Strawberry Picking at Gizdich Ranch

I think one of the best ways to make a new place feel like home is by exploring as much as possible, supporting local businesses, and really becoming familiar with your surroundings. Since moving to California nearly two years ago, Adam and I have been doing just that. We've also been trying to come up with fun traditions (you know, like real adults) that involve re-visiting somewhere we've both fallen in love with in the area. For example, we decided that every year around Halloween, we're going to drive to Half Moon Bay to pick out our pumpkins. This is something we did shortly after moving here in the fall of 2019, and we went back to the same place last year for pumpkins, too. Both years, we came home and carved the pumpkins while watching a scary movie. I hope this is something we'll continue doing, especially since we have a little one on the way! We get all giggly thinking about all of the fun adventures the three of us are going to have. 😊 (Though, maybe we won't watch anything too scary for the first couple of years...)On Sunday, I decided another tradition we're going to start is strawberry picking! This is actually something I've wanted to do for a really long time, but for whatever reason, year after year, I just never got around to it. Well, I made it my mission to change that this year and I think I found the perfect spot!We visited Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville which is about 25 miles from us in Santa Cruz. They have a huge apple orchard and lots and lots of berries. They're known for their famous pie shop, too. People travel from all over to eat their pies! Here's a blurb from their website:Gizdich Ranch was originally purchased by Vincent John Gizdich, a Croatian Immigrant, in 1937.  Back then it simply consisted of 5 acres in apples, 5 acres of open ground for chickens, pigs, and tomatoes, the home, and packing shed.  In 1950, Mr. Gizdich and son Vincent Jr. leased extra acreage to experiment with the new Olallie berry, which is a cross between a logan and a black young berry from Corvallis, Oregon.  Vince Jr. took over full management of the farm after his father's retirement in 1959.  Vince, Nita and their two sons moved into the original home on Peckham Road and the ranch was now 30 acres of apples and berries.  Another 20 acres were purchased and devoted to Olallie berries.  In order to ensure marketing of their berries, a "PIK-YOR-SELF" operation was established in 1965 and apples were sold for the first time on the ranch site.  Today people come from all parts of California with their families and friends to pick their own berries and apples for baking, jams, freezing, and eating knowing that it doesn't get any fresher than this.The Major symbol of Gizdich Ranch is the "Red Barn" which was built in 1974 and since then other additions were made for cold storage, offices, repair shop, and apple shed.  Some of our sheds are recycled from San Jose, which had to be sold due to urban sprawl.  Nita then decided to transform the original packing shed next to the house into her very own Antique Shop.  A brand new metal building was created in 1980 then known far and near as the Eata Nita Pie Shop.  When first opened, only apple and berry pies were baked, but now you have your choice of 16 varieties (some are seasonal) and even a no sugar added apple pie, puff pastries, and dumplings with a special sauce. The farm is also known for its fresh-pressed apple juice. You could buy it by the gallon, or in smaller individual sizes. Adam and I split the smallest one they offer and after the first sip, I wish I had grabbed a bigger one! Sooo good.I'm still not used to seeing avocado trees! I love all of the fruit trees in California. The wild animals here truly are spoiled...When I was standing in line to buy the pie, I heard a few people talking about the strawberry rhubarb (which is my all-time favorite pie flavor!) but I feared they might be sold out... By the time I got to the register, yep! They were sold out. Luckily, they had a ton of other options so I got the "Two Berry Pie" which has raspberries and blackberries. I guess we'll have to try again next year for the strawberry rhubarb! After we purchased our pie, we got back in the car and drove over to the strawberry fields. It definitely wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do at this stage in my pregnancy (haha), but it was worth it! I can't believe I've never gone strawberry picking before. I loved it! We got all of those strawberries for only $4.34! We've really enjoyed eating them every morning with our yogurt or cereal. There's nothing better than fresh fruit. I also picked up a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream and some coconut whipped cream from the grocery store, so we've been eating that with the pie for dessert every night. Mmmm... As always, thanks for reading! xo