April in Carneros, where Napa and Sonoma meet

One of the things we love about Carneros is the way it joins together southern portions of both Sonoma and Napa counties to create what you might call a bipartisan appellation. This weekend, more than two dozen of the region’s wineries are celebrating the 22nd annual April in Carneros.

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Forty dollars gets you access to activities on both days. For Sunday only, you’ll pay $30.

Highlights of the weekend include a salsa band at Ceja Vineyards (1016 Las Amigas Road, Napa), local arts and crafts and pairings by Steve Stone of Yucatan Sunset Catering at Homewood Winery (23120 Burndale Road, Sonoma), tamales at MacRostie Winery and Vineyards (21481 Eighth St. E., Suite 23, Sonoma) and artisan cheeses, appetizers, pinot noir, Ed’s Red and croquet at Adastra (2545 Las Amigas Road, Napa).

For a list of events at all the wineries and a map showing all locations, visit www.carneroswineries.org. To join in, simply pay your admission fee at your first stop.

Attention pinot noir lovers
On Saturday, the Wine Shop (331 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg) is featuring a tasting of three newly released Skewis pinot noirs, the 2006 Anderson Valley Reserve, 2006 Montgomery Vineyard and 2006 Salzgeber-Chan Vineyard. Hank and Maggie Skewis are bringing along some older library wines for tasting, as well.

There’s a fee of $10 for the tasting, which takes place from 3 to 6 p.m.

Earth Elders
On Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m., Earth Elders return to Luther Burbank’s Gold Ridge Experiment Farm in Sebastopol for an afternoon of music, poetry, art and some yummy organic nibbles.

A highlight of this year’s event is an appearance by Don Baldwin, an environmentalist, minister and actor who will bring John Muir to life in a spoken word performance.

Visitors can see where Burbank conducted many of his experiments with botany and enjoy local cheeses, breads, produce and beverages.

The event is free and reservations are not necessary.

Burbank Gold Ridge Experiment Farm is located at 7787 Bodega Ave. in Sebastopol.

A taste of Iceland in Healdsburg
On Sunday afternoon, Jimtown Store welcomes Christina Sunley, who will read from her recently released first novel, “The Tricking of Freya.” Things get under way with a welcoming reception at 1:30 p.m. followed by the reading at 2 p.m. After the reading, there will be a complimentary tasting of Icelandic foods and a cash wine bar.

Among the nibbles chef Peter Brown will prepare are choux buns stuffed with smoked trout; fish and potato pancakes with salmon roe, creme fraiche and chives; decorative leaf bread; liver, potato and onion fritters with fried eggs and rhubarb jam; a dessert soup of rye bread and stout topped with whipped cream; chocolate and date cake with fresh fruit and whipped cream; and coffee brewed with caraway seeds.

To reserve a spot, call 433-1212 or e-mail jimtown@jimtown.com. Although there is no charge for the event, space is limited so it’s a good idea to call if you hope to attend. Alexander Valley’s Jimtown Store is located at 6707 Highway 128 in Healdsburg.

Green Valley celebrates Mother Earth
Although Earth Day is April 22, celebrations have already begun and there are more all weekend. On Sunday, five wineries in the Green Valley viticultural area will offer complimentary wine pairings and activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Iron Horse Vineyards will feature its 2003 Blanc de Blanc with seasoned popcorn; a marvelous 2007 Unoaked Chardonnay will be paired with spring vegetable soup and bread from Wild Flour. Finally, Iron Horse 2005 Estate Chardonnay with be served with citrus-spiked chocolate, a pairing that makes a lot of sense on the palate. Honest.

Iron Horse is also featuring a one-day exhibit in the cellar that focuses on art from reclaimed and recycled materials. A favorite local artist, 3D-Eddy, will be on hand, working on new sculptures.

Balletto Vineyards, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, DeLoach Vineyards and Hartford Family Winery are also participating in the celebration.

For a map to the wineries involved, visit www.ironhorsevineyards.com/events.

Earth Day at Benziger
On Wednesday, you can celebrate Earth Day at Benziger Family Winery, where Colby Eieman, director of sustainability and gardens, will offer two complimentary classes, one at 10 a.m. and one at 2 p.m., for 20 participants interested in learning more about using biodynamic farming practices in home gardens. Reservations are required; to make yours, call 935-4011.

Wednesday also marks the launch of Benziger’s new Biodynamic Discovery Trail at the winery’s Glen Ellen Estate. The self-guided trail includes hands-on experiences and educational displays, including the homeopathic treatments that form some of the most interesting aspects of this discipline.

Special tours will be offered throughout the day — prices range from $15 to $40 — and 100 percent of the tasting room’s Earth Day net profits will be donated to the Sonoma Valley Vineyard Worker Services, a nonprofit agency that helps provide assistance to farmworkers.

For more information about Benziger Family Winery, its tours and its farming practices, visit www.benziger.com.

Earth Day sunset wildflower walk
Sonoma Land Trust is hosting a rare evening walk through a wildflower field currently in full bloom at Tolay Creek Ranch on Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The guided walk passes through an area of serpentine soils where rare native plants and grasses are in their spectacular spring bloom. There is no trail through the field of wildflowers so participants should wear shoes that are suited to uneven terrain.

Tolay Creek Ranch is tucked between Lakeville Highway and Highway 121. Although there is no charge to join in the hike the number of paricipants is limited and advance registration is required. To reserve your spot, call 526-6930 ext. 112 or e-mail outings@sonomalandtrust.org. Directions to the ranch will be included with your confirmation.

For more information about Sonoma Land Trust and the nearly 20,000 acres of land it has protected, visit www.sonomalandtrust.org.

Biodynamic benefit
You’ve likely heard about biodynamic farming even if you don’t know exactly what it means. Now there’s an opportunity to learn about it in detail and support an essential and beloved local resource, the Sonoma County Wine Library, at the same time.

On April 24, the Sonoma Country Day School, in association with the library, presents “Why Biodynamic?” a discussion with Paul Dolan of Paul Dolan Vineyards and other wineries; Jeremy Fox, chef and owner of Napa’s Ubuntu restaurant; and Alan York, a farmer and international biodynamic consultant. Jeff Cox, The Press Democrat’s restaurant critic, will moderate the panel.

The evening event begins at 7 and ends around 9, with a reception featuring tastes of biodynamically farmed foods and wines following the discussion.

Biodynamic farming developed in Germany in the 1920s and was inspired by a series of lectures by Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Waldorf School system of education. The techniques and philosophy of this approach to agriculture were brought to the United States in the 1930s and are enjoying something of a renaissance now, including throughout the wine industry.