Sonoma County Farm Market photo by Rick Tang www.ricktangphotography.com
Imagine yourself amidst rolling hills and valleys, where trees are heavy with succulent fruit and tilled soils cradle ripening vegetables. From apples to zucchini and everything in between, taste Sonoma County and its rich agricultural heritage by visiting one of our many farms or farm markets. And celebrate our foods – with the Heirloom Tomato Festival, Gravenstein Apple Fair, Harvest Fair, and farmers markets. One taste and you’ll know this is more than just Wine Country.
Sonoma County’s rich agricultural history goes back to indigenous tribes that first made this fertile ground home. More recently, famed horticulturist Luther Burbank made his home in Santa Rosa for more than 50 years and conducted plant-breeding experiments that introduced more than 800 new varieties of plants – including more than 200 varieties of fruits, many vegetables, nuts and grains, and hundreds of ornamental flowers. Shasta daisy, anyone?
Since the 1920s, the Crane family has been selling their self-named Crane melons out of the 130-year-old landmark barn, on Petaluma Hill Road, near Santa Rosa. These popular, unique melons – developed to grow on this property in the early 1900s – are only available in September and October. The Crane melon averages four to seven pounds, is round like a soccer ball, and has a light orange flesh that is highly aromatic. The fruit is exceptionally sweet and juicy. (Crane Melon Barn, 4935 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404)
Petaluma’s Sonoma County Bank building, constructed in the 1920s, houses a bank of a different kind: Baker Street Seed Bank . This is the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company’s west coast location. The company offers more than 1,200 heirloom seed varieties as well as books, local art, herbs, handmade items, gardening tools and gifts with more items on the way. (Baker Street Seed Bank, 199 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma, CA 94952)
If you’ve been in western Sonoma County in August, you know that this is also Sonoma Gravenstein Apple Country. Kozlowski Farms parlayed this bountiful fruit into a family business that is going strong since 1949. This country farm market stands as a vivid reminder of what West County used to be. Nestled among the apple trees is the homey gift shop filled with jams and jellies, along with the farm’s pecan crumb-top and double-crust pies – inspired by family recipes. Apple pies are available year round, along with blackberry, latticed cherry pies, raspberry peach and blueberry apple pies. (Kozlowski Farms, 5566 Gravenstein Highway 116, Forestville, CA 95436)
One of the best ways to experience the many tastes of Sonoma County is to pick up a Farm Trails Map and Guide. This will give you information and maps to farms you can visit. It’s organized by region and if you are looking for a specific product, you’ll find it here. (Sonoma County Farm Trails, 800-207-9464)
Here is a taste of Sonoma County food festivals:
Gravenstein Apple Fair
The Gravenstein Apple Fair is Aug. 15-16. The Gravenstein ripens in late July to early August, making an early appearance on the market in North America. Its arrival is always eagerly anticipated – the first crunchy bite, with the sweet apple aroma, is confirmation that Sonoma County is a wonderful place to be.
Ragle Ranch Park
500 Ragle Road
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Aug. 15-16
Heirloom Tomato Festival
13th Annual Kendall-Jackson Heirloom Tomato Festival
Spend Saturday, Sept. 12, sampling more than 170 varieties of heirloom tomatoes in every size, shape and color imaginable – picked fresh from Kendall-Jackson’s own culinary gardens. The festival, which raises money for the School Garden Network of Sonoma County, is held on the lawn and in the walnut grove behind the Chateau at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Center. Attendees experience the food of gourmet food purveyors, a Food & Wine magazine Best New Chef’s Challenge, wine education seminars, a tomato growing contest, garden tours and live entertainment. All paired with Kendall-Jackson wines.
Kendall-Jackson Wine Center
5007 Fulton Road
Fulton, CA 95439
Sept. 12
Harvest Fair, Oct. 2-4, is a celebration of harvest. It’s an opportunity for Sonoma County’s small producers to highlight their produce to the public. For visitors, it’s the perfect time to sample something new. The event features three days of wine tasting with more than 150 wineries, wine sales, chef demos, microbrew tasting, farm and harvest ag-tivities for kids and adults, World Championship Grape Stomp, live jazz, art show and much more.
Sonoma County Fairgrounds
1350 Bennett Valley Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Oct. 2-4
If your visit to Sonoma County doesn’t coincide with these events, discover your own fresh harvest at the areas many farms and farm markets.
List of farmers markets and farms to visit: www.sonomacounty.com/farms
