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.

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!

The 2016 Downtown Hollister Farmers' Market

Hollister has its own certified farmers' market. Yes, indeed. The 2016 season opened last Wednesday. Did you make it?

Every Wednesday, until September 28, 2016, the Downtown Hollister Farmers' Market will be from 3:00 to 7:30 p.m. on San Benito Street. The main street will be closed between Fourth and Seventh Streets from noon to 8:30 p.m.

The market's layout is different this year.  You'll find the produce booths in the middle part of the market. The food booths are on the south end, near the Veterans Memorial Building. There are tables at both the south and north end of the market for you to sit and eat, rest, and/or people watch.

I saw a variety of new food vendors last Wednesday, selling such items as Puerto Rican sandwiches, Hawaiian shaved ice,  artisan tamales, hot dogs, and fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Yummmm.  To see photos of some of the food booths, check out the "Food Court at the Hollister Farmers' Market" album at Facebook. You don't need to register or sign in at the site to view it.

See you at the farmers' market!

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.

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.

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.

Wine grapes

Wine grapes at Leal Vineyards, off of Fairview Road

In 2013, wine grapes made the top 10 crops grown in San Benito County, according to the annual crop report. The local vineyards produced 15,733 tons of wine grapes on 3,885 acres. The combined gross value of their wine grape production was $21,771,500.

Vineyards are growing all over the county, on widespread acreage as well as on small estates. Click here for a list of local vineyards—and wineries.