Dear Adventure Avenue,
Last week I went to Tanaka Farms in Irvine, California.The last time I visited the Tanaka Farms pumpkin patch was years and years ago as a Girl Scout. I have to say I loved the experience just as much as when I was a Girl Scout. 
There were lots of scarecrows to greet us!
We went and checked in at the little booth.
Our tour was at 10:30, so we explored some of the farm fields and made sure to take lots of pictures!
It had been raining in the morning, so the air was crisp and very clean. It was refreshing – even with my mask on, I could smell the fresh farm air.
U-PICK & PLANT! Tour
We were picked up in a wagon pulled by a tractor. There were two other small groups with us. (One group of two and one group of four). We were all spaced out in the wagon and everyone was wearing their masks.
Carrots
Our first stop was the carrot patch. Each person got to pick eight to ten carrots. It was a little messy because the rain had turned the dirt into mud. I was glad I had chosen to wear my black overalls as I was able to clean my hands off so I could take more pictures 🙂
Sugar Cane
We got back on the wagon and went down a path lined with sugar cane. Our tractor driver got to work chopping down sugar cane stalks for us to take home with us.
We were told that the best way to eat the sugar cane is to peel off the outer stalk and suck the sugar out of it. The alternative is to press the sugar cane into a syrup, but our tour guide said it was unlikely people would have a press at home to do that.
Planting Strawberries
We continued the tour on foot to a tent. Under the cover of the tent, there were tables with bags of dirt on them.
We were given little pots and instructed to pick out a strawberry start from a bucket.
Finishing the tour
After planting our strawberry starts, we continued walking and observing the different plants and history of the farm along the way.
The view is amazing!
We learned an interesting fact about agave.
It only flowers once every 20 years and then it dies. We were lucky enough to witness one of the stalks that sprouted with its flowers at the top, signifying that it has almost reached its maturity.
Farm History
One thing I really liked about our tour was that we learned a lot about the history of the farm. For example, the land that the farm is on is rented from the City of Irvine. The land can’t have anything permanently built on it – which makes it perfect for farming!
Drive Thru Farm Stand
As we were leaving, we drove through the farm stand. We drove along the stand and told the lady working there put our produce in bags as she walked with a cart along with us.
We ended up getting some lettuce, a yellow watermelon, a red watermelon (for Fourth of July), zucchini, a pound cake, and some cauliflower.
All in all, I think Tanaka Farms is one of the best things to do in Orange County. It is definitely a fun adventure to make memories with family! The fresh air, fruits, and vegetables are an added benefit!
Sincerely,
A
P.S.
Next time I go to Tanaka Farms, I want to do the U-Pick Strawberries
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