From strawberries to dahlias, a guide to Santa Cruz County’s u-pick farms and the joy of harvesting your own

Picking your own fruits and vegetables is not a new concept, but within our fast-paced lives, slowing down long enough to notice the quiet snap of a stem and the gentle weight of a ruby-hued fruit in your palm – be it a strawberry or a tomato – can feel novel. Spending an hour in the quiet, bucolic setting of a farm and carting home a bounty of vibrantly ripe fruits and vegetables earns a wholesome kind of satisfaction that can’t be replicated in the fluorescent-lit aisles of the supermarket. 

In Santa Cruz County, hidden behind the flashy roller coasters and postcard-perfect beaches, is an agriculture industry that jostles with tourism as the leading driver of the local economy. Family farms are no small part of that, and in the spring through the fall, a devoted handful open their doors for guests to comb their fields in search of lavender, strawberries, tomatoes, dahlias and apples. At these u-picks, the instructions are clear: You pick your own – with some guidelines by the farms. Many offer additional attractions to add to the experience, like a farm store, music and food pop-ups and treats for sale. But the pleasure of sublimely ripe fruit and fresh flowers is enough to lure many. 

How did this eclectic pastime get started here? Gizdich Ranch, outside of Watsonville, began holding u-picks in the 1970s. Back then, the fresh berry industry didn’t exist, and it wasn’t possible to purchase berries year-round at the grocery store, said Noah Gizdich, a fourth-generation farmer. People would come to harvest their berry supply for the year to make into jam and pies, and to freeze. 

“People would come out and pick 20 pounds, and that was their berries for the year. Back then, it was a way for homeowners to get bulk fruit for their own use,” said Gizdich. These days, the pastime is more family-oriented, and brings additional revenue to farms. 

With produce at our fingertips, why bother trucking out to the fields? The answer is simple for flower grower Karla DeLong: “It brings joy.” At her flower farm in Ben Lomond, DeLong grows hundreds of dahlias, as well as complementary flowers like snapdragons and chamomile, and herbs in an open space that was once a burn scar from the CZU Lightning Complex fire in 2020. “Being able to invite people into a field full of color from where there was a wildfire opens a new perspective for people on what’s possible. And it is an amazing memory-maker for families,” she said. 

A few things to know before you go: Seasons shift and can start earlier or later depending on the weather. Check with the farm for the most up-to-date information on what’s available. Dress in layers, and try to appreciate that Santa Cruz County’s foggy mornings and warm afternoons are what make this area such a productive agriculture region. Bring snacks or a lunch to prolong your visit. After spending a few hours getting your hands and boots dirty on the farm, it’s surprisingly hard to leave. 

Santa Cruz County’s cool coastal climate makes it ideal for growing strawberries, and nowhere is that more clear than at Swanton Berry Farm. Located off of Highway 1 above Davenport, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Monterey Bay from the strawberry fields. After harvesting berries, leave time to enjoy the farm store and outdoor picnic area, which has a playground and toys for kids. Inside, indulge in strawberry treats like shortcake, chocolate-dipped strawberries, pie and lemonade, and many different types of house-made jam. 

In the ultimate “lemons into lemonade” move, after farmer Karla DeLong’s Santa Cruz Mountains property was burned in 2020 by the CZU Lighting Complex fire, she used the new sunlight granted by the lost trees to plant a garden. Every summer, Beeline Blooms explodes into a floral firescape of more than 300 varieties of dahlias. u-pick days are posted weekly to the website, and on Instagram and Facebook. In times of abundance, blooms are offered by the bucketful for $65. No reservations are needed, but keep an eye out for ticketed floral-arranging classes. The farm is also fundraising for a shaded outdoor classroom and gathering space to replace the hundreds of trees lost in the fire. 

With rows and rows of cut flowers and climbing sweet peas, it’s hard to believe that Post Street Farm is in the middle of a city. Visit this urban farm to cut your own flowers, starting with ranunculus and peonies in the spring, followed by dahlias and sweet peas through October, depending on the weather. Assistants on site can help you cut and arrange your flowers so you can be sure to go home with a stunning bouquet. The farm is also home to pet rabbits and chickens, and the farm store offers products like honey and beeswax candles courtesy of the farm’s hardworking bees. During the holiday season, Post Street Farm sells pumpkins and Christmas trees. 

At Dynomite Farm in Live Oak, farmer Markus Hutnak aims to offer an oasis away from the daily grind. “I’m trying to cultivate a space where people can disconnect from the digital environment and walk among the flowers,” he said. Book a private 90-minute flower-picking session through the website or Instagram direct message, and create a bouquet from thousands of blooms: ranunculus and snapdragons in the spring, followed by a long dahlia season through the summer and into fall, with an abundance of filler flowers, such as zinnias, cosmos and lavender. 

Visitors pay what they want, said Hutnak. “The last thing I want to do is see a stem and wonder, do I want to spend another $2 for that stem? If it calls to you, take it home,” he said. The half-acre urban homestead is also home to beehives, chickens, fruit trees and berry bushes, and a farm store with honey, eggs, flowers and preserves. Kids are welcome, and there is a small event space available for private bookings.

Visit this family farm between Aptos and Watsonville for bright red, organic strawberries in the spring and summer, and a rainbow of pumpkins and winter squash in the fall. This is a coastal farm, so dress in layers as cool mornings often give way to warmer afternoons. Bring a lunch to extend your visit to the farm, although pop-ups and food trucks sometimes park nearby on the weekends. 

FOR THE RECORD: This story was updated with information about Dynomite Farm.

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