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Reclusive Calif. hamlet embraces Britain's Prince Charles

Posted on: Saturday, 5 November 2005, 23:46 CST

By Rob Selna

BOLINAS, Calif (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, received a warm welcome on Saturday from a coastal hamlet north of San Francisco with a reputation for being standoffish to visitors.

After viewing hurricane-devastated New Orleans and making an official visit to the White House earlier in the week, the prince and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, focused on a topic close to Charles' heart -- organic farming.

The couple started the day at a farmers' market and then went to Marin County's largest organic farm, where they were met by Warren Weber, who bought his 100-acre (40-hectare) plot in 1974 after earning a PhD in Shakespearean literature.

"The British got into organic farming 60 years ago; we only got into it in the last 30," Weber said. "They're the real mentors for organic farming for the Western industrialized countries."

Charles has long been a fan of organic farming and has promoted the practice at home and abroad.

During a 45-minute tour of the farm, the royals viewed a nearby stream and irrigation pond, and at Weber's urging, sampled some leafy greens cut straight from the soil.

A crowd of about 35 people gathered at a clearing about 150 yards (metres) away as the prince and the duchess take made their rounds. They waved and cheered when the prince gave them a brief wave back.

"I like the pomp and circumstance, we have so little tradition now, so I think I cling to things like this. It's really just fun," said Susan Durgin, 32, who joined the onlookers after surfing in the Pacific Ocean.

Bolinas is known for its reclusiveness. Road signs giving directions to the town have sometimes been removed. Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart's reported interest several years ago in buying a house in the town aroused local resistance.

Source: REUTERS

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