Among the many delights in the North Bay is apple-picking: spending a leisurely afternoon with family and friends on a bountiful farm, searching for green and red treasures. For some it’s an annual tradition, heading to one of the many Sonoma County orchards and collecting a bag, a basket or a bushel full of crisp fruit, not to mention the other delectables often available: the scrumptious pies, turnovers, cider, and butter. Two local farms that we love are Chileno Valley Ranch in Petaluma and Gabriel Farm in Sebastopol. Both are organic farms and allow you to pick your own fruits.

 The Apple Farm.
Photo taken by Brad Greenlee		 The Apple Farm.
Photo taken by Brad Greenlee		 

But if you really want to make a day of it, head out along Highway 101 into Mendocino County and visit the idyllic Anderson Valley. For most, this isn’t a likely destination, but the area is full of natural beauty and well-kept secrets. One such secret is The Apple Farm in Philo. More than just a farm, The Apple Farm, which is family-owned by the previous owners of The French Laundry, offers an orchard, guest cottages and cooking classes, in addition to the delicious apples, cider, and foodstuffs that are sold unattended with an honor box – one more example of the relaxed and community-oriented North Bay state of mind.

Once you’ve picked your apples, here’s a great resource for making everything from apple cider to apple bubble bath.

And apple lovers, don’t forget about the annual Gravenstein Apple Fair, “The Sweetest little Fair in Sonoma County,” held every August in Sebastopol. Like Frank Howard Allen, the Gravenstein Apple Fair got its start in 1910, giving it a long and rich history in the North Bay. The Fair, once a simple Apple Show on Main Street, is now a beloved bash that combines celebrating and exhibiting apples with live music, delicious food, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, contests and more.

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Posted by:  Frank Howard Allen Realtors