Shining a Spotlight on Female Farmers & Makers

Founded in 2013 as a print magazine, Cherry Bombe has grown into a media and events company dedicated to elevating women’s voices in food, beverage, and hospitality. This fall, Cherry Bombe is teaming up with Travel Paso for Farmers & Makers, a three-day celebration of California’s female farmers, winemakers, chefs, and artisans. 

Taking place September 25-27, Farmers & Makers will showcase the women shaping California’s food and wine landscape through a weekend of tastings, dinners, and conversations connecting the people behind what we eat and drink with those who appreciate their craft. 

“Paso Robles is a region defined by independent thinkers, and a remarkable number of them are women, from multigeneration farmers to first-time winemakers to chefs reimagining what California cuisine can be,” says Stacie Jacob, President and CEO of Travel Paso. “Collaborating with Cherry Bombe lets us share that story with a national audience, and to do it during one of the most beautiful weekends of the year on the Central Coast.”

Farmers & Makers kicks off Friday evening with a Welcome Party at the Austin Hope & Treana Tasting Cellar. Presented by CA GROWN, the evening invites guests to mingle over wine and bites amidst the vines.

Saturday begins with a guided morning activity in nature, followed by a Wine Pairing Lunch presented by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, pairing the winery’s white wines with seasonal California cuisine. Saturday’s signature event, the Farmers & Makers Market, features walk-around tastings, seasonal foods, artisanal products, live demos, and panel discussions with California’s leading female farmers, winemakers, chefs, purveyors, and makers — all held that afternoon at the Paso Robles Inn. 

The weekend continues with She’s My Cherry Pie: After Dark, a dinner and panel at EMRE at The Ava Hotel. Presented by California Prunes, the evening includes a custom tasting menu by guest chef Sarah Thompson of Wynn Las Vegas along with a dessert bar showcasing the region’s best bakers.

Sunday wraps things up with a morning walking tour of downtown Paso Robles, led by Gretchen Roddick, executive vice president of Hope Family Wines, and the intimate farm-to-table Supper Club, a Cherry Bombe and Whole Foods dinner series celebrating women in agriculture.

“I’ve been following Cherry Bombe for many years. The network of women chefs, makers, and culinary entrepreneurs inspires me,” says Roddick, who was instrumental in getting Farmers & Makers off the ground. “Their community sits right alongside the wine world, which sparked an idea: why not Paso?”

Adds Kate Miller Spencer, CEO of Cherry Bombe: “Farmers & Makers is our love letter to the women who grow, make, and sustain the food we love, and Paso Robles is the perfect place to tell that story. We are so proud to bring our community here and showcase the bounty of the Central Coast.”

Farmers & Makers is being held in support of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, a United Nations initiative recognizing women’s essential role in global food systems while working to close gender gaps in access to land, finance, and other resources. 

“Recognizing the contributions of women in agriculture and agribusiness is empowering,” adds Roddick. “This is one way we can celebrate locally while contributing to something much larger.”

Individual event tickets are available now (weekend passes already sold out), with discounted rates for Bombesquad members and Paso Robles locals. For more information and tickets, visit the Farmers & Makers website.