Open year-round, Jack Creek is working farm. Run by the Barlogio family, these sweet folks have put decades of work into their land. Where else can you find a family-owned establishment where the fam treks out to the fields to handpick the best three tomatoes for an elderly neighbor who just called in a pickup? Adorable! Jack Creek Farms features true, homegrown service.
After wine tasting (or any time), why not continue your newfound connection to the North County’s laidback country life of kid-friendly things to do at another local staple: Jack Creek Farms.
FREE & FUN
- Fenced-in tire climbing garden
- The wooden train play structure
- Haystack pyramid to climb
- Large picnic area with tables – pack your own lunch beforehand!
- Several wooden playhouses all with cute farm themes
- U-Pick options ( you just pay for the fruit)
- Rows of sunflowers in the fall
- The farm is home to the annual Pumpkin Palooza pumpkin decorating event
ABOUT THE FARM
Jack Creek has put a lot of time and effort into making it kid-friendly with fenced-in play areas and a thoughtful layout that includes a wooden train and haystack pyramid for kids to climb. For this SLOCAL excursion, we took it all in. We stayed busy by visiting baby ducks and sweet farm cats, tasting local honey, splitting an apple cider slushie until we got a brain freeze, chatting up some happy goats, and, finally, picking fresh tomatoes (and yellow onions!) straight from the field.
Fun Fact: There’s seasonal apple picking here. These delicious fruits are, however, just of the many U-Pick options that this working farm offers year-round.
picking times:
- Sweet onions + garlic // early June
- Blackberries // late June + early July
- Lavender // mid-July
- Peaches and plums // July + August
- Heirloom tomatoes // August
- Apples // September – November
- And, you can’t forget pumpkins each fall!
When we went, we were greeted by the family and given all the how-tos of navigating the property. After the kids enjoy all the outside fun, we recommend heading into the gift shop to find a cider slushie and pomegranate and berry blend granitas (a few bucks), fresh and local honey tasting (free) from teeny tiny spoons, and perhaps mom can grab a farmhouse kitchen trinket or two.
Ready for a little winetasting on our Kid-Friendly Wine Country Tour? Head east toward town on Hwy 46 west to hit up the lovely Castoro Cellars.
Update: Jack Farms is temporarily closed during the pandemic, according to its Facebook page.