Mouthful: Apple Fair at Ragle Ranch Park

Celebrating Our Gravenstein: This weekend FarmTrails hosts the 41 Annual Gravenstein Apple Fair at Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. The fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

This year’s fete includes several new features. A DIY tent offers information on everything from home canning, fermentation and seed saving to grain threshing, bread making, needle felting and cheese making.

An Artisan Cheese Tent, for which there is an additional admission fee, pairs cheese makers with winemakers and cider makers. Saturday highlights include Carleen Weirauch of Weirauch Creamery with Ellen Cavalli of Tilted Shed Ciderworks at 1:30 p.m. and Jon and Lauren Bowne of Gypsy Cheese Company with Carly Verhey of Heidrun Meadery at 3 p.m. On Sunday, Omar Mueller of Freestone Artisan Cheese and Barb Gustafson of Paul Mathew Vineyards step into the spotlight at 1:30 p.m.

A Craft Cider Tent offers cider tastings throughout the fair, with cider makes appearing hourly on both days. A Wine Tent offers local wines throughout the fair.

Life music will alternate on two stages, with Whiskey and Circumstance kicking things off on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and Hubbub Club closing things out at 430 on Sunday.

This year’s fair vendors have a greater focus on farm and agricultural products, with Valley Ford Mercantile and Wool Mill, McClelland’s Dairy and Sonoma Garden Designs among the vendors.

As always, there are lots of activities for kids, lots of yummy things to eat and three cooking demonstrations both days, along with a cow milking, beekeeping, backyard chickens and sheep-shearing demos, puppet shows, sing-alongs, an apple pie contest and so much more, including an opportunity to buy Gravensteins by the case.

Admission to the Sweetest Little Fair in Sonoma are $15 if you’re 13 or over and $10 if you’re between 6 and 12.

As of press time, you could still volunteer, which gets you a pass for both days, along with an apron and a beverage ticket. Volunteers work 3 to 4 hours shifts.

For volunteer applications, a full schedule of all activities and information about discount tickets, visit gravensteinapplefair.com.

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Dazed, Confused and Maybe a Bit Tipsy: On Saturday night, August 9, Moshin Vineyards hosts a fun movie night, with a screening of “Dazed and Confused” on the crush pad.

Things get started at 8 p.m., with an opportunity to enjoy Moroccan chicken skewers with garlic yogurt, tomato cabbage tabbouleh and grilled pita bread, along with Moshin wines, of course. Admission for the film and a bottomless bag of popcorn is $10.

If you want dinner, that’s $10, as well. Wine will be available by the glass or bottle.

Please don’t bring outside alcohol and leave your pets at home. Moshin Vineyards is located at 10295 Westside Road, Healdburg. The movie gets started at sunset, around 8:30 p.m.

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Fun at Fulton Crossing: The former chicken processing plant located at 1200 River Road has been rechristened “Fulton Crossing,” a community of 18 artist tenants and a 2000-square-foot art gallery in the center of it all.

On Friday evening, August 8, a new exhibition, Human / Nature, will open, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. The fun includes food, wine and entertainment.

Jessica Teem of “The Foundry,” one of the tenants, will be open during the reception.

Teem’s new venture transforms scrap metal and reclaimed wood into all manner of beautiful and useful items, including furniture, lighting, decor and more.

The Foundry will also be open on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

One little warning: If you take your pup with you to the Crossing, be prepared for lots of dedicated sniffing, especially along cracks in the cement.

To humans, there are few if any remnants of the building’s former function. To dogs, it’s a Disneyland of irresistible aromas.

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Yappy Hour: Speaking of our best friends, Tasting Room on the Green (9050 Windsor Rd., Windsor) hosts Yappy Hour this Friday night, August 8, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Humans will enjoy flights of wine from Mutt Lynch and Deux Amis, pups will enjoy biscuits and other treats and a $10 admission fee goes to the charity of the month.

Paws For Love will join in the fun with an option for your doggy to release her inner artist and create an original painting.

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Whiskers and Wine: On Friday, August 15, Trentadue Winery (19170 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, will host Wags, Whiskers and Wine, a benefit for the Sonoma Humane Society.

The fete, which takes place from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., includes dinner, beer, wine, live music and an opportunity to hang out with puppies, kitties and bunnies.

Tickets are $175 per person and are available online at sonomahumane.org.

Last year’s fete, also at Trentadue Winery, raised $160,000, most of which support the medical needs of homeless animals.

You’ll have to leave Socks, et al at home; animals, other than the ones the Humane Society brings, are not allowed.

Brent Farris of KZST radio will serve as emcee for the evening.

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Loving Your Laguna: On Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Laguna Environmental Center (900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa) hosts its monthly open house.

The fete includes a guided tour, hands on activities, bird watching and an opportunity to explore a living willow tunnel.

You might even spot a sunbathing turtle from the observation depth.

Guests are welcome to bring a picnic to this free event and to browse the gift shop in Great Blue Heron Hall.

Be sure to take some time to view “Our Countryside,” a new art exhibit by members of the Watercolor Artists of Sonoma County.

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Friday Night Fun at La Follette: On Friday evenings from June through September, La Follette Wines (180 Morris St., Suite 160, Sebastopol) hosts live music from 6 to 8 p.m.

There is no cover charge and you don’t need reservations. Just show up. La Follette’s current release pinot noirs and chardonnays will be available for purchase by the glass and bottle.

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Riding Your Zucchini To Victory: If you missed last week’s Zucchini Races in Sonoma, don’t worry.

There’s still time to turn your summer squash into an award-winning getaway car.

On Saturday, the Healdsburg Farmers Market hosts its annual Zucchini Festival, with vehicle registration between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Races begin promptly at 10 .m. Requirements - vehicle size, allowable materials, etc. - can be found at healdsburgfarmersmarket.org.

The festival also includes a giant zucchini competition, but be warned: To enter, you must have grown the zucchini yourself so if you wake up Saturday morning to find a giant zucchini on your porch - Friday is “Sneak Some Zucchini On Your Neighbor’s Porch Night” - you can enter it in this contest.

The market is located one block west of the plaza.

Windsor Farmers Market hosts its 12th Annual Zucchini Festival on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The fete includes a vegetable art contest with awards for both kids and adults, zucchini car races, a chair caning demo, live music and more.

Chef Fabiano Ramaci will join in the fun with a demo featuring an Italian zucchini frittata.

The market is located on the east side of the Town Green.

Michele Anna Jordan hosts “Mouthful” each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM. E-mail Jordan at michele@micheleannajordan.com. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.