Twelve years ago, the very first Open Farm Tours event was, quite literally, a washout. Held in early November at the Corralitos Women’s Center, the debut coincided with the heaviest rainstorm of the year. The 4-H animal zoo zone was mired in mud, music was canceled, and even the tomato canning demo had to be scrapped. Still, about 100 intrepid locals showed up, proving there was something special about the idea of opening our farms to the public.
Today, Open Farm Tours has blossomed into a growing annual event that welcomes hundreds of visitors from Santa Cruz, the Bay Area and beyond. Set each year on Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend (Oct. 11–12), the tours now span two full days and dozens of farms across the county. What started as a hopeful experiment has become a vibrant celebration of agriculture, sustainability and community.
“I really wanted to create something like Open Studios—but for farms,” organizer Penny Ellis explains. “I’ve always loved visiting artists in their studios, and thought, why not farmers? People need to understand where their food comes from, and to see that farming is not just a job—it’s a way of caring for the earth.”
The tours offer more than a glimpse of fields and farm stands. Visitors are invited into the daily rhythms of working farms: pressing apple cider at Live Earth Farm, sampling jam at the Homeless Garden Project, or wandering through rows of dahlias at Beeline Blooms.
Prevedelli Farm will demonstrate apple butter cooking, complete with pie and ice cream, while Swanton Berry Farm will host educational booths highlighting farmworker rights and sustainable agriculture. Other highlights include performances by the Watsonville Taiko Drummers, hands-on U-Pick options, and tastings that bring home the flavor of the local terroir.
This year, to make exploring easier, the event is now divided geographically—South County farms open Saturday, North County farms on Sunday. Grouping farms by region means less time on the road and more time in the fields. Admission is $25 per carload (up to five people), encouraging carpooling and keeping traffic low. “It’s really more fun to visit farms with your family and friends anyway,” Ellis says.
But Open Farm Tours is about more than food and fun. At its heart, it’s a lesson in what the organizers call relational wealth. Unlike material wealth, relational wealth is built on the connections we foster—with each other, with farmers and with the land itself. “We tend to measure everything in terms of profit,” Ellis explains, “but real wealth is about relationships. It’s about community health, emotional wellbeing and caring for the earth. That’s what really defines our quality of life.”
This philosophy runs through every part of the tours. Meeting the people who grow our food brings farming into focus as an act of stewardship. Guests learn about soil microbes, the impact of pesticides, and the critical role sustainable practices play in protecting both ecosystems and human health. Local history comes alive too, from Swanton Berry’s pioneering role as the first organic strawberry farm certified by CCOF, to its early contract with the United Farm Workers.
The event has endured challenges, from the pandemic—when in-person tours switched to online webinars—to climate extremes. But each year, the program adapts and grows, proving that resilience is built into the fabric of local farming.
For families attending for the first time, the advice is simple: don’t try to do it all. “Most people visit six or seven farms in a day, and that’s plenty,” Ellis notes. “It’s not about rushing to check every box. Take time to slow down, enjoy the farm activities, taste the food, and really connect with the experience.”
That spirit of slowing down resonates deeply in today’s fast-paced world. The Open Farm Tours remind us that farming is not just about mass production, but cultivating culture, community and care. Whether you’re sipping fresh cider, chatting with a grower about soil health, or simply watching kids run through an orchard, the event offers a glimpse of a more mindful, grounded way of living.
As Ellis reflects, “I try to lead my life by moving in a positive direction—community-oriented, heart-centered. Open Farm Tours is really about manifesting the change we want to see in the world. Healthier food, stronger relationships and a deeper connection to the land. That’s what it’s all about.”
If You Go: Open Farm Tours
South County tours on Saturday, Oct. 11, 10am–4pm: Dos Aguilas Olive Grove, Prevedelli Farm, Live Earth Farm, Esperanza Community Farms, Thomas Farm & Blossom’s Biodynamic Farm. Luz Del Valle Farm in Aptos serves a BBQ lunch 11–3pm in addition to their tour.
North County tours on Sunday, Oct. 12, Sunday, 10am–4pm: Flip Flop Farm, Beeline Blooms, Pie Ranch, Post Street Farm, Homeless Garden Project, Santa Cruz Permaculture, Swanton Berry Farm & Rodoni Farm. Sea to Sky Farm in Bonny Doon serves a BBQ lunch 11–3pm in addition to their tour. For more info, visit openfarmtours.com.
Elizabeth Borelli is a certified nutrition and wellness coach based in Santa Cruz. She helps clients build sustainable self-care practices. Learn more at elizabethborelli.com.
