Giddy Travelers - Daffodil Hill, Volcano CA

        Daffodil Hill (full name: McLaughlin’s Daffodil Hill Ranch) is a family run ranch that attracts hundreds of visitors every spring. For about a month, Daffodil Hill is open to the public for (free!) daffodil viewing. Though the exact opening and closing dates of the daffodil season at this ranch vary depending on the weather (they open the ranch to the public when at least 1/3 of their daffodils are blooming, and close once there are less than 1/3 left), you can bet they will likely open sometime in March and close in April (for specific opening and closing dates, and ranch hours, call 209-296-7048 – I believe they are open now!). The ranch has dirt paths that lead you through the banks of daffodils, and past some chicken coops. You may also see a peacock or two strutting around the farm. There are picnic tables set out throughout the ranch, as well as an open field surrounded by trees in case all of the tables are occupied. It’s a wonderful place to appreciate nature and a slower pace of life.

         Located in California's gold country, the drive from the Sacramento area takes you through historic Sutter Creek. This town was born during the California Gold Rush in the mid 1800’s. The area features many old gold mines that you can visit (as well as Black Chasm Cavern – a National Natural Landmark since 1976). For the wine lovers, it is also situated in the Sierra Foothills wine country. The main street in Sutter Creek has many quaint family run shops, as well as bed and breakfasts and restaurants. I have been coming to Daffodil Hill for years now, first with my family and then with Daniel, and there are two places on the main street we always make sure to visit. There is a cheese shop that encourages you to try as many cheeses as you like. They also give you a checklist of their cheeses so you can mark which ones you like as you sample. Daniel and I always end up bringing home some amazing cheeses. There is also a fantastic old fashioned ice cream shop called the Sutter Creek Ice Cream Emporium which boasts delicious ice cream in all kinds of flavors. They also make delicious cold drinks, malts and smoothies. There is an old fashioned upright player piano (it plays on its own!) in the back of the shop that adds to the nostalgic feel of the place.

 Main Street in Sutter Creek

         This is the first year in many that I won’t be able to visit Daffodil Hill (it’s a bit far from Indy…), but I’m hoping this post will encourage many more of you to fall in love with this place as I have.  If you want to share in the comments below, I would love to hear about your experiences with Daffodil Hill, Sutter Creek, or the gold rush country in general!


         For more information about Daffodil Hill, visit Amador County’s website about the farm (the ranch doesn’t have its own website, but you can find more info and directions on the county’s website).


Also visit Amador County’s main page for a list of more things to do in the area!  

 

Daffodils, Crocus, and Tulips, Oh My!

     Ever wonder what those beautiful early spring flowers are? The ones that are popping up (finally) right now? Some of their names will probably be familiar to you, but we’ll also fill you in on the lesser known late winter and early spring blooming flowers. Did you know that all of these flowers have something in common (besides blooming period)?

Here are the flowers you may have heard of before:

     There are literally hundreds of varieties of daffodils and tulip as they are hugely popular spring time flowers. They require very little effort to produce wonderful blooms; basically all you need to do is plant them in a full sun/part sun area of your garden in the fall. Something to keep in mind with tulips after the first year – they tend to have decreased performance year after year when they are not in the right environmental conditions (see this article for more info). Daffodils are a bit more hardy in this respect. Hyacinths produce low growing flowers with an amazing scent. If you plan on planting any of these three in your garden, keep in mind that they tend to look best in drifts (plant them close together in bunches) rather than spaced out in rows. 

     Some wonderful spring time flowers you may not know are snowdrops, winter aconite and crocus. These are often the first flowers you see in the new year. Both are low growing and very easy to keep up in the garden. Again, just make sure they aren’t in a shady spot! 

     Now, what do all of these flowers have in common? They are all bulbs. 

 (This image and article can be found here)

     Bulbs have an underground stem from which they grow their shoots. This makes them easy to dig up and move if you decide you didn’t like where you first planted them! 

Planting Tips

     You will often see these bulbs for sale in stores in the spring… but they need to be planted in the fall to ensure success in your garden. All bulbs need to go through a cold period before blooming, and they would be confused, and may even rot, if they were planted in the spring or summer. An easy rule of thumb to remember when you should be planting your bulbs – if it blooms in the spring or summer then plant it in the fall, and if it blooms in the fall, plant it in the spring once all danger of frost is gone (in Indianapolis this is usually around Mother’s Day). Last important thing to note about planting bulbs… ALWAYS plant them pointy side up! The shoots come from this side. It is very possible for your bulb to bloom even if you accidentally plant it upside down… however you will undoubtedly have more success if you plant it right side up. We hope you try growing some of these spring blooming bulbs! :)