Summer Along the Farm Trails

Gravenstein Apple Fair & Farm Fun

Happy Summer! We are in midst of peak growing season, with a bounty of berries, peaches, flowers, and veggies. Sonoma County orchards are laden with apples, and harvest is quickly approaching! And that means the Gravenstein Apple Fair will soon be here. Read more below.

Be sure to also check out the Farm Trails member happenings listed below for more farm fun. And visit our website, FarmTrails.org, for a searchable map of our members, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Cheers!

(Above: The return of the beloved Gravenstein Apple Fair, with its iconic apple display, is less than two months away! Buy your tickets today.)

We've Missed You! Join Us at the Return of Our Beloved Gravenstein Apple Fair!

The Gravenstein Apple Fair has been cultivating community since 1973, and we are delighted to bring back our major annual fundraiser August 13 and 14 at Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. Below are highlights of the fun that awaits! Visit our website for full details and to buy advance discounted tickets: GravensteinAppleFair.com. Also be sure to check out our new blog for an insider scoop about the Fair!

BUY TICKETS

VIP EXPERIENCE: New this year is our VIP area! Vibrant – Experience exclusive performances by special guest artists. Idyllic – Lounge in our luxurious Shelter Co. tent. Pastoral – Enjoy access to the new Artisan Tasting Alley and sample bites and sips served by Sonoma County’s esteemed producers. For full details and tickets, click here.

LIVE MUSIC: Get ready to sing and dance at the Gravenstein Apple Fair! We have 24 fantastic musical acts ready to entertain you on two main stages. Headliners include the Brothers Comatose, MaMuse, the King Street Giants, T-Luke and the Tight Suits, Eki'Shola, Caitlin Gemma and the Goodness, Tom Rigney and Flambeau, and many more. Click here for the full lineup.

FARM-TO-FAIR FOOD & DRINK: No deep-fried Twinkies here! Our food and libations will be local, high-quality, ethically sourced, and delicious! Enjoy premium wine, local cider, craft beer, the finest food vendors, and lots of local Gravenstein apples, fritters, pies, juice, and more! As part of our greening goals , BYO refillable bottle for filtered water.

ARTS & CRAFTS VENDORS: We are proud of the curated collection of high-quality arts & crafts vendors at the Fair, from jewelry and ceramics to home and garden and more. You'll also find booths offering specialty food products grown and made by Farm Trails members. For a list of vendors, click here.

LIFE ON THE FARM EXHIBIT: Agriculture is at the heart of the Fair, and at this exhibit you can watch demonstrations of goat milking, jam making, sheep shearing, and more; meet cuddly farm animals; learn about ag-related topics such as beekeeping and fiber arts; and have fun at the Ag Games. For full details, click here.

KIDS' ACTIVITIES: Get your kids off their electronics for the weekend with old-fashioned family fun, with stilt walkers, giant bubbles, arts & crafts activities, face painting, contest, games, signalongs, educational displays, and lots more. And of course the Old Engines tractor display will be back! For more info, click here.

Farm Trails Member Happenings

U-Pick Raspberry Season at Boring Farm: Come enjoy a peaceful slice of Sonoma County at Boring Farm. They offer certified organic U-pick red raspberries as well as access to their property! There are ponds with wildlife and rolling hills with plenty of space to enjoy a picnic. Open by reservation only Saturdays 9 am to 1pm. Parking pass must be purchased in advance via their eventbrite page. 4200 Canfield Road, Sebastopol, https://www.facebook.com/boringfarm.

Herb Sale at Casari Farm & Garden on June 25: This Saturday, June 25, 12-4pm, visit the pastoral Casari Farm & Garden for an Herb Sale and Tea Party! They will have vendors offering fresh and dried herbs and herbal products for teas, medicinal applications, and more. You can also tour the farm and gardens and enjoy healthy tea delights and light snacks. Admission is free but reservations appreciated. RSVP online. 4615 Hall Road, Santa Rosa, casariranch.com.

Poppies & Petals Flower Farm U-Pick Opens: Poppies & Petals Farm has opened for the season by appointment only! Stroll through the garden and fill your pitcher with our seasonal premium flowers that you would find in specialty florist shops, including Sweet Peas, Bachelor Buttons, Stock, Bupleurum, Bells of Ireland, Love in a Mist, Lemon Balm, Larkspur, Sunball, Clarkia, Bouquet Dill, Poppies, Statice, Verbena, Chinese Forget Me Not, Yarrow, Calendula, Dahlias and Lilies. Gather friends for a flower party! Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays through October. Click here to book your visit online. 500 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, www.poppiesandpetalsfarm.com.

Lavender Package at Vintner's Resort: Vintner's Resort has partnered with fellow Farm Trails member Monte-Bellaria di California on a special package to celebrate lavender season in Sonoma County. The package includes 1-night stay (2 nights on weekends), a Lavender Welcome Box filled with premium hand-crafted bath and body products from Monte-Bellaria, access to our trail that winds through 92-acres of vineyards and gardens on our property, two massages, and a dining credit to be used at any of our three restaurants on property. To reserve, click here. 4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, www.vintnersresort.com.

Dry Creek Peach and Produce Open for the Season: It's always exciting when Dry Creek Peach and Produce opens for the season with 30 varieties of organic peaches, plums, cobbler mix, and more. Visit their farm stand or find their booth at the Healdsburg Farmers' Market. Varieties, hours, and volume depends on each week's harvest, so be sure to check their Facebook page often for the latest details. Stock up while you can for a true taste of summer! 2179 Yoakim Bridge Road, Healdsburg, www.drycreekpeach.com.

Chiatri de Laguna Farm Opens July 2: Local ag icon Wendy Krupnick is opening her farm stand at Chiatri de Laguna Farm for the season beginning Saturday, July 2. It will be open Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm, through October and by appointment. You'll find an amazing array of sustainably grown, delicious fruits, veggies, and flowers, including berries, grapes, melons, figs, kale, peppers, rhubarb, corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lots more. One of the perks of visiting the farm stand is getting to chat with Wendy, who offers a wealth of knowledge and experience gained from her decades of ag advocacy and instruction. 4993 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa; visit her Facebook page for the latest news.

OUR MISSION

We connect the public to Sonoma County farmers and producers to ensure the economic viability of local ag and to instill an appreciation of ag as a vital part of our community.