While in school, I learned a lot about farm-fresh food and what that exactly meant. Apparently once…read moreyou've tasted produce straight from the vine, you'll never go back. But as a kid, I never really had the opportunity to visit a farm or even grow my own fruits and vegetables. Living in constant suburbia meant frequent trips to Ralph's or Safeway. That all changed last Sunday when I picked my very own strawberries with my girlfriend at Swanton Berry Farm. After hearing my boss boast about picking 12 pounds (!!!) of the juiciest and most delicious strawberries, I knew I had to go. And what better person to take then my girlfriend who was a HUGE fan of strawberries. So Swanton Berry Farm is a local supplier of fresh and organic fruits along the beautiful coasts of Northern California. They have two locations for Berry picking: Coastways Ranch is next to Ano Nuevo State Park (which you should go to!) and The Farm Stand is a bit further south right outside Davenport. The main difference between the two is that the latter is only open for picking on weekdays (although you can purchase stuff everyday) whereas Coastways is accessible during the weekends from 10am-5pm. Really sweet deal since you can pretty much pick during any day of the week! We ended up visiting Coastways Ranch since it was a Sunday. Getting here was actually kind of a doozy for us. Though the drive was very scenic, it took a little over an hour from the South Bay Area. And that's because the only "quick" way to the coast was south on Highway 17 and back north up Highway 1. GPS came in handy, and there were fortunately signs directing where to go. If y'all get lost, just note that the ranch is around 10 miles north of Davenport. Besides the drive, hardest part was making into the parking lot because it's about a half mile of unpaved dirt. Have to drive slow otherwise you'll go into a ditch! Now if all this sounds too stressful, hear me out; it was SO WORTH THE JOURNEY. Once we got out of the car, we were greeted by ROWS UPON ROWS of strawberries - far as my tiny eyes could see. Immediately after we got our sturdy box from the stand, we washed our hands (there's a station) and immediately started picking as many as we could. Because we came right in the middle of the season (around summer), the strawberries were SO AMAZING. They came in all kinds of sizes. Some were a bit riper than others, so there was plenty of variety to choose from. We were allowed to sample however much we wanted before paying as long as we didn't waste anything. And by golly I filled my tummy and our box like no tomorrow because these were HANDS DOWN BAR NONE the BEST strawberries I've ever had in my life. The size, sweet taste, and color - these characteristics were so different and much more authentic compared to what you'd find in the store. For example, these strawberries were much smaller since they weren't pumped with growth hormones. True to what I'd learned in school, I'll probably never look at store bought strawberries again. After an hour of picking, we pretty much filled our entire box. It came out to be about 4 freaking pounds so use that as a measuring stick. I highly recommend only getting as much as you can eat in like a week since these suckers go bad FAST (or just freeze). Cost was $5 a pound ($4.5 if you get over 10 pounds) so we paid around $19. The guy at the stand actually gave me more money back in change, and I thought that was VERY generous of him! Farmers are a godsend I tell y'all. Truth be told, I never really cared about strawberries until my experience at Swanton Berry Farm. Sure, I thought they were really nice fruits but I wouldn't go out of my way to get them. Now, however, I am SO DOWN to drive over an hour to pick strawberries because Coastways Ranch and Swanton Berry Farm were definitely worth an "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating. Have fun and prosper,

BAD experience. Not…read morebecause the strawberries are small and not sweet (Kinda expected that because it's not strawberry season) BUT because they are DISHONEST. Got 8 strawberries only because the strawberries weren't that sweet, went to pay, got charged HALF A POUND ($5/lb, 0.5lb for $2.5). Found it really weird that 8 small strawberries costs $2.5. Went home and weighed it, found that the 8 strawberries weighs only 0.172 pound!!!!! (See pic - adjusted for the tare weight) So that means they OVERCHARGED me!

Great fun for the whole family! A variety of animals and farm produce and experiences!read more

The best CSA I've ever visited. Family friendly, organic, and the perfect place to visit during one…read moreof the many harvest events and parties they throw throughout the year. Vegetables year round that are worth every penny. A totally unbias review!

Variety, quality, quantity! I have been going to One Acre Farm since it first opened and it only…read moregets better. This small family farm never stops surprising me. As soon as I find my favorite veggie, I try something new and kazam! I have a new favorite veggie. This year I tried the peaches and plums. Total heaven! The assortment of fresh tomatoes have been amazing! This CSA is a true foodie adventure!

We found this secluded spot for apple picking when we were looking for a u-pick spot late in…read moreseason. It's best to make a reservation through text and when you arrive, there is guidance on where to go for the apple, pomegranate and persimmon trees! It's an honor system and you can pay through leaving cash or through venmo. U-pick was $1.50 per pound when we went. It's such a cute, quaint spot to spend a relaxing hour on the weekends. There was only one other group of people when we went and the location is convenient from South Bay. There are also pre-picked apples, blueberries, raspberries, and cider for sale in the small barn when you arrive. We got a jug of apple cider for $3!.

Came here after some friends recommended it, and I'll be sure to return!…read more This place is close to Patchen, right off Summit. You text to make a reservation to pick apples. There are lots of other types of food available to pick like pomegranates and a few pear trees (though it seems none were really ripe except for one lone pair). Service was friendly. Ambiance was relaxing. Paths are walkable with only a slight incline. We also saw lots of animals: chickens that live at the farm and other animals like deer and turkeys. My daughter also chased many monarch butterflies. Would love to know when other foods are in season. Prices: $1.50/pound. $7 for 10 apples if kids pick them. Great prices!

From mushrooms being super fresh and clean they taste amazing!! You must stop here and buy some…read morefresh mushrooms for your next meal! To top it off they are friendly and try their best to accommodate customers needs!

I love this place. I can buy clean, fresh mushrooms in the size I want at a reasonable price…read more Recently, I drove there to buy 5 pounds of small mushrooms for Thanksgiving. Their mushrooms save me a lot of prep time. A quick rinse in a mesh strainer and they were ready to slice in the food processor. I didn't have to trim stems at all because all of the mushrooms were fresh and picked that morning.

I stopped by Forever Bloom Farmstand on my way to Swanton Berry Farm to pick up pies for…read moreThanksgiving. The farm stand is located along a windy country road in Pescadero. I absolutely loved the slow drive in. I was greeted by a super friendly golden retriever when I stepped out of my car. And otherwise didn't come into contact with anyone else which makes sense since it's on an honor system. I was looking for wreaths that I saw on their Instagram and found beautiful succulent filled pumpkins and other treats instead. I am looking forward to adding this stop to my Pescadero day trip itinerary which includes Fish tacos at the gas station, artichoke bread from the deli, and Harley Farms goat cheese.

This review is for the flower stand at the Santana Row farmers market. This is the most beautiful…read morefarm stand you will see in the Bay Area, and I can tell because I am a flower fan and I have seen them all. I loved the arrangements, the prices very affordable, the simplicity and elegance and the pretty factor of the cute stand with the (of course) super cute florist dressed in what I suspect and adorable modelito from Anthropology store (I might be wrong but she looked like from one of their catalogs). Even her tattoos were a total match in this ensemble. No wonder there is always a long line of people trying to get their bouquets there and by the end of the farmers' market time (around 8 pm) you don't find anything left. Go visit and see from yourself and...I would never say no from flowers coming from anyone! (especially if they look as fresh and good as the Forever Bloom).

The Morgan Hill farmers market set on Saturday mornings from nine to one is one of the better…read moremarkets providing farm raise vegetables, fruits, cheese, and meats that I've saw in quite a long time. Everyone is super nice wanting to sell their products and everyone seems to be giving out free samples at every booth. The ambience is very down to earth and inviting and you'll see a vast ray of locals and people coming from out of town to enjoy the market.

This is always a great spot to walk around, especially if you're in downtown Morgan Hill. It is…read morebecoming a very beautiful town and public transit is convenient. Colorful fruits/vegetables/crafts/pastries/music/pantry goods/flowers/etc. It a small Farmer's Market with quality apple pies and other items too. Yes, much smaller than most. People are happy and friendly as usual. Next to the children's railroad park playground, there are high tech public restrooms now. Convenient and flexible. All are walking distance to the Farmer's Market here. There's plenty of free sidewalk street parking and free public parking lots, but you may need to circle around. Downtown Morgan Hill gets busy at and around lunch hours. I noticed new homes/buildings across the street too. Farmer's Market locations are always a blessing. Location is outstanding 5/5 as you can walk to restaurants/cafes/shops nearby. Who doesn't want to stop at the Morgan Hill train stop nearby? It was certainly a beautiful autumn day after Halloween Day out here today. Peaceful pumpkin vibes everywhere.

I love markets and the Los Gatos farmers market happens on Sundays from 9-1. It's small but…read moremighty and quite cozy. Plenty of samples and I had a nice pork rib lunch here. Please come and create your own adventure.

This market's definitely more low-key compared to others in the area - Sunnyvale, Cupertino,…read moreSaratoga, which are all bigger. Fresh produce is kind of limited too, with more vendors focused on prepared foods and baked goods. But I really enjoyed strolling through all the artisanal options. I was happy to see organic sourdough bread priced at a reasonable $6 a loaf as well. All of us loved the bread, it was very fresh. I infact plan to visit every week just for the bread options here. There is one flower vendor who has the most amazing flowers. They looked like premium variety and make for great gifts. And there is a tamale vendor who was handing out samples. Each tamale was priced at $7 and he had vegetarian and meat options. It was my first time trying a tamale and I liked it. I got a green chilli chicken tamale. It came wrapped in a leaf. The market is right next to a park so it's convenient to buy food and sit out there and enjoy the food.