6. Find a great pumpkin patch or Christmas tree farm
Adobe Pumpkin Farm has a haunted house, corn maze and hayride to enrich your pumpkin-picking experience. Grandma’s Pumpkin Patch in Healdsburg offers exotic pumpkins and gourds and has craft activities for kids. At Spring Hill Jersey Cheese’s pumpkin patch, kids can dig for potatoes after they’ve picked their pumpkin, visited the animals, taken a hayride, and enjoyed homemade pumpkin ice cream. After cutting your own Christmas tree, enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride at Garlock Tree Farm. Kids enjoy wagon rides and farm animals at Wolf’s Liberty Christmas Tree Farm. Or buy a living Christmas tree for your holidays at Sunshine Living Christmas Tree Farm in Penngrove.7. Take the road less traveled…through Sonoma County’s wineries
Vineyards are also included in the Farm Trails program, and you can find many small, unique wineries through their Map & Guide. Play bocce ball at the Larson Family Winery, or taste hard apple cider made in California’s original cider mill at Sebastopol’s California Cider Company. You can also support organic winemaking at Preston Vineyards. This sustainable vineyard & farm also grows olives and seasonal vegetables.8. Support Sonoma County Family Farms
Many farm owners report that the sales generated through the visits keep their family farms in business. Keeping small farms operating in Sonoma County benefits us all. The existence of family farms helps maintain green space in our communities. Additionally, small farms preserve variety in produce, because they are likely to grow unique varieties of fruits and vegetables. In fact, Sonoma County Farm Trails states its mission as supporting “sustainable agricultural diversity” in our area and preserving our county’s “rich agricultural heritage for generations to come.”9. Get the full experience by spending the night
Some Farm Trails farms have overnight lodging for those seeking the full farm experience. Full House Farm has a three bedroom vacation home on their farm, featuring a fruit and vegetable garden in the backyard where visitors can pick lettuce, tomatoes and carrots for a fresh-as-it-gets salad. At Goltermann Gardens, guests stay in a 1913 farmhouse and can stroll the grounds by the lake, through the forest, by the waterfall and koi pond, and through the flower gardens. O’Connell Ranches has a private guesthouse tucked away between their apple farm and gardens, and Strozzi Ranch is a working horse and sheep ranch where guests at the scenic vacation home also can enjoy horseback riding on the ranch.10. It’s been around for more than 30 years
In fact, Sonoma County Farm Trails is celebrating its 35th anniversary in a special event, “Weekend Along Farm Trails.” Various Participating farms are offering special farm tours and petting zoos, demonstrating gardening and landscaping tips, and displaying their freshly picked fall harvest fruit and vegetables. Also participating are restaurants featuring local ingredients and wineries exhibiting the harvest and crush experience. The 2007 Weekend Along Farm Trails event takes place September 29th & 30th.For contact information on any of the farms mentioned above, please visit the Sonoma County Farm Trails website search page or request their Map & Guide.