Over 60 artists enjoyed creating artwork among the almond blossoms at the first farm visit of the year at Rominger Farms, nestled just north of the Yolo/Colusa County Line.
One of the benefits of this job is enjoying the blossoms,” says 6th generation farmer Scott Rominger who farms along with his father Gerry and Uncle Larry. Their farm grows and processes almonds for Blue Diamond. The Rominger family has been farming in California since 1870. Scott’s family farms in the Arbuckle area. Another branch of the family still farms in the Winters area and recently lost one of the last of the 4th generation, Richard Rominger.
As part of the next generation of farmers, Scott has utilized the knowledge he obtained from studying agriculture while at UC Davis and MBA from Cal Poly. His primary focus is tree nutrition and his experience in farming, business and economics helps him implement a practice of applying the correct amounts of many different fertilizers to the trees and soil as needed. “Before switching to this strategy, similar amounts of fertilizers were applied to all orchards” he says. “Now we treat each orchard independently, giving the trees only what they need, basing this on tissue and soil samples, as well as expected yields.”
Scott is a busy full time farmer and father. “I see many sunrises on the farm”. He is also a director for the Yolo Farm Bureau and was active with Young Farmers and Ranchers until he “aged out” at 35 last year. Does he think his children – twin boys, William and Allen (6), and daughter, Brooke (4) — will carry on the tradition? “They’re all about it, they love coming to the farm with their mom and being with me, learning to help. If they demonstrate a capability and interest I would be proud to have them be the 7th generation of Rominger farmers. People have to eat and food doesn’t just show up at the grocery store.”
Portrait of Scott, Robin, and Daughter Brooke Rominger (not pictured sons, William and Allen Rominger) by Charles Vincent McDonald
Photography by Alan Fishleder