Chef's Walk... Every Saturday, Earthbound Farms in Carmel Valley offers Harvest Walks, an opportunity to tour Earthbound's spectacular 30-acre farm while harvesting a basketful of extra-fresh, organically grown produce.

The walks start at 10am, last about an hour, and cost $15 for adults and $5 for children. Each family receives a bag of Earthbound Farm salad to take home along with their harvested vegetables. Good walking shoes are recommended.

Chef's Walks, an enhanced version of the Harvest Walks, are led by a guest chef who will join in on the farm tour to answer culinary questions, and then offer a cooking demonstration at the Farm Stand, using the freshly harvested bounty.

The cost is $20 for adults and $5 for children. The Chef's Walks start at 10am and last about two hours.

Cal Stamenov of Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley is hosting the Chef's Walk on August 25. To register call (831) 625-6219 or email farmstand@ ebfarm.com.

The Farm Stand is open April 22 (Earth Day) to October 31. Hours are Monday through Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm.

Earthbound Farm is located at 7250 Carmel Valley Road, 3.5 miles east of Highway 1.

Local Chefs Share Favorite Recipes... Earthbound has a slew of their chef-friends' recipes on their Web site--Stamenov, along with Jeffrey Jake of the Beach and Tennis Club in Pebble Beach, Wendy Little of the Corkscrew Café in Carmel Valley Village, Brandon Miller of Stokes Restaurant & Bar in Monterey, Terry Terflinger of White Oak Grill in Carmel Valley, Craig Von Forester of Sierra Mar, Post Ranch in Big Sur, and Ted Walter of Passionfish in Pacific Grove offer a sampling of their favorite recipes at www.earthboundfarm.com.

Goddess of the Brewery... Did you know that women in ancient Sumeria dominated the art of brewing and tavern keeping, operating under the protection of Siduri, goddess of the brewery? This is from Alan D. Eames, cultural anthropologist and author of Secret Life of Beer (Storey Publishing).

The $46,620 Question... Penfold's has announced the release of their 1996 Grange, the 46th consecutive vintage of this benchmark Australian shiraz (syrah). The first ever (experimental) vintage of Grange sold at auction for $46,620, but the 1996 is available for the bargain price of $195 per bottle. For more information on this famous wine, visit penfolds.com.

Ninth Annual Winemakers Celebration... More than 30 local wineries will showcase their wares this Saturday, August 11, from noon to 5pm at the Custom House Plaza in Monterey. The Winemakers' Celebration incorporates wine tasting with education, food and music. In addition to wine tastings, unique displays will illustrate the process of creating fine wines. Exhibits will include grapevine pruning demonstrations, a wine grape varietal display, a sustainable agriculture exhibit and wine-barrel building from Seguin Moreau coopers. Local restaurants and caterers will set up food booths; Red Beans & Rice will provide dance tunes.

Bargain hunters will want to check out the auction, featuring big bottles, old vintages, VIP tours, and winemaker dinners. Tickets are $30 per person in advance, or $35 at the event. Ticket price includes a Monterey Wine County commemorative wineglass. For tickets and information call (831) 375-9400, or visit www.montereywines.org.