Jack Creek Farms is
five generations strong with family roots tied firmly in the soil that Tim,
Joy, Becky and Mandy live on. It is where they grow some of the finest
fruits and vegetables, and make delicious breads, fudge and other treats.
Jack Creek Farms
(jackcreekfarms.com)
Hours:
May & June on weekends only; July open Friday-Monday; August through
November open every day except Wednesday (subject to change --check their
website or call before going)
Location:
5000 Highway 46 West, Templeton, CA
Call: (805)
238-3799 Home Office; (805) 239-1915 Farm store During Business
Hours
The country roads of
Central Coast California are abundant, and around each turn there's yet
another surprise. It may be a lavish country estate where wine producers
open their tasting rooms to the public. It could be a lavender farm where
the fragrant oils and the flowering plant are used in health care products,
and even as a spice for cooking. Perhaps you'll drive by the place where a
French couple makes outlandishly tasty olive oil sold in Beverly Hills most
exclusive shops. Or then, if you get lucky enough, you'll happen upon the
Jack Creek Farms. The sign will announce if the place is open, and when it
is, you can explore the fruits, vegetables and foods seasonally available
and for sale. Life doesn't get much better!
Jack Creek Farms,
just west of Vineyard Drive on Highway 46W, is
the home of Tim & Joy Barlogio, fifth-generation farmers on the same land!
They
produce over 60 varieties of pumpkins, winter squash, gourds, honey, apples,
tomatoes, peas, and a whole lot more. Their daughters, Becky and Mandy, are
culinary school grads who have turned down chef jobs at luxury hotels to
remain on the farm and continue as sixth generation farmers.
As you drive up to
the farm entrance, you'll notice they've made the journey very inviting.
Always greeting you with a welcome, there's easy parking next to a their
sales room, a simple building structure that functionally serves with a
counter, cooler and the products that are currently available for tourists,
vacationers and locals to buy and enjoy. The entrance way includes an
antique (or simply old) rusted tractor, and there are often flowers in pots
in that brighten up the spot. There's nothing fancy about the place. It is a
working farm and as such, provides an enjoyable side trip off the main
highway, Interstate 101.
School tours, group
tours, and special events throughout the year for the public to attend
such as seminars, classes and fun days all keep folks coming back on a
regular basis to enjoy what's so great about the region...its food, and its
people!
Some other local favorites
are: Blue Sky Gardens, U-Pik Blackberry and Pumpkin Farm at 19505 Walnut Ave.,
Atascadero. John and Colleen Childers produce some of the finest olallie, boysen
and logan berries, pumpkins along with prize-winning dairy goats. (805-438-5801;
www.blueskygardens.sanietyonline.com); Olea Farm Olives, 2985 Templeton
Road, Templeton (805-610-2258;
www.oleafarm.com) where Clotilde & Yves Julien produce a variety of olive
oils from their 1,000 trees;and Green Acres Lavender Farm, 8865
San Gabriel Road, Atascadero, (805-466-0837 for appts., www.greenacreslavenderfarm.com).
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