Love, love, love Frog Creek Farm. Can't believe that they have been in business for over a decade…read moreand I just heard about them recently. We had been to another lavender farm in the upper Ojai Valley some years ago and I was looking for that info to return. That one has closed, but thankfully, Frog Creek Farm is a wonderful "find" for us. The lavender full blossom season is short, so you need to check on them via social media to find out when they are open. Instagram has current info. It's a delight to pull off the Ojai/Santa Paula Road and mosey on to their property. They have so much to see, including their cutting garden of seasonal flowers, some places to sit at picnic tables in the shade and even swing (i.e., hammock), the gift shop, and the lavender rows - the main event. Larry provides a great introduction at the small stand adjacent to the flowering beds. He describes the location and how to identify the five kinds of lavender they offer for cutting. For 2025 pricing - $16 earns you a generous bunch of fragrant blooms. After orientation, you are off with a basket to collect the stems, and scissors to do your own cutting / harvesting. As promised, the plentiful bees scattered away as we leaned in to cut the stems close to the main host bushes. We wandered among the rows and filled up our gathering basket. Back at the stand, Larry tied our haul into a beautiful bunch. We proceeded to the gift shop to pay for our pickings, and I also found a few other items to purchase, including lavender-infused spray which has many purposes. Christel greeted us as we were wrapping up our visit. She filled us in as we asked questions about how long they'd been there, as well as about some of their products. She's as sweet and charming as the farm is. What a lovely place to visit. We'll be putting it on the to-do list next summer, for sure!

It's always such a wonderful experience at Frog Creek Farm…read more Arriving at the farm, you just feel like you are transported somewhere else. From the personal lavender lesson, to the hands on cutting, shopping the lavender shed to sipping amazing lavender lemonade under the trees, it's such a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Christel and Larry are just the nicest people. They make you feel so welcome to be visiting their little slice of heaven. We love this annual tradition.

I had a great experience sampling all the olive oils and balsamic vinegars here! This was such a…read morefun activity, great for foodies at this family owned farm in Ojai. For $15, you get a sampling board of several olive oils and balsamic vinegars with some bread from the nearby Ojai Rotie to dip in. All of the olive oils and balsamic vinegars were super tasty and unique. I kind of regret not buying a full bottle of them haha. The board comes with a card with descriptions of each oil and vinegar to read while you taste each one which is nice. I was given two pieces of bread and the staff said I could always ask for more which is nice. There's several picnic tables out from where you can sit at and sample in the farm. They're also well prepared with hand washing and sanitizing stations throughout the area. For parking, there's ample free parking around the farm. Overall, I'd highly recommend stopping by here on your next trip to Ojai! I would definitely come back here with some friends/family.

I barely recognize this place. What the hell happened?…read more I hadn't been back in years, and maybe that long absence is what made the decline so obvious. I remember coming here for the experience as much as the olive oil and vinegars. The warm welcome, the hospitality, the tasting experience, the opportunity to wander around and talk to people, meet new people and sample things without feeling like you were inconveniencing anyone. We used to happily spend loads of money here because the experience made you want to. This time? Cold. Impersonal. No greeting when we walked in. Tastings reduced to oils and vinegars in tiny plastic cups for purchase. What is this nickel-and-dime hustle/operation you have going? And the portable toilets outside??? What hillbilly ruined this experience? I understand that COVID changed how businesses operated. I really do. But COVID is over, and apparently the customer service decided to stay stuck behind. What disappoints me most is that this place used to have a bit of magic you couldn't manufacture. We loved returning year after year. Now it feels transactional, and that's a shame because the products deserve WAY better than that. After this visit, you can have whatever THAT is. Keep the misery to yourself. The olive oil may still be good. The balsamic vinegars are top tier. (I make soda pop out of them). But the one of a kind experience and hospitality is GONE. Save your money.

Ojai Roots is a lovely place off the beaten path. The back garden area is so quaint and the perfect…read morecozy place to relax with a glass of wine. Inside you'll find a small market with food, drinks and goods for sale. On the day of our visit they had a BBQ truck pop up, but otherwise you can find items like prepackaged sandwiches to enjoy. We grabbed a couple of glasses of crisp, chilled white wines and relaxed in the shade of the patio. The good vibes and tasty wines made this one of our favorite stops of the day.

This seems to be a family owned quaint and cute shop with a friendly staff. So many cute things to…read morebuy! There is outside seating a very small amount of bar seating inside. They have some tastings and it was interesting that 2/3 cabs were from Santa Barbara but one was from New York. They have ready to made sandwiches and salads in their fridge with fresh juices. We got some salami and a beet hummus. Apparently the beets are from their store's backyard? They grow their own vegetables which is cool. They have plenty of outside seating with shade and a fan. A nice location for relax and snack.

REAL chicken, three sizes, not cheap, worth every penny. Great flavor, texture, etc. (We roast it…read morew/ a lemon inside, EVERY Saturday) I went there recently for an open house. http://atpic.com/en/8208 I'm very glad to support a family farm, not an industrial protein factory. They have other flesh also. And they are all raised humanely. Hmmmmmm, since I was there, this has come about: http://www.unhealthyfamilyfarm.com/ Even while out there, I thought their operation was mighty small to be providing all those birds, eggs, beef, etc. It's a damn petting zoo for people like me who want to do right. I feel duped. It appears that Sharon Palmer is a criminal, and her latest scam is non-suspecting people who seek humane, healthy food. Funny, I have written a screenplay on just that topic. Now that I think about it, that was not many chickens for the amount of sales that HFF does each week. I wonder where I will get my chickens now. Update: 12/11 - we no longer give them our money. Haven't for a while now. And I still wonder where they get their birds.

Healthy Family Farms is the bomb. Absolutely the best chicken and eggs I have ever had. I've just…read moreplaced an order for some of their other products such as a lamb roast, lamb hearts, lamb liver and more chicken. For me, it's all about quality and I'm willing to splurge now and then from a source I trust completely. Highly recommend - the only drawback is that you can never go back to chicken from Whole Foods again. By the way, regarding the review from Chuck M - you have no idea what you are talking about. Sharon Palmer is one of the suppliers of the impeccably sourced food co-op Rawesome. James of Rawesome would never compromise on the quality of what he offers (or rather, offered. But rest assured, he will be back, setting some new legal precedents along the way and making it better for everyone who wants to the right to chose their own healthily sourced food).

Big fan of Rio Gozo…read more We joined the CSA a few seasons ago after hearing friends rave about them. I have really high standards and at first, I was a bit concerned about not directly choosing what is in my box (both content and quality) and having too much produce. My concerns faded within the first few weeks. The quality is superb - John and Elizabeth at Rio Gozo have high standards - and they grow beautiful, delicious varieties. The quantity is perfect for our family. When we've got a bit too much we just share with our friends and neighbors, or turn into rich soil amendment via compost. I love supporting local agriculture and being part of a rich community, but to be perfectly candid -- the biggest benefits to me are the time and money savings. I enjoy going to Farmers Market but I can't always get there -- and when I do, I often go overboard and spend a ton. Now I have a fridge full of fresh local organic produce in exchange for a very little amount of cash and time, and it's fun discovering new foods and varieties.

Tuesdays are "Ranchero John Day" at our house! We've been members of Rio Gozo since shortly after…read moreit started delivering to Ventura. We began by sharing a box with a friend. We soon found that we could use the entire box so committed to a year to have home delivery. The convenience of having it delivered at home has been great. It is not easy for us to make it out to the farmers markets that do have organic produce and we have been greatly disappointed by the absence of any organic produce at the Ventura Farmers Market downtown on Saturdays. Other reviews likely rave about the food itself -- so I will keep this part brief. It is fabulous. It is fresh, rich, and filled with flavor and nutrients. It is incredible to experience the different taste and texture of vegetables picked that morning. They have begun expanding by offering eggs and organic, fair trade coffee. Sometimes there are some fruits included in the haul. I look forward to them developing more organic fruit sources -- as we would love more fruit. One of our favorite aspects of Rio Gozo is that it is a calling for John and Elizabeth -- far from just an income. They truly want people to have a connection with their food source -- to know where their food comes from. And this means knowing both their farmers and the farm itself. We enjoy getting to see "Ranchero John" to talk food, farms, children and much more under the sun every week. Whenever we have a question during the week -- we hear back quickly from Elizabeth when we email. And without knowing your farmer -- how can you develop trust in the food source you are giving your family? I was concerned about lead and how it is outside the organic certification requirements. I talked with John about this and he noted that one can, of course, separately test the soil for lead. I asked if they'd done so -- and he assured me they had and that it was not a problem in their soil. If you don't trust your farmer, how can you trust your food is not lead-laden? They also want people to be able to know the farm itself. One can very happily be a CSA member, enjoy the delicious, fresh, organic produce, and no more. But if one is interested in more -- that is an option with Rio Gozo. They hold potlucks on the farm -- where you can walk around with your family (including your dog), meet other CSA members, others who coordinate with the farm (such as their egg vendor), family and friends of John and Elizabeth and more, not to mention that there is delicious, fresh, organic food. You feel as if they are truly opening their home to you. That is -- they live on the farm -- that's not all that common anymore. This is not some agri-tainment gig with caged animals taken out for a stroll for a fee. This is their home. When the gathering is around Thanksgiving, their visiting family is there to visit with you. When you need to use the restroom, it is in their home. When the sun goes down, the fires are lit outside and there is campfire music. If we want to visit the farm any other time -- we are always welcome. Recently, we were out when "Ranchero John" came by our home with the veggies. Our 3 year old was so sad to have missed him that we went to the farm the next afternoon. We did not have to make any special arrangements -- we just showed up and were welcomed. Our son loves walking around the farm -- seeing where his food comes from, pulling up a carrot fresh from the dirt, nipping off an edible flower from the arugula, getting his boots really muddy . . . . The connection our son has with the farm and farmers is such a gift to us -- from his understanding of food and its source to his sheer joy in touching and tasting at the farm. Our 9 month old daughter is just beginning to enjoy the weekly visits as well. We open up the cooler for her on the porch, she peers inside at all the veggies, and dives in. To feel that it is safe (and healthy, no less) for her to chew whatever she wishes to pick out, is such a joy for us (yes -- we watch for choking hazards). When there are flowers in the haul, we are not worried about the children touching the flowers (let alone taking a bite) for fear of pesticides that then go in their mouths when their hands inevitably enter their mouths. It's all available to them -- that's a wonderful, safe, feeling to give them. I highly recommend this CSA - it's the next best thing to your own (organic) family farm - without having to worry about Mother Nature.

We used tawni in march 2025 for my daughters birthday party…read more She was very responsive and answered all my 500 questions since I had never gotten ponies or an animal petting zoo. She assured me everything was set! LIt was. Her daughter came on time with assistants who helped our kids ride the ponies around our cul de sac. The petting zoo was super cute too. I really am glad we went with Tawni as we had zero issues. Thank you!!

We recently used Tawni's Ponies for my daughter's 6th birthday party and it was an absolute hit!…read moreTawni and her team arrived right on time with a fantastic assortment of friendly animals-- mini goats, chickens, ducks, a sheep and even a mini pony--that had all the kids giggling and engaged for hours. Everything was so well-organized, clean and safe, with the handlers patiently teaching the children how to interact gently with the animals. It turned our daughters birthday into a magical farm adventure she hasn't stopped talking about her new "furry friends." Tawni was professional and kind and went above and beyond to make the day special. If you're planning a kid's event, this is a must-- I highly recommend booking Tawni if you want to create unforgettable memories!

Probably one of the best farmers markets I've ever been to! The produce and flowers are absolutely…read moreincredible, and the location is perfect. It's exactly what a farmers market should be; quaint, charming, and full of fresh, yummy things. I absolutely loved it!

Typically, I go to the Ojai market on the weekends, but I was visiting Ojai on the weekday and…read morenotice that they have a small market. They called this the community market. The market is open on Thursday from 3-7pm. Unlike the weekend market the number of vendors is very limited. The limited vendors could also been due to the heat the day we visited. I did spot a yummy bagel vendor-called buckaroo. Their bagels were really yummy made out of sourdough. The farmer's market is right off the main street...so very convenient when visiting. The farmer's market is in the park and there is parking lot right next to the market. A nice, relaxing vibe to go with the family- often there is music at the market.

Thank goodness for a store on the top of the hills of Ojai. It's warm up here most of the year…read more Maybe a couple restaurants near stagecoach store but that's it. The store carries your necessities for rest stopping at a touristy town. Has plenty of good refreshments and snacks. Employees are very helpful and friendly as well. Holds you over before stopping at Santa Paula too. Large parking lot. Thanks for being there for the community.

The Upper Ojai community has been cut off from Santa Paula and easy, quick access to Santa Paula…read moreand adjoining areas for the last 5 months. Hwy 150 was closed by a massive landslide in February. The Stagecoach Station Upper Ojai Market has stepped up as an even more important resource for the community. It is well stocked with basic needs for almost every need- kitchen, food, beverage, or repair.

So happy we found this place and bought our Christmas tree here! There were so many trees available…read moreand all being sold at a reasonable price. These are the freshest trees I've ever seen and smelled. Happy to support a local business! They helped us load it into the car and everyone was so nice! The tree is still green and beautiful! Definitely will be back next year!

This place smells so amazing - it smells like farmland mixed with Christmas trees. Wow! Definitely…read moreget you in the Christmas spirit. And the ownership was wonderful as well. We took some family Christmas photos here and they were super cool with it and just pleasant to be around. Terrific selection as well!