Main Gallery
Bounty
Fine Food Production in Coastal Marin From 1834 to the 21st Century
September 24 - December 31, 2016
Curated by Elia Haworth and Sandy Dierks
Food production has been central to the history of coastal Marin since Rafael Garcia settled Rancho Las Baulines (future Bolinas) and introduced livestock and agriculture at around 1834. But it was the discovery of gold in1848 that brought tens of thousands of immigrants to San Francisco, creating a permanent and insatiable market for food. Ranches, farms, aquaculture, and fishing fleets sprang up along Marin County’s fertile coastal landscape and became the basis of the local economy. Contemporary food producers work land and water imbued with the history of those who came before them, beginning with the indigenous Coast Miwok people who skillfully harvested the coast’s natural abundance.
Today, coastal Marin is internationally recognized for visionary innovations, quality products, and a commitment to stewardship. Families with multi-generational lineages, as well as inspired newcomers, are providing people with exceptional food and drink. The producers’ success also depends on an extensive network of laborers, restaurateurs, county officials, organizations, truck drivers, educators, business owners, supportive artists and writers, and each consumer who chooses delicious, nutrient-rich, locally-grown vegetables, meats, dairy, grains, seafood, and more.
Featuring maps, historic and contemporary photographs, historic farm equipment, Bounty and the related exhibitions explore the continuity of local agriculture and the stories of the complexity of day-to-day life for people whose hearts and livelihood are rooted in the soil.