Petting Goats and Picking Peas

Not long ago, we started getting the CSA from Capay Organic called Farm Fresh to You. They deliver right to our doorstep and always include a little newsletter with recipes. In May, we finally got our acts together to drive out to Capay Valley to visit their farm for one of their open farm days. They’re doing them throughout the summer, and it’s a fun Saturday event.

First, we drove the 45 minutes or so out past Esparto to the lovely farm nestled against the hills. One of the things I’ve liked best about this farm for its CSAs is their skill at organization and keeping us up to date. True to form, they had a well-planned day at hand. A large tractor pulled flatbed trailers with bench seats to take you on a short tour of the fields. We were encouraged to hop out and pick out own sweet pencil-thin spears of asparagus. Apparently they have to pick the asparagus up to three times a day when it’s got because it grows so rapidly! A short walk along the irrigation canal to the next field gave us sweet pea flowers, snap peas on the vine, and strawberry plants (alas, already stripped of their berries!).

After that, we walked up a short hill to the goat and chicken pens, where we petted a lop-eared goatess and clucked happily at the hens. The goat was thrilled to eat the woody overgrown pea pods that my daughter had picked, and patiently allowed lots of girl-handling.

Around lunchtime, we rambled through the fig trees to the main house, where a band was set up and we could sit down for our picnic. There was a craft table set up for kids to paint plaster casts of peas, berries, and beets. Another table held gorgeous linocut stamps of produce and animals that you could ink and print onto rough paper. The artist was right there, making more casts and answering questions. Another nearby table held a basket of avocados to take for Mother’s Day guacamole. It was a really fun, kid-friendly way to be outside and enjoy learning more about the farm.

They’ll repeat these 2nd Saturday Farm Fests through December. The next is June 12 and the one on July 10 is the Summer Music Festival & Heirloom Tomato Celebration. While most of the fests are free, with no rsvp necessary, and run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Tomato Celebration is an evening event. It will go from 5 to 11 p.m. and feature the music of Mumbo Gumbo and the West Nile Ramblers, along with tomato tastings and a silent auction. Learn more here, and get driving directions to the farm.

Capay Organic (Farm Fresh to You)

23800 State Highway 16, Capay, CA (be sure to check a good map!)

800-796-6009