"I'd rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world." George Washington
George was definitely on to something. There's something so honest and pure about being on a farm. In this day and age we have become so accustomed to everything being easy and convenient that it's easy to forget where our food comes from and how much work goes into it.
This weekend was all about getting back to the roots, so to speak, of good, wholesome food. Saturday we spent the afternoon in the valley. We stopped in Los Olivos for a quick mini cupcake (did I say wholesome food? oops.) and then made our way to our favorite U-Pick farm, FarmStead (formerly known as Classic Organic). This little gem, tucked away on the coast just north of Gaviota, has been a favorite spot of ours for years.
FarmStead operates on the Honor System, just as it did when the original owners began all those years ago. (They recently retired and moved out of state, leaving the farm in the capable hands of the new owner.) Inside the market are loads of fresh picked veggies and fruits from their fields, or if you're in the mood to get hands-on, you can walk outside to the main field, grab a basket and pick your own produce!
The farm is home to several very friendly goats, pigs, chickens and llamas and we spent a good amount of time making friends with them while Ayden pointed and said "Fff!! Fff! Fff!" That boy loves animals. As soon as his feet touched the ground he marched right up to the fence and stuck his hand in to pet the pigs. One of the pigs had two tiny baby piggies at her side. They were absolutely darling!
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| Oink. Alternate caption: Pigs don't eat baby fingers, do they?? |
There was another family with children visiting as well, and Ayden instantly made friends with them. Isn't it interesting that children can be complete strangers yet find common ground with their peers in a matter of seconds? I often wonder what life would be like if adults were the same.
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| cutie pies! |
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| The most delicious berries in the field: my boys! |
XO
