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Monday Sept. 5th (Labor Day) El
Sobrante (near Pinole)
1:00 to 2:00 p.m or 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Idell Weydemeyer's garden (maximum 20; another tour might be added if there is interest). Frost-tender subtropicals (cherimoya to pitanga), other evergreen and deciduous fruit and nuts needing temperature above 15 degrees (including 9 kinds of pomegranates), many cold-tolerant fruits including 32 kinds of pears and various berries (including 4 kinds of serviceberries), an evergreen autumn olive, California native fruit, South African bulbs, and cactus and succulents. It is also a wildlife habitat garden (click here for more info). 1.5 miles from Pinole's Motel 6.
Tuesday Sept. 6th Winters (near Davis)
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Wolfskill Experimental Farm (maximum 50). The USDA has plant repositories all over the US; the Repository at the Wolfskill Experimental Farm in Winters contains the collections for figs, walnuts, Prunus, mulberries, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates and others. You will get a whirlwind tour of this huge site and be able to taste fruit ripe at the time of the tour, probably grapes and figs. Click here for more info. (Out-of-area registrants will have priority for this tour.) Around 100 miles from the San Jose airport.
Wednesday Sept. 7th Santa Clara Valley, nearby area and Santa Cruz.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.
to 12:00 noon. Andy Mariani orchard, 1615 Half Road, Morgan Hill (maximum
30 each tour). Famous and unusually extensive collection (over 100 kinds) of
stone fruit: apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, pluots, and plums. He
also sells fresh and dried fruit at a small store on the site so if you cannot
get a spot on the tours, it is worth a visit to buy fruit (mail order is available)
and glimpse the orchard. Near the store, he tends a small garden of lovely,
drought tolerant flowers and shrubs. Click
here for his terrific website. (Out-of-area registrants will have priority
for this tour.) 15 minutes south of San Jose.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.
to 12:00 noon. Nancy Garrison's garden, San Jose (maximum 25 each tour;
must car pool). Over 70 varieties of fruit from apples to pluots including blueberries,
passion fruit, mulberries, pawpaws and 6 varieties of raspberries. Some of the
many evergreen fruits include guavas, avocados, a tamarillo and over 15 varieties
of citrus. She has an extensive and unusual vegetable garden with a dozen different
colored tomatoes, 5 of the best chiles, chenopodiums, amaranths and orach, culinary
herbs (including many mints) and flowers for cutting and attracting beneficial
insects. She is retired from the UC Cooperative Extension where she served as
farm advisor, urban horticulturist and Master Gardener program coordinator since
1980. 7 minutes from Prusch Park.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Steve Boboricken's garden, Los Altos Hills
(maximum 25 each tour). Steve gardens on 1.2 acres and has a small nursery operation,
extensive planting of pawpaws and quite a few other rare fruits, including mulberries,
avocados, white sapote, macadamia nut, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Surinam cherries,
figs, pluots and persimmons. Steve is a pawpaw expert and tasting of these fruit
may be available. 25 minutes and 19 miles (west) from Prusch Park and 16 miles
south of Filoli.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. UC Santa Cruz Farm, Santa Cruz (maximum
25). The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems is a research, education,
and public service program dedicated to increasing ecological sustainability
and social justice in the food and agriculture system. Both sites (the 25 acre
Farm and the 2 acre Alan Chadwick Garden) use organic production methods. Over
120 varieties of apples grow in the garden (unique pruning techniques used)
plus veggies are intercropped under the trees. Click
here for more info, including directions, city bus to campus, and a map
for a self-guided tour. One-day permit costs $5.00. Kiosk open 7:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Click here
for more parking info.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or 1:00
to 3:00 p.m. Filoli Estate Orchards, Woodside (maximum 20 per group,
3 groups at each time). Large American & European apple and pear orchard, including
many of the best-tasting varieties from the 19th century. Todd Kennedy's unique
historic collection illustrating the history of apples from Roman 'Decio' to
Renaissance 'Margil' and many other later varieties flourish at Filoli. Trees
include original as well as historically correct varieties, and the American
fruit comes from the Northeast, West Coast, Midwest and South. Todd will conduct
two of these special tours. Click
here for more info (includes directions). Costs $10, payable in advance
to CRFG with your Festival registration. About 35 minutes (32 miles) west and
north of Prusch Park and 16 miles north of Steve Boboricken's garden. Standard
tours of the Filoli mansion and grounds are also available.
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Carman's Nursery, near Gilroy (maximum 20 per
tour, must car pool from 8 blocks away because of limited parking). This is
a third-generation family nursery long known for producing rare and unusual
plants, including bonsai starters, rock garden plants, herbs and perennials,
and uncommon fruiting plants such as kiwis, guavas, figs, pomegranates, capers,
etc. 8470 Pharmer Road (off Watsonville Road, between Hecker Pass & Monterey
Highways), 29 miles south of Prusch Park, about 12 miles south of Andy Mariani's.
408-847-2313 (Note: nursery will be open especially for us that Wednesday from
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., for leisurely shopping and for those not on the tours.)
1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Alan Chadwick Garden, Santa Cruz (maximum 25).
See description for UC Santa Cruz Farm, above.
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. or 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Master Gardener 9 Palms Research Facility, San Jose
(maximum 20 per tour; must car pool). Over 50 varieties each of peppers and
tomatoes, and trials for Brussels sprouts, endive, and bush beans. Cut flowers
are tested and a special experimental garden tries varieties to attract beneficial
insects. Possible tasting of several varieties of raspberries and melons. Click
here for more info. 7
minutes from Prusch Park.
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Prusch Park heritage orchard, germplasm repository,
subtropicals and high-density orchard, San Jose (maximum 20 per group,
4 groups). An unusual collection of fruit from all over the world: over 600
varieties in the germplasm repository section. The orchards are planted and
maintained by the Santa Clara chapter of CRFG and the Santa Clara Master Gardeners.
Click here
for more info and here for a map and driving directions. Tours will be given by Nancy Garrison, Steve Boboricken, Katie
Wong and Karl Gross. Brief self-guided tour information also available.
6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Potluck picnic at Prusch Park, San Jose. 647
South King Road, at the intersection of US 101 and I-280. Click here for a map and driving directions.
Thursday Sept. 8th Watsonville area
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 11:00
a.m. to 12:00 noon or 12:15 p.m to 1:15 p.m.. Gene Lester's Orchard, northeast of Watsonville
(maximum 25 per tour; should be adequate parking without carpooling). Unusually extensive citrus collection (around
200 different varieties) on 12 acres with a spectacular view of Monterey Bay
from the mountaintop. There is also a possibility to see avocados and
other fruit. Northeast of Watsonville, about 22 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference
Center, 5 miles but 15-20 minutes from the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. June & Joe Moore's garden, north of Watsonville
(maximum 25 per tour; must carpool). Extensive collection of subtropicals and
some deciduous fruit. Beautiful landscaping with fruit trees includes a pond
area and a gently sloping hillside. About 16 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference
Center, 12 minutes and 5 miles from the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Joe Stabile's Hillview Farm, northeast of Watsonville
(maximum 25 per tour; must carpool). Small family farm on a hill with
closely planted apple trees. The farm grows over 100 varieties of pears and
apples and produces apple cider. About 21 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference
Center, near Gizdich Ranch and 1.5 miles from the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
9:30 to 11:00 a.m. or
1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Monterey Mushrooms, Watsonville (maximum 40
per tour). The largest producers of mushrooms in the world. They also sell mushroom
spawn. Click here for more info.
About 17 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference Center, 20 minutes from the
Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or
1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Monterey Bay Nursery, Royal Oaks (maximum 45 per tour).
Wholesale nursery on 35 acres, specializing in ornamentals. Click here
for more info. South of Watsonville, about 24 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference
Center and 20 minutes (10 miles) from the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, near
Chuck Rust.
12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. Self-guided tours of Santa Cruz Agricultural History,
Watsonville. Hundreds of antiques, from tractors and large farm equipment
to small tools and farmhouse items. At the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds (2601
East Lake Avenue). Near Gizdich Ranch.
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. or
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Gizdich Ranch, Northeast of Watsonville (maximum
30 per tour). Family apple farm growing a mix of newer popular apples and older
varieties. Great pie shop with local jams and other products (open 7 days 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 55 Peckham Road). Tour costs $4.00 payable in advance to
CRFG with your Festival registration. About 23 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference
Center, and 2 miles from the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. or 2:30 to
3:30 p.m. or 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. David Mariani's farm, Watsonville (maximum 20 per tour). About
.75 million square feet of greenhouses, primarily growing specialty herbs. Also
other hydroponics crops and indoor cherries (two or more crops a year). 1.5
miles NE of the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
1:30 to 3:00 p.m. or
3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Chuck Rust's garden, Royal Oaks (maximum 25
per tour). Seven acres on a coastal mountain, this subtropical garden contains
white sapotes, cherimoyas, avocados, jaboticabas, pitangas, and citrus, plus
a great variety of deciduous fruit including paw paws. He also grows cacti,
roses and carnivorous plants. About 22 miles from the UCSC Inn & Conference
Center, 16 minutes (8 miles) from the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, near Monterey
Bay Nursery.
3:00 to 4:00 p.m. or
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Jim Rider's orchards and packing plants, Watsonville
area (maximum 25 per tour). Unusual and more common varieties of apples.
The orchard and apple packing tour location depends upon the product being processed
that week, so the tour directions will not be given out until the day prior
to the tour. Mr. Ryder, an expert on organic apples and commercial flower operations,
is one of the Friday keynote speakers.
1:45 to 2:45 p.m. or 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Doug Spurr's garden, Corralitos (maximum 25
per tour). An acre and a quarter, planted extensively with many varieties of
citrus, some avocados, peaches, plums, cherries, persimmons, pawpaws and olives.
Tropical mangoes, guavas, longan, lychee, mamey, and others are in containers.
In his landscaping, he intermixes flowering subtropicals such as tabebuias and
jacaranda with California native plants. About 15 miles SE from the UCSC Inn
& Conference Center, about 8 miles N of the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
3:00 to 4:00 p.m. or
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Driscoll Growers, near Watsonville (maximum
35 per tour). Growing grounds tour of one of the larger strawberry growers in
the nation. Possible tasting. About 15-20 minutes from the Santa Cruz County
Fairgrounds.
12:00-4:00. Self-guided Tour of Santa Cruz Agricultural History (open Thursdays 12-4). Hundreds of antiques from tractors and large farm equipment to small tools and farmhouse items. In Watsonville, at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds (2601 East lake Aveue). Near Sierra Azul Nursery (See www.sierraazul.com/) & Gizdich Ranch.
9:00 to 10:00 a.m. or 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Ellen Baker & Fred Menge's Garden, La Selva Beach (maximum 20 per tour). Large area with extensive fruit trees, unusual antique apples and citrus that sweeten in cool conditions. They also have a children's garden, habit hedges, bees, chickens, an aviary, a dwarf cow, and year-round intensively gardened vegetables. They have discovered some unusual plant propagation techniques. 8 miles from Santa Cruz.
9:00 to 10:00 a.m. or 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Ed & Janet Noffsinger's garden, near Santa Cruz
(maximum 20 people per tour). The Noffsinger's garden includes an extensive collection of over 50
varieties of apples and numerous types of peaches, plums, apricots,
pluots, loquats, pears, grapes, kiwi, persimmons, mulberries,
pomegranates, citrus, etc. Because their south facing ridge top home at
1,000 ft elevation is frost free, they also grow many subtropicals
(including guavas, macadamia nuts, starfruit, cherimoya, passion fruit,
etc.). They also have an extensive collection of rare palm trees and
proteas. Their garden also features an astronomical observatory, a
large waterfall and pond reminiscent of a Sierra mountain stream, and a
large vegetable garden with brick raised beds and flagstone walkways. About 8 miles from Santa Cruz.
9:00 to 10:00 a.m. or
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Manfred Warmuth's garden, Santa Cruz (maximum
20 per tour). City permaculture style garden on a 1/3 acre lot,
packed with any type of fruit tree
that grows around here, grey water system,
solar, chicken, rabbits and honey bees,
herb collection and tincture production.
Very close to the entrance to the UC Santa Cruz
Campus.
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, Santa Cruz (maximum
25 per tour). A subtropical fruit collection with many trees and shrubs. Chuck
Rust, president of the Monterey Chapter of CRFG, will lead the tour. The arboretum
is famous for the extensive collection of Australian, New Zealand, South African
and California native plants. Click here
to view some of the main arboretum collections. On the UC Campus and about 10
minutes from the UCSC Inn & Conference Center.