Ongoing
Farm Stand at Live Earth Farm
1275 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville
The farm stand at Watsonville’s Live Earth Farm is now open for the season after a wet spring. Swing by every Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for fruit, vegetables, flowers and more. Use the farm’s entrance on Green Valley Rd. (not the Litchfield Lane entrance). To keep up to date with special events visit https://liveearthfarm.net/.
Bee Experience
Earthbound Farm, 7250 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel
Recurring every Saturday: Get to know the Western honeybee with a 90-minute educational walking tour. Watch the bees scout, forage, and bring home the flowery bounty of our Earthbound Eden. Put on a bee suit and take apart a hive with over 200,000 buzzing bees. Call (831) 625-6219 for reservations or online at https://www.eventbrite.com/.
Ranch Tours
Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Rd., Santa Cruz
Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1897 Victorian home, 1859 Gothic Revival farmhouse, 1896 water-powered machine shop, barns and other historic buildings. Tours are free and are held Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. Event is made possible by Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks and California State Parks.
Aug. 24
11th Annual Testicle Festival
Estrada Deer Camp, 194 Hazel Dell Rd., Watsonville.
The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers and Agri-Culture will again host their annual Testicle Festival fundraiser from 3-7 p.m. The group will be serving up USDA inspected bull testicles (or “Rocky Mountain Oysters” as they are nicknamed), as well as chicken salads, bread and dessert. Tickets are $50 for adults and $20 for ages 5-12. (Kids under 5 are free.) Beer and wine, a silent auction, raffle, and live music will also be offered. For information visit http://www.agri-culture.us/.
South County Ag Tour 2019
Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum, 1160 Broadway St., King City
Join the Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum (MCARLM) on a trip to a variety of agricultural enterprises around the Salinas Valley. The tour provides an up-close look at modern agri-business and also touches upon the industry’s regional history. Cost is $75. For details and to order tickets online visit https://www.eventbrite.com/.
Apple City Cider Tasting Room Grand Opening
65 Hanger Way, Watsonville
Santa Cruz Cider Company will celebrate the grand opening of its brand new cidery and tasting room, along with Elkhorn Slough Brewing Company, Saturday with a special event. The “parking lot party” will offer live music, face painting, food and more, as well as the main draw: hard cider tasting. For information visit https://santacruzciderco.com/.
Aug. 29-Sept. 2
Monterey County Fair
Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairgrounds Rd., Monterey
The annual Monterey County Fair returns with livestock exhibitions, live entertainment and music, amusement, food and more. Plenty of vendors and other exhibits will line the festival grounds. “High Tides and Carnival Rides” is this year’s theme. To preorder tickets and for daily schedules visit https://montereycountyfair.com/.
Sept. 1-2
Docent-Led Farm Tour at UCSC
94 Ranch View Rd., Santa Cruz
Enjoy a free, docent-led tour of the beautiful 30-acre UCSC Farm. Learn about the education, research and outreach work taking place through the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems. No reservations necessary. Meet at the Hay Barn on campus at 2 p.m. for the short walk to the Farm. Free parking available at the Hay Barn.
Sept. 8
Harvest in the Vineyard
McIntyre Estate Vineyard, 31901 Sanchez Rd., Soledad
Enjoy wine tasting and a guided tour by Steve McIntyre and staff at McIntyre Estate Vineyard. Learn about pre-harvest rituals, and how vintners manage 12,000 acres of vineyards in Monterey County. Also offered is corn hole and a new game: “Guess That Grape.” Roundtrip transportation from Carmel Crossroads to the vineyard is available, though seats are limited (leaves at 10 a.m.). Tickets range from $15 to $75. To order and for information visit https://www.eventbrite.com/.
Sept. 11-15
Santa Cruz County Fair
2601 East Lake Ave., Watsonville
The Santa Cruz County Fair returns for five days of family-friendly fun. This year’s theme is “Round Up the Red, White and Blue.” From livestock events to art competitions, pig races to carnival ride, there is plenty to try out at the long-standing fair. Food booths, including some supporting local non-profits and organizations, live entertainment, a tractor parade and more will be available. You can preorder tickets at https://www.santacruzcountyfair.com/.
Sept. 15
San Juan Bautista Chicken Festival 2019
Downtown San Juan Bautista
For the second year the city of San Juan Bautista will bring back its traditional Chicken Festival, a family-friendly event with a plethora of activities, live entertainment, food and, of course, chickens. Things kick off at 10 a.m. and run all day long. For details and to contact organizers visit the event’s official Facebook event page.
Sept. 21
Element: A Farm to Table Dinner
Farm Discovery at Live Earth, Upper Farm, 172 Litchfield Ln., Watsonville
Come to this special farm to table dinner at Live Earth Farm, with a view of the Pajaro Valley featuring local, seasonal food, wine and more. Enjoy a silent and live auction and live music at this benefit dinner supporting Live Earth’s Farm Discovery Program. For information or to reserve your sport visit https://farmdiscovery.org/.
