Pumpkins & Adobe Day Trip

Date and Time: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 from 8:15 AM (departure) to 4:30 PM (return)
Meeting Location: Saratoga CA 95070
Fee: $140 per person for Premium Members, $150 per person for Basic Members and $160 per person for non–members. Fee includes transportation, lunch, activities, gratuities and two tour leaders.

How to Register: Space is limited so reserve your spot early! Please register using the REGISTER button at the bottom of the page.
If you have any questions, please email us at share@bayareaolderadults.org

ITINERARY

Agricultural Tour, Vegetable Harvest & Rock Painting

Join us for a pre-Halloween tour of a nonprofit community farm in Watsonville that cultivates pesticide-free, fruits and vegetables (including pumpkins) and is managed by Mireya Gómez-Contreras, a mother of two, who lived in Watsonville for 30 years. She grew up working alongside her farm laborer parents in the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Coast in California. During our tour, we will learn about a system-changing, sustainable community agriculture project focused on increasing food security and good health among families living in the Pajaro and Salinas Valleys, especially those from under-resourced communities. They deliver bi-weekly boxes of produce directly to the homes of families via a subsidized Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and to schools via the Farm-2-Cafeteria project. Executive Director Mireya Gómez-Contreras and Vegetable Crops at Esperanza Community Farms, images from Esperanza Community Farms

After the tour, we will harvest some fresh vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, cabbage, corn, cilantro, basil, kale and more! There will be time to purchase all of these fresh vegetables from the farm including pumpkins in time for Halloween. They will have a small number of tomatoes and strawberries. As a bonus, we will spend time learning how to paint rocks that you can take home with you! No experience is necessary. Harvesting Vegetables at Esperanza Community Farms, images from Esperanza Community Farms

Hearty Mexican Lunch

For lunch, you can choose from burritos, tacos, enchiladas and sopes. There is a vegetarian option. Burrito, Enchilada and Sopes, photo by Anne Ferguson

Special History Tour of Castro Adobe

This afternoon, we take an expert-guided tour of a recently restored historic landmark, the two-story Castro Adobe, a prime example of Monterey Colonial architecture. It was built in 1848 by Juan Jose Castro, son of one of the original members of the De Anza Expedition. The adobe is a fascinating restoration project, an active archeology site, and a glimpse into the region’s lively past. The garden has cork, walnut and pepper trees. It was designed by the famous landscape architect Thomas Church during the 1970s and painstakingly restored between 2013 and 2015. Castro Adobe Garden, photos from CA State Parks

We will stroll back in time to the second Anza expedition of 1776 followed by the Mexican Rancho period of the mid-1800s, when the hacienda was built on the 8,000-acre rancho (Rancho San Andres) granted to Castro. It became one of the social centers of the central California coast. Learn about vaqueros (cattle drivers) culture and their special skills. During the tour, we will explore the fandango room where visitors enjoyed live music and dance and see one of the few remaining rancho cocinas (kitchens). We will also learn details about the massive adobe restoration. Even more, there are plenty of new exhibits and interpretive displays that communicate the vast history of the rancho. Castro Adobe, photos from CA State Parks

Baked Goods & Coffee Stop

On our way home, we stop at Gayle’s Bakery in Capitola for coffee and/or sweets. Fancy Pastries, Cookies, Cake Slices, image from Gayle's Bakery

Please click the registration button below to register for the day trip.