He received a BA in Biogeography at UC, Berkeley, specializing in agricultural history. After graduation, he began to develop vineyards on several ranches in Northern California. He started a “champagne quality” winery in Anderson Valley and later created the first artisanal chocolate company in the U.S., Scharffen Berger Chocolate. Growing up during the revolutionary wine and food world of the past 40 years has allowed him to both experience and implement many concepts that have now become mainstream. Organic farming, soil preservation, local marketing, grass-fed animal products, water conservation, fermented food, humane animal husbandry, controlled burning, alternative wood products, non-animal protein, fair trading, and aquaculture are some of these practices.
He serves on the advisory boards of the UC, Berkeley College of Natural Resources and the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley (now emeritus), and on the Council and Science Committee of Save the Redwoods League. He joined the Board in 2018. He is also involved in many community activities near his home in Anderson Valley, California. In developing vineyards on ranch property, John was able to work on the restoration of forestlands adjacent to these lands. Oak woodland, Douglas fir, and his favorite, the redwood forest, have been included in this work. Planting, thinning, pruning and soil restoration on over several hundred acres in the past 40 years has given him great satisfaction. Having experienced this restoration has allowed him to see what practices seem to work in helping the forest return to a more “virgin” state.
John continues to work with small food producers, Hodo Soy, Farmhouse Culture, CoCo Terra, California Caviar Company, and a new venture to provide housing for Anderson Valley farmworkers.
