Club News

     

    Join us on Friday, August 23, for a full-day educational tour of the Salinas Valley agricultural industry otherwise known as the “Salad Bowl of the World.” You will be picked up at the hotel, and taken to observe field harvesting, irrigation, planting, and organic farming of lettuce, broccoli, artichokes, strawberries, grapes, etc. You will witness the source of many of your fruits and vegetables, with a knowledgeable guide to answer your questions. Learn where your food comes from! 
     
    The tour will also include a visit to Boekenoogen Vineyards for a picnic lunch, a brief vineyard walk, winery tour, and wine tasting. 
     
     
    Evan Oakes, the owner and tour guide gets rave reviews for this agricultural tour. As one guest described it:
     
    “If you have a home garden or enjoy roadside vegetable stands, the ag tour will impress you. Evan is a fount of information about all the vegetables grown in the Salinas valley and he is very patient as he explains how the produce is planted, grown, harvested, packaged, and shipped. The ag tour definitely gave us a new appreciation for the produce we buy at the grocery.”
     
    This trip is limited to the first (45) guests. The cost of $95 includes the guided tour, bus trip, as well as lunch.
     
    Tour Information
     
    Salinas Valley Agricultural Tour
    Friday, August 23, 2013
    10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 
     
    10:00 am                      Depart Monterey, Hyatt Monterey 
                                        Meet mini bus and guide in front of Upper Conference Center lobby at 9:45 am
                                        Drive to Castroville
    10:20 am - 11:00 am      Visit Pezzini Farms
                                        Introduction to Monterey agriculture, learn all about artichokes, brief field walk
    11:00 am – 11:45 am     Ag Educational Driving Tour
                                        General overview of vegetable production, history of valley.
                                        Crops to see: lettuce (iceberg, mixed leaf), broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, etc.
                                        Field operations to see: harvesting, packing, planting, thinning, transplanting
    11:45 am – 1:45 pm       Visit Boekenoogen Vineyards
                                        Picnic lunch on patio overlooking vineyards
                                        Brief walking tour of winery and vineyard
                                        Wine Tasting (Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, etc.)
    2:30 pm                        Return to Hyatt Monterey, end of tour
     
    Please wear comfortable shoes and dress casually in layers. Fresh produce can be purchased at Pezzini Farms. Wines can be purchased at Boekenoogen and shipping to most states is available.
     
    Please click here to register for the tour.
     
    If you have already registered for O'Fest please e-mail Steven Schlossman to add the tour.