Bay Area Pick-Your-Own Farms

One of the disadvantages of living in San Francisco is that City kids have limited exposure to where most of their food comes from. Lucky for us, the Bay Area is home to the best farms, most of which practice organic and sustainable farming. Some of these farms are an easy drive from the City, and offer some fun activities for families. Go berry picking along the Peninsula coast, in Northern Marin County, or out in Brentwood in East Contra Costa County. Visit during Halloween, have a corn- or hay-maze adventure, and pick your pumpkin straight from the patch! Visit a Christmas tree farm and “harvest” your own tree.

A good website to check out is PickYourOwn.org, where you will find a list of farms practically anywhere in the country, where your family can go and harvest fruits and vegetables to take home (if there's any left after you snack on it, that is). Sonoma County Farm Trails is useful for finding farms in Sonoma County. Harvest 4 You is a really great guide to farms in Contra Costa County. The California Christmas Tree Association website lists tree farms lists "Choose and Cut" and retail tree lots throughout the state.

Here are some “pick-your-own” farms that are popular with City families:

Peninsula Coast and Santa Cruz County:
- Arata's Pumpkin Farm, Half Moon Bay
- Gizdich Ranch, Watsonville
- Pastorino Farms, Half Moon Bay
- Phipps Country Store and Farm, Pescadero
- Rancho Siempre Verde Christmas Tree Farm, Pescadero
- Santa's Tree Farm and Village, Half Moon Bay
- Swanton Berry Farm/Coast Ways Ranch, Davenport
- Webb Ranch Farm, Portola Valley

Sonoma County:
- Gabriel Farm, Sebastapol
- Larsen Christmas Tree Farm, Petaluma
- Peterson's Farm, Petaluma

Contra Costa County:
- Alhambra Valley Tree Farm, Martinez
- Knoll Organics, Brentwood
- Peter Wolfe Ranch, Brentwood
- Smith Family Farms, Brentwood

Other:
- 99 Cherry Orchards, Suisun (near Fairfield)