2024 Agriculture Award Winners

Jamie Mickelson has been raising and caring for beef stock since she was 9 years old, including both market and breeding projects in 4-H and FFA. Following high school in Santa Rosa, she attended two years at the Santa Rosa Junior College and then went on to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2012 and a master’s degree in 2014 in Ag Business. During her time there, she helped manage the Cal Poly cattle herd operation and taught beef husbandry to undergraduates. But it wasn’t until her last week at Cal Poly, that she had a heart-to-heart conversation with her mom about her future. That’s when she knew the timing was right for her to expand the family’s beef business and develop her own branded beef enterprise, now known as Sonoma Mountain Beef Company.

Mickelson has continued the legacy of her grandfather, Bob Kunde who ran 100% purebred Hereford cattle. She chose to use Hereford genetics because she loves the quality of the meat – juicy, tender and flavorful – just the right amount of balance of everything. Along with her family’s Sonoma Mountain Herefords ranch, she also has three different leases on ranches in Petaluma that add up to approximately 800 acres total.

When asked if Jamie has a team, she replies, “It’s me, myself, and I!” She does everything from taking care of the cattle, managing the books, selling at the farmer’s market and selling and delivering her product to customers. However, she is planning to add an employee soon.

Mickelson along with her two dogs Callie and Bella is unstoppable. “It’s such an honor to receive this award,” she says and encourages other women to go for it (working with cattle) too if it’s something they really want to do. She acknowledges the cattle industry is generally dominated by men, but Mickelson, who also has a hearing disability offers similar advice for anyone who might be deterred, “Don’t let disabilities stop you…if I can do it, so can you,” she says encouragingly.

“My story is just about my passion and love of raising the cattle. I am a firm believer in buying, selling, and supporting local, and my cattle are all raised in Sonoma County. It is extremely important for customers to know where their food comes from.”

The 4-H Council (aka: County Club Council, CCC) is comprised of an Executive board and the 4-H volunteers and members. It is a management committee that works under the direction of the Sonoma County 4-H staff to organize, promote and implement the 4-H Youth Development Program. It is a non-profit, non-political, educational organization that serves as a liaison between volunteers and Extension staff. The Council conducts countywide educational events that support the community’s clubs and raises funds to sponsor awards and scholarships.

According to current President, Sara Glashan, “We are a committed group of volunteers. Many of us haven’t had kids in 4-H for many years, but we want to ensure the traditional program remains available for children in our county,” explains Glashan who has served in the role for five years. She points to the many empowering aspects of the program that keep her dedicated to serving on the council. Glashan also cites her children’s invaluable experience in 4-H as a contributing factor to her enduring commitment to the program.

“On behalf of our Community Club Council, I’d like to express our profound gratitude for this award. We are deeply honored. Our commitment to keeping our community’s youth engaged in 4-H and agriculture is the heart of our mission” says Glashan.

The president of the club goes on to say, “The 4-H Community Club is steeped in tradition, and it’s crucial to preserve these traditions even as we embrace the ever-changing landscape of the program. In my opinion, there is no better program for youth growth and empowerment than 4-H.”

The Council meets monthly, and Clubs have an opportunity to host a meeting, to highlight their projects and activities. Youth present the flags, describe their involvement and provide refreshments.

Tim Tesconi, who has spent the last 50 years chronicling agriculture’s changing but enduring role in Sonoma County’s economy and way-of-life, is the recipient of the Harvest Fair’s Lifetime Contribution to Sonoma County Agriculture award.

Tesconi, 75, a third generation Sonoma County resident who lives in rural Healdsburg, has deep roots in agriculture and the community his family has called home for more than a century.  He worked at the Press Democrat for 35 years covering agriculture, fairs and farm youth. During his more than three decades at the newspaper, he chronicled Sonoma County agriculture’s evolution from dairy, poultry and prunes to its prominent position as a world-class wine region.

In 2006, Tesconi joined the staff of Sonoma County Farm Bureau, the county’s oldest agricultural organization that works on many fronts to preserve and protect the farming community that defines Sonoma County. He wrote and edited for the organization’s Sonoma-Marin Farm News and coordinated Farm Bureau’s agricultural education programs including its scholarships and the annual Ag Days event at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.

Tesconi served as executive director of Farm Bureau for three years, retiring in 2015. He continues as a contributor to the Sonoma-Marin Farm News, writing the monthly cover stories that profile the stewards of the land.

Tesconi serves on the boards of several agricultural and community organizations including the Youth Ag & Leadership Foundation of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa Junior College Ag Alliance and the Santa Rosa High School Ag Advisory Committee. He is a trustee of the Richard and Saralee McClelland Kunde Endowment that provides grants to support agriculture, fairs, 4-H and FFA.

He was formerly a director of Sonoma County Farm Trails.

Tesconi is a graduate of Santa Rosa High School where he was a member and president of the Future Farmers of America. He was mentored by J. Wesley Jamison, the legendary agriculture instructor at Santa Rosa High School who also held management positions at the Sonoma County Fair. Jamison was the founder of the Sonoma County Harvest Fair and one of the first recipients of the Harvest Fair’s Lifetime Contribution to Sonoma County Agriculture award.

Tesconi holds an agriculture degree from California State University, Chico, and did graduate work in agriculture journalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia. When he finished at the University of Missouri in 1972, he was hired as the Press Democrat’s farm editor by executive editor Art Volkerts to replace Bob Wells, who held the position for many years.

Tesconi and his wife Catherine Barnett have two grown sons, Sam and Will Tesconi, and two granddaughters, Addie and Nora Tesconi.

Born and raised in Sonoma County, Riggs Lokka was raised in the wine industry—from going to work with his dad at Sonoma-Cutrer to accompanying his mom to Glen Ellen Winery. When Emeritus Vineyards was established, he planted vines alongside the vineyard crew and has been a piece of the puzzle ever since.

When the Lokka family moved to their Sebastopol ranch in 2004, Riggs enrolled at El Molino High School and took an agriculture class, where he discovered a love for animals. This also planted the seed for teaching. He actively participated in 4-H as a member, and flourished in FFA where he excelled in career development events. While in high school, Riggs competed in Livestock Judging and Grapevine Pruning. His skills and hard work paid off propelling him towards being a State Champion Livestock Judge in 2007 and three-time Sonoma County Pruning Champion.

After completing high school Riggs moved on to Santa Rosa Junior College, where he earned an Associate Degree in Animal Science and Vineyard Management, and then to Fresno State University for a degree in Teaching as well. While at Fresno State he managed the vegetable crop unit, sheep unit, and in his spare time would also cut meat in the 100% student-run Fresno State Meat Lab.

Riggs went into teaching in 2013 at Santa Rosa High School, instructing students in Animal Science and Viticulture. Three years later he decided to try something different; he moved south to Stockton and taught Agriculture Mechanics (welding and woodshop). Every summer, when not attending fairs and helping kids with projects, Riggs returned home to work alongside his father Kirk at Emeritus.

In July of 2020, Riggs decided that while teaching for seven years had been incredibly fulfilling, he was ready to transition to his final career. He moved back to Sonoma County and joined the Emeritus Vineyards crew full time. These days he can be found either out in the vineyards, popping into the tasting room to provide a laugh, or with his wife Emily, Mini Heeler dog Jade, Corgi Paco, and cat Ivy.

Heidi Mickelson, Bodega

Heidi’s plan after graduating from California State University Chico with a degree in Animal Science was to work in Fair Management. However, while working at the Sonoma County Fair in 2013, she was offered a long-term substitute position at Petaluma High School and as the saying goes, “she never looked back.”

After almost two years at Petaluma High School, she accepted a teaching position at Analy High School in Sebastopol and has been there ever since. When she came on board, the agriculture department was made up of a single person—Heidi. Eventually the two local West Sonoma high schools consolidated (Analy and El Molino) and the Agriculture Department grew to three teachers. Along with Plant and Animal Science, Ag Mechanics was also added to the curriculum.

In addition to teaching and raising three children, Heidi is also the coordinator of her district’s Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways program. This multi-year sequence of courses integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to post-secondary education and careers. Analy offers these invaluable classes in Agriscience, Plant & Soil Science, Ag Mechanics and Ag Business—all under the umbrella of the Agriculture and Natural Resources pathway. She is especially excited about a K-12 California Workforce Development Board grant of $750,000 earmarked for Agriculture and Technology programs that will serve nine different schools in Northern California.

Now considered, in her words, the “Grandma of the Department” as the most tenured teacher, she was “shocked and honored to be selected for this award—I never would have thought my name would be in the running,” she said.