2008 Farm Tour: So much to save, so much at risk
Saturday, June 28, 2008• 9 am – 5 pm
Tickets are $65 for CGF members, $85 for non-members
Advance registration ONLY- Register by June 16    
Registration form    

Join us for a tour of Santa Clara Valley agriculture and learn more about the heritage and sustainability of local farming. We’ll meet local farmers, hear first-hand about the challenges they face, and enjoy fresh-from-the-field delights.

Tickets include transportation, talks from various farming and land-use experts, and a catered lunch. Our buses will leave San Jose at 9am and return at 5pm. Advance registration only - transportation details will be sent upon receipt of your registration.

      

We'll start our tour with a tasting of tree-ripened fruit from Andy’s Orchard, a long-time family farm operated by fruit expert Andy Mariani. On his beautiful 30-acre farm in the Morgan Hill countryside, Andy grows numerous varieties of apricots and other stone fruit, all tree-ripened and harvested by hand. We’ll also have time to visit Andy’s famous Country Store.

Next, we’ll travel to Mission Organics Farm at the southern end of Santa Clara County. This large operation grows organic leaf lettuce and other row crops for EarthBound Farms, whose bagged salads are sold in more than 80% of US grocery stores. A portion of Mission Organics Farm is protected with a 170-acre easement owned by the Silicon Valley Land Conservancy.

We’ll then head to the 702-acre Doan Ranch, which includes both grassland and riparian habitat in the upper Coyote watershed. Long-time south county rancher Don Silacci has a grazing lease on this property, which was purchased last year by the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. We’ll meet Don Silacci and enjoy a locally-grown catered lunch under tents on this beautiful pastureland.

After lunch, we’ll head to Thomas Kruse Winery, a small-scale family winery and vineyard nestled into the foothills east of Gilroy. Their 2004 Cabernet just won the Double Gold Award from the San Francisco Chronicle. Tom is known for welcoming visitors to the winery, even holding volunteer grape harvest parties in the fall. We will close our tour with a tasting of Tom’s award-winning wines.

Register today— space is limited. Advance registration only.

Registration must be received by Monday, June 16, 2008.