I was first introduced to Love Apple Farms two years ago through a beekeeping workshop held at their former Ben Lomond digs.  Two hives and much honey later, I contacted them on a whim, intrigued by the workshops described in their weekly newsletters and eager to learn more. A bit of research revealed some exciting news for this picturesque hillside farm.  Love Apple was just featured in the July issue of Bon Appetit magazine, through which millions of readers around the world have now been introduced to the wondrous diversity of Santa Cruz Mountains farming.

Hailed the “Michelin Garden” for their arrangement as primary produce grower for renowned Los Gatos dining destination Manresa, Love Apple’s biodynamic farming methods are now receiving epicurean acclaim all their own.   I contacted owner Cynthia Sandberg and even managed to finagle an invitation to a farm potluck in order to find out more.

As it turns out, Love Apple Farms Farm’s impressive crop diversity, methodology and near-perfect yields are only part of the picture here.  The educational component is equally impressive.  Hosting a wide variety of weekly classes from Home Preserving Tomatoes to Advanced Cheese making, this comprehensive curriculum will put you on the path to permaculture faster than you can say Transition.  And for those interested in advancing their culinary talents alongside the masters, Love Apple offers exclusive Day Off Dinners with Manresa’s Executive Chef David Kinch.

But the teaching doesn’t end with farm-to-plate, as I learned from my recent visit.  The farm’s apprentice and internship programs are both an important part of the Love Apple culture and a valuable community contribution.  Participants in the program are often right out of high school, embarking on their first extended foray away from home.  The connection they form with their small farm community and the personal growth they experience while there were evident during the pot luck dinner we shared.  Dinner guests were all invited (and required) to participate in the communal conversation during dinner that evening.  A format which might be initially conceived as intimidating inspired some soulful revelations from the interns, chefs, farmers and neighbors that sat among us.

From the comments and conversation, we all came to understand how indelibly the farming experience had effected these young people.  As Cynthia explains, “On the farm these young men and women discover how to not only feed themselves and others, but learn how to run a business as well.  It’s a challenge to them as they need to live AND work together.  They are also sharing bedrooms and other living spaces, which requires them to get along more so than average students or co-workers have to.”  It soon became evident that Love Apple Farms cultivates more than the crops planted there.

This educational outreach extends to the Santa Cruz community as well through an internship program to train agroecology students from UCSC.  In all, this local biodynamic gem of a farm embodies the systems of permaculture beautifully by taking sustainability beyond the garden and out into the world.

To learn more, visit  Love Apple Farms online.