Field Trip Leader Bios
Read all the biographies here.
A special note about Field Trips
Please arrive at the location indicated 20 minutes prior to your scheduled event. This will allow us time to check you in and ensure the trip leaves promptly. We ask that you follow your field trip leader from the meeting location to the final destination. Anyone arriving after the field trip leader has left may not be able to join the group. Walk-in registration may be available for some events during the weekend of the Festival.
Weather may change a trip's itinerary, but most trips will be conducted rain or shine. The weather in the valley during January is variable. It is generally cold and sometimes rainy, with daytime highs ranging from 50F to 65F.
Be sure to bring the following on your field trips: rain gear, waterproof footwear, layered clothing, binoculars, camera, field identification guide, water and snack or lunch as needed. Please also check out the Tips & Etiquette below to help you enjoy your day to the fullest.
Tips & Etiquette for Bird Watchers
To make your trip more enjoyable for yourself and others, we ask you to please use these following etiquette tips:
- Wear clothing suitable for the weather and area you'll be hiking in. It's practical to layer clothing to accommodate fluctuations in temperature. Wear comfortable shoes that have a good grip and are waterproof when necessary. You may want to take sunscreen, a hat or rain gear.
- Bring binoculars or a scope for a better viewing experience.
- Bring water on long outings to stay hydrated.
- Bring a Field Guide if you are interested in learning more about the birds you see. If you are a beginning birder, look for a guide that specializes in birds of northern California.
- Be courteous to other explorers. Stay with your group and pay attention to your trip leader. Walk quietly and slowly. Do not disrupt animals or damage their habitats (breaking branches, trampling vegetation). Turn off cell phones or other electronic devices. If you are taking children with you, explain to them proper etiquette before the trip. Always behave in a manner that will enhance the image of the birding communities in the eyes of the public.
- Tune up your senses and listen carefully. Scan the horizon and tree canopies. Look to the ground for prints, feathers and other traces of wildlife. Please remove litter and leave natural items where they belong. This will keep it enjoyable for others when they visit.
- No dogs or pets allowed on any Snow Goose Festival event, workshop, or program. Please leave Fido with friends or family and not in the car during a field trip.
Field Trip: Massa Organics
- Sold Out!
$25 Adult; $15 Youth
Friday, Jan 24, 2025 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Meet at Patrick Ranch - Pat's Barn (Map)
Walking, could involve distance but largely flat
Description
Visit a unique farm where history, wildlife conservation, organic farming and activism all come together. Massa uses regenerative farming practices to grow rice, almonds, mandarins and lamb. Their 250 acres of certified organic fields surround their straw bale home where oak trees, Sandhill Cranes, Wood Ducks, hawks and owls call their land home too. You'll also visit a historic graveyard where the leader of California's Bear Flag Revolt is buried.
Field Trip Leaders
Greg Massa
Raquel Krach and Greg Massa are the owner-operators of Massa Organics, an integrated, diversified, family farm located along the Sacramento River in Glenn and Colusa Counties. They use regenerative farming practices to grow rice, almonds, mandarins and lamb. In place of chemical inputs, the farm uses crop rotation, plants multispecies cover crops, applies compost, encourages native vegetation in non-cultivated areas and integrates their flock of Dorper sheep in order to increase biodiversity, improve soil health, conserve water and reduce pest and weed pressure. As part of ongoing research projects, Massa Organics has learned that their almonds contain more nutrients than conventional nuts and that their methods of rice production are "carbon-negative". In addition to farming, Raquel works with the Chico State Center for Regenerative Agriculture as a research project manager and student advisor and Greg enjoys building the iNaturalist portfolio of the plants and critters that call the farm home. In addition to farming, Raquel works with the Chico State Center for Regenerative Agriculture as a research project manager and student advisor and Greg enjoys building the iNaturalist portfolio of the plants and critters that call the farm home.
Greg Massa's Events
- Massa Organics (1/24/2025)
Raquel Krach
Raquel Krach and Greg Massa are the owner-operators of Massa Organics, an integrated, diversified, family farm located along the Sacramento River in Glenn and Colusa Counties. They use regenerative farming practices to grow rice, almonds, mandarins and lamb. In place of chemical inputs, the farm uses crop rotation, plants multispecies cover crops, applies compost, encourages native vegetation in non-cultivated areas and integrates their flock of Dorper sheep in order to increase biodiversity, improve soil health, conserve water and reduce pest and weed pressure. As part of ongoing research projects, Massa Organics has learned that their almonds contain more nutrients than conventional nuts and that their methods of rice production are "carbon-negative". In addition to farming, Raquel works with the Chico State Center for Regenerative Agriculture as a research project manager and student advisor and Greg enjoys building the iNaturalist portfolio of the plants and critters that call the farm home. In addition to farming, Raquel works with the Chico State Center for Regenerative Agriculture as a research project manager and student advisor and Greg enjoys building the iNaturalist portfolio of the plants and critters that call the farm home.
Raquel Krach's Events
- Massa Organics (1/24/2025)