Showing posts with label farms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farms. Show all posts

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Saturday Errands in San Juan Bautista


Hellllooo! Yes, it has been a while. I am alive and well, thank you very much. Officially retired I am, so there you go. I've been catching up with the Husband who has been in every-day-is-a-Saturday mode for years.

This morning we actually got out of the house early to do errands in San Juan Bautista. First stop was the Pinnacle Farmstand in San Juan Valley for fresh locally grown organic vegetables and fruit. Only past 9:00 a.m., the place was already full of customers with potatoes, broccoli, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, lettuces, squashes, cantaloupes, apples, and other produce in their baskets and reusable bags. We're fortunate to have a source for organic vegetables and fruit in the area.

From the Saturday-only produce stand, we meandered the back roads to the Mission City. The further west we drove, the deeper we went into the morning fog. At Prescott Road, we turned left onto San Juan Highway to town while the fog veered to the right to head back to the coast.


It was a hard choice for breakfast: San Juan Bakery or Vertigo Coffee ? Vertigo Coffee or San Juan Bakery? The Husband let me choose, so sweet of him. 

Vertigo now serves delicious pastries, baked on the premises. The last time we were there, we had a peach scone with our mocha latte. Sigh, sweet delightfulness.

Because it had been awhile, I opted for the bakery where the Husband and I shared the last ham and cheese croissant that was in the display case We also split a raspberry and cream cheese croissant, and each had the perfect bite of an apple fritter doughnut hole. Droool. It's a good thing we don't live within walking distance to the bakery.


If I had remembered to wear my hiking boots we would've walked up the De Anza Trail for a bit. Instead we wandered a couple of blocks, peeked into store windows, and read signs about upcoming events. We also sat for a short spell on a comfy bench, enjoying the beautiful morning and saying hello to passersby.

Our last stop in San Juan was Vertigo Coffee where we purchased a bag of their roasted coffee beans, which comes with a free cup of coffee. Whooo-hooo!

See ya.


Friday, January 13, 2017

I Spy . . . Bwak! Chickens. Kinda


I spy with my little eye cute chickens in a once-upon-a-time barn. . . except they aren't real chickens and the barn is now a bakery.

The  chickens are part of the delightful whimsical decor at the Suncoast Organic Farm Bakery on 6310 Southside Road in Hollister. Have you been there lately? It's about five miles south of downtown Hollister, on a back road parallel to Highway 25 (or Airline Highway, as we oldtimers like to say) The bakery is down a short driveway surrounded by orchards and loveliness.

Artisan breads, croissants, pastries, cookies, granola, soups, sandwiches, ice cream, and more are made at the bakery. The bakery has a patio for customers to relax and eat the goodies they purchase.  To see more photos of the bakery, please check out this post that I wrote last year.

The bakery is only open two days: Friday afternoons (from 12:00 to 7:00 p.m.) and Saturdays (from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).

One more thing. Suncoast publishes its menus on its Facebook page. If you share the day's menu and mention it to the bakery's cashier, you'll get a discount on your bill. Nice, huh?




Friday, June 3, 2016

I Spy . . . an Old Coke Machine


I spy with my little eye a once-upon-a-time Coca Cola machine at the Ivancovich's cherry stand on Buena Vista Road. It's where you can wash any cherries that you just purchased and want to eat immediately. Who doesn't want to do that?

The cherry stand is open every day, from around 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until the cherry season ends. The season doesn't last long, so get your fresh cherries soon. Yummm!


Sunday, March 20, 2016

Spring!

Apple orchard on Duncan Road
Once upon a time, the back roads of San Juan Valley zigged and zagged among apple orchards. Imagine how the valley looked when the trees were full of blossoms.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Artichokes of Hollister


Artichokes grow in Hollister?

I always thought artichokes grew in foggy, sandy areas, so it still surprises me whenever I see the artichoke fields around here. Workers were harvesting the artichokes in the fields along Union Road this morning. One of them mentioned that Bertuccio's Market on Airline Highway (aka Highway 25), near Union Road, will be selling some of the artichokes.  Yaay! Beats driving all the way to Castroville for fresh artichokes.


Friday, December 18, 2015

Another Lovely Day


It was another gorgeous morning along Highway 25. This is near the corner of Enterprise Road and the highway.

See you tomorrow!

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Sparkle, Sparkle in San Juan Valley


At first glance, it looked like a lake. After all we did have a good rain the previously day, but, it was merely the sun's reflection on plastic tarps.

See you tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Going Around the Bend


I like this bend on Union Road, the one by Riverside Road. It reminds me that we do indeed live in a rural area, no matter how developed we get. Even, if one day, the orchards and vegetable fields along this bend are gone. Hopefully, that doesn't ever happen. Knock on wood. 


Monday, December 14, 2015

The Last of the Apples


Still a bit more fruit left in the organic apple orchard in San Juan Valley. No doubt they're crisp and yummy, with the natural refrigeration.

See you tomorrow. 

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Plowing and Thinning in Cold Temps


The temperature was about 37 degrees around 8 a.m. this morning. A few degrees colder an hour earlier. Brrrrr. 




Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Day In, Day Out

San Juan Valley

Lots of very hard work go into farming and ranching every day. It doesn't matter whether temperatures are over 100 degrees or in the low 40s, nor whether it's windy, foggy, or raining.

Many thanks to the men and women who do the backbreaking work of growing, nurturing, and harvesting food for everyone!

San Juan Valley


Saturday, October 10, 2015

Irrigation Sprinklers


Irrigation sprinklers make a field happy on Cienega Road. Chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck. That's how they—the sprinklers—sound to me.

Enjoy your Saturday! See you tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

See You Next Year!


Last Wednesday was the last day of the Downtown Hollister Farmers Market. Until next year, at least two places to find local, fresh fruits and vegetables are Bertuccio's–The Farm at the corner of Highway 25 and Union Road and the Pinnacles Farmstand in San Juan Valley on Saturday mornings.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Shop Locally: Market 25 on the Bolsa


Traffic karma was on our side and the Husband and I were able to safely pull into the parking lot of Market 25 on Bolsa Road (aka Highway 25) yesterday. Our first time there.  It was at the end of the day, so there wasn't much produce left. But, we did buy six ears of corn for a buck, as the sign along the highway stated. The corn was yummily sweet.

Market 25 is one of three produce stands owned by Uesugi Farms, of which the other two are in Morgan Hill and Saratoga. (By the way, Market 25 is located on the Gilroy portion of Highway 25.) The owners are not kidding when they say they sell local fruits and vegetables. Some produce, such as strawberries, corn, and peppers, are grown by Uesugi Farms. Others are from local farmers in Hollister, Gilroy, Castroville, and other nearby areas.

The stand also sells jams and juices from Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville. We learned that every Thursday, around noon, Gizdich Ranch delivers a frozen assortment of their delicious pies. Whoo-hooo! Guess who will be stopping at Market 25 one of these Thursday afternoons.

To learn more about Market 25, check out its website.


Sunday, July 26, 2015

Walnuts of San Benito County


Walnuts have been produced in San Benito County for many, many years. Although there are fewer acreage of walnut orchards, walnuts ranked third in the fruit and nut crops category in 2014 in terms of their value. Last year, the walnut crop was worth over $5.5 million, according to the San Benito County 2014 Annual Crop Report.



Monday, July 13, 2015

Local Corn Fields


That's the Gabilan Range in the distance. Where am I? Looking at the corn fields on Fallon Road.


Thursday, July 9, 2015

Irrigation Pipes


I have a soft spot for irrigation pipes. Sounds weird, I know. But, they were a part of my childhood. The Daddy worked for various farmers in San Benito County as an irrigator. Between the ages of four and eight, he and the fields were my babysitter.

One of my memories is of playing next to the large irrigation pipes from which water rushed down vegetable rows from the small open gates in the pipes. I made sure to see where the Daddy was as he worked his way across the field to the other end. When the water reached the end of a row, Daddy held his shovel high above the row. My job then was to shut the water gate for that row. Looking back, it was one of the best jobs I've had.

By the way, this scene is on Union Road, near Ladd Elementary School.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

The T-Rex on San Felipe Road


The T-Rex, as well as his companions, have been held at bay with let us hope very strong chains along San Felipe Road. Brrrrrrrrooooooowwwwwllllllll! 

They are the Swank Farms' dinosaurs. Come October, they will be resting in the corn maze awaiting the humans. Brrrrrrrrooooooowwwwwllllllll!


Today is Our World Tuesday, and that's where I'm parking myself today. Click here to check out other participants from around the world.



Saturday, May 2, 2015

From the Archives -- The Organic Farm Stand


I'm posting articles from my archives for the next few days. This one is about purchasing fresh organic vegetables from the Pinnacle Organic Farm on Saturdays in 2008, which we still do today. FYI: I edited the original piece.

 If It's Saturday, It Must Be Farm Day
(originally published on October 25, 2008)

We live in an agricultural area where some organic produce is grown. Yet, when the Husband and I moved to Hollister five years ago, one of the things I really missed about living in the big city area was being able to buy organic produce year round. Ironic, isn't it?

Between May and late August, we are fine. The local farmers market comes to downtown Hollister every Wednesday afternoon. It’s a small market, which seems to get smaller each year. The unfortunate thing about farmers markets is that the cost of fruits and vegetables are higher than in the stores. I think it’s worth paying the extra pennies for lettuce, tomatoes, squash, onions, potatoes, apples, artichokes, and so forth to feel, smell, and taste them the way that they are created to be.

A couple of winters ago, we learned that the Pinnacle Organic Farm(part of the Phil Foster Ranches) in San Juan Valley opens it farm stand every Saturday morning. FYI: Phil Foster Ranches sells its certified organic produce to Whole Foods Markets and other grocery shops. The farm stand is open year round, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's located on Duncan Avenue, between Bixby Road and Lucy Brown Road.

We go to this farm stand almost every Saturday. Early or late, it doesn’t matter. The produce is fresh. If some things are low, just ask, and they’ll replenish the stock if they have more on hand.

I wrote a note back in September that we had bought potatoes, onions, garlic, yellow cauliflower, watermelon, cilantro, carrots, apples, zucchinis, and a few other things for just over $20. I would've spent much more for the same amount, if I bought the food at a Whole Foods Market.

Other farm stands in the area are Bertuccio's Market/The Farm and Casa de Fruta. Along with produce, which may or may not be certified organic, they sell other food products. Casa de Fruta also offers fun activities for kids and adults.

Today is Saturday. We’re off to the farm.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

One of a Kind


Rather unique tomato, don't you think?  I wonder if it was the butt of all jokes among its peers.

These organic tomatoes waited patiently to be bought at the Pinnacle Organic Saturday Farmstand.


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