Saturday's Fall Harvest Festival will be Fun for the Whole Family

This Saturday is a great day to grab the kids and head out to a local organic farm for the day. It's the 4th Annual Harvest Festival and Pumpkin Patch at High Ground Organics in Watsonville! 

For those who have not attended, this means a full day of fun activities for the whole family, from tractor-pulled hay rides, pony rides, farm arts and crafts, a petting zoo, apple cider pressing (new this year), gourmet food, live bluegrass music, and much, much more!

"Last year we had about 400 people who came out, and so it has grown over the last four years and we've gotten better at it," said Jeanne Byrne, who owns High Ground Organics with her husband, Stephen Pedersen.

High Ground Organics sits high above the Harkins Slough, with views of the Pajaro Valley and wetlands, so bring a camera if you have one!

The farm' top priorities are to grow flavorful, nutritious vegetables and fruits and to maintain a vibrant, clean, and healthy environment around their farmland. They also go to great lengths to prevent erosion, create a living soil, improve surrounding wildlife habitat and conserve water and other resources.

"We'll be giving tours to show how we grow and what we do to be a farm that's a successful farm, but also successful at protecting the environment around us," said Byrne.

The 18-acre farm is located on 40 acres, half of which is on a conservation easement which runs up agains Harkins Slough, so it's a prime spot to see wildlife and birds.

The Harvest Festival is a great way to celebrate Fall and get a little taste of life on a real and working organic family farm.

"The pumpkins are in the field where they grew, so they get to come and actually clip their pumpkin off the vine," said Byrne.

The Fall Harvest Festival benefits the Linscott Charter School, a parent-participation K-8 school in Watonville, and will help maintain their arts, garden, music and field trip programs.

Linscott Parents and teachers will be volunteering their time to put on the best Fall Harvest Festival imagineable.

"The reason we get to do so many things is our partnership with the Linscott school, we have so many volunteers that help out and bring their resources and expertise to the event," said Byrne.

The Festival admission cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children, and free for children 3 and under. Admission includes all rides, arts, crafts, petting zoo, information exhibits and tours. Pumpkins, produce and prepared food are extra. For more information click HERE. The farm is at 521 Harkins Slough Road, just past the Pajaro Valley High School.

Are you going to the Fall Harvest Festival this year? Tell us in the comments!