Community Spotlight
Providing Water That Feeds Our Community
Foothill Roots Farm is a living example of how water sustains local agriculture, community connection, and a way of life. Operated by Patrick and Diane Bollinger and their daughter Sage, their farm is located in Meadow Vista and produces seasonal crops like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kohlrabi, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, and more. “With gravity-fed water, we feel like we won the lottery,” said Patrick, long time PCWA customer.
In Loomis, they grow winter crops with pond-stored water—a strategy shaped by terrain and seasonal demands. Their produce gets the “full tour” across Placer County, reaching local restaurants, grocery stores like the Auburn Bodega, and neighbors through direct sales from a farm stand and distribution via Tahoe Food Hub.
The Bollingers are deeply intentional about how they use water. “We’re always spreading compost to improve the sponge we’re growing in,” Patrick shared. “It helps us go longer between waterings.” With drip irrigation, timers, and seasonal adjustments, they stretch every drop—making gravity-fed water go further.
But their connection to water goes beyond farming. The Bollingers recreate in the watershed and advocate for water resilience in their community. “We feel so lucky to have the water that we do,” Patrick said.
Their story reflects the heart of Water for Our Future—investing in the reliable water infrastructure that keeps farms productive, communities fed, and prosperity flowing.
