Tourists and townies, community members and agricultural enthusiasts will travel the SLO County Farm Trail to tour, taste and learn. The energy for discovery is amazing, the smiles infectious, and of course, the animals adorable. This year also marks FARMstead ED’s 10th year of connecting folks to our locally grown and made.  Kicking-off the 3-day weekend, is a Friday Night Farmer’s Marketplace at Paso Robles City Park.

Open Farm Days is a self-guided journey of over 20 farms and ranches throughout San Luis Obispo County, many of which are not generally open to the public. Our farmers and purveyors will open their gates to host farm tours, workshops, demo’s, tastings and unique agricultural experiences.  Guests will blaze their own trail to learn how to milk a goat, observe busy bees in their hives, stroll through fresh flower fields, sip on local wines, graze on locally grown groceries, taste exquisite olive oils, hand-craft aromatic & creative take-a-ways to remember the day by, tour the very fields their lunches were harvested from, cuddled with lambs, became educated gardeners, and so much more.  Relax at picnic spots, shop at pop-up markets, and enjoy tastings of food and potent potables.

Open Farm Day’s participants included AmByth Estate, Avila Valley Barn, Black Market Cheese Co, Chaparral Gardens, Clearwater Color Nursery, Dallidet Adobe & Garden, Giving Tree Family Farm, GreenLove Elixir, The Groves on 41, Hambly Farms, Kelpful, Kiler Ridge, Life Elements, Mighty Cap Mushrooms, Niner Estate Winery Chef’s Garden, Olea Farm, Olive EWE Ranch, Our Global Family Farm, Rêves, de Moutons, Sierra Honey Farm, Talley Farms Fresh Harvest, Templeton Valley Farm, Tiber Canyon.

Friday Night Farmer’s Marketplace at Paso Robles City Park:  SLO County Farm Trail farmers, makers and friends will gather to show-off their locally grown and made to kick off the 4^th annual Open Farm Days Weekend. Plan your farm trail adventures for the weekend, meet local farmers & makers who grow our food and make our life essentials and creature comforts. Try your hand at the Farm Supply roping dummy, challenge a new friend at corn hole, and SHOP LOCAL!

TICKETS: General admission price for the 2-day event is $55, but Kiddos under 12 are always free. Sponsorships and donations are welcomed, both in-kind and moo-la. Tickets and information for all of the SLO Co Farm Trail’s Open Farm Days activities are available at the FARMstead Ed website.

FARMstead ED: Bringing folks together with locally grown via agricultural experiences and gatherings.  San Luis Obispo County local, Lynette Sonne, founded FARMstead ED 10 years ago to serve as a conduit between visitors and farmers; educating folks on the importance of sustainable practices, local land, and craft. Sonne organizes opportunities for both tourists and townies to learn about everything from meat to mixology via educational workshops & gatherings held at local farms, ranches and other production-related venues.

TOUR – TASTE – LEARN on the SLO County Farm Trail.  Sonne’s agri-cultural roots started growing again with the SLO County Farm Trail four years ago, connecting agri-enthusiasts with ranches, farms, and purveyors of San Luis Obispo County with a printed and on-line trail map and the county’s first ever Open Farm Day in 2021. Visit the website for a copy of the SLO Co Farm Trail map and to learn more about the local family farms.