649040 Mon Aug 31 17:13:20 -0700 2009 8 3 California 0 4994279 We are driving up to San Luis Obispo and then Monterey with our 1-year old and would love to stop along the way at one or more organic farms to pick some fruit, and see some animals. Any suggestions? Thank you! Mon Aug 31 17:13:20 -0700 2009 100723 tamisk 1 4994875 Avila Valley Barn- don't forget to get some of their excellent fudge. Spinach cheddar scones rock here. Ask for a bag of lettuce (free) for the animals. The tiny tiny goats are a blast!! On weekends they roast corn - the bomb. Mon Aug 31 22:19:15 -0700 2009 4994279 12388 JalamaMama 2 4997496 We stopped by Avila Valley Barn for produce for that night's dinner, it seemed to be more of a gift/souvenir business with some produce available for sale. Because we saw the corn growing by the parking lot, we purchase a half dozen ears -- disappointing. Roasted on the grill at our host's home -- but starchy and tough -- not in the same league as the farm stand in Pleasant Hill my husband patronizes. Did buy some jarred salsas and a dip bowl to bring home for the cat sitter though and the pies looks interesting, but the line was too long. All in all, it reminded me of Nut Tree in Vacaville back in its early days. Tue Sep 01 17:59:54 -0700 2009 4994875 14515 Stephanie Wong 1 4995262 I am a big fan of Windrose Farm in Paso Robles. http://windrosefarm.org/ They still may have some of their great tomatoes, certainly apples, and other seasonal items. They also raise Sheep and Chickens on the farm. Tue Sep 01 06:31:27 -0700 2009 4994279 13936 BeachGrub 2 4995807 Must concur w/JalamaMama; Avila Valley Barn has a ton of yummy things, & we also love the mini-goats. Always have a great time, lots of animals out back, & there is also the separate ice cream shop. Have never been to Windrose, but sounds fun. If you like winetasting, a lot of the Paso wineries have animals, & all I have visited were kid-friendly (Castoro has the pot-bellied pig, & Doce Robles has all the German Shepherds) Tue Sep 01 09:19:02 -0700 2009 4995262 64009 LANative 1 4995857 To get some info for you, I called and had a wonderful conversation with Joy Barlogio of Jack Creek Farms in Templeton. She is the contact person for a local organization of working farms which has organized to educate the public about the status of Central Coast farms. Most of the member farms are genrations-old with deep connections to the land and communities of the Central Coast, but there are also dedicated newcomers who have chosen the area to send their own roots deep into the soil and who strive to form a real connection to the land and our local food production system. AgAdventures organized a group of 30 true family farms and a map to direct visitors to their diverse county locations. Because of publicity (thank you Huell Howser), they have blown through the first 100,000 maps and are in the process of fine-tuning their website and creating a more current paper map. visit www.agadventures.org for more info on the members and for contact info. Joy suggested a threshing event this weekend at Jack Creek Farms, complete with standing hay that will be harvested with antique horsedrawn farm equipment . There is also a u-pick garden at their farmstand on Highway 46 West, about a mile west of Cider Creek and Zin Alley. This family is working hard to enable the 5th generation to stay on the ranch. http://www.jackcreekfarms.com/ Hollyhock Farms on the east side of Templeton (across the Salinas River) has a farm stay (B&B) where you can gather your own eggs for the morning omelette and pick your own veggies for lunch or dinner. Cute little place. http://www.hollyhock-farm.com/ Blue Sky Gardens is located in Garden Farms, a historic truck-farming district developed by the man who started the town of Atascadero. GF is just north of Santa Margarita along old El Camino Real (exit 101at Santa Margarita, head north through town to Garden Farms) Contact Colleen Childer at http://blueskygardens.farmvisit.com/ for detailed information about current events and u-pick info. If you get a chance, get your hands into that Class 1 soil--the best I've had my mitts on in 40 years of gardening in many locations on the Central Coast. The defiintive 'Sandy Loam' of a gardener's fondest dreams. a caveat: Windrose Farms is a working organic farm which supplies some of the best and busiest Farmer's Markets in the state. They are not open to the public on a regular basis, so contact the Farm for availability. I hope you find a genuine farm experience for your family. Not many true farms exist anymore here on the Central Coast as the old family farms are falling to pressure of developement of the burgeoning tourism/winery business. By supporting these true ranches and farms, you can keep them in the family and keep actual food being produced locally. Tue Sep 01 09:35:17 -0700 2009 4994279 11234 toodie jane 2 4996972 tj- YOU ROCK!!!!! Great info- thank you! Tue Sep 01 14:32:54 -0700 2009 4995857 12388 JalamaMama 2 4997436 Toodie Jane and everyone else who answered - thank you SO much for all of this info - we are so excited for our visit to some of these farms!! Tue Sep 01 17:33:32 -0700 2009 4995857 100723 tamisk 2 4997518 I forgot the threshing event at Jack Creek was this weekend. I missed it last year. Definitely going to go by and check it out. Tue Sep 01 18:12:44 -0700 2009 4995857 13936 BeachGrub