspect of Chanslor Ranch history.