After leaving Ojai, I could only think of regret. I had just eaten some very excellent strawberries…read morefrom the Sunday farmer's market and I only bought a basket. On my way out of town I saw this roadside fruit stand and hoping for lightning to strike twice I decided to pull over. I saw they had a larger variety of fruits but saw they had strawberries, not wanting to have another case of regret I bought a full flat of strawberries and headed out. They weren't the exact same but still very tasty and for the amount of fresh, strawberries-no bad ones too no less! It was just right.

I bought overpriced, and it turns out moldy strawberries. I got them home to wash, and the bottom…read moreof one basket was moldy. The rest were so mushy I had to freeze them.

I've reviewed this spot before, and I'm just coming back to add more photos from a recent visit. :)read more

We went for a tasting of these honeys as we were in the Ojai area. And Yelp reviews seems to love…read morethis place. So we went. We did the tastings for $8 per adult for 15 types of honeys. We were the only ones in the store so we had the whole place to ourselves. It was nice, but also a bit awkward. The store manager/owner was definitely knowledgeable when it comes to honey and a bit of friendliness would have gone a long way. I do appreciate the cute storefront and how neat everything was. We ended up with 3 little jars of honey and the chocolate honey caramels to take on the road.

Big fan of Rio Gozo…read more We joined the CSA a few seasons ago after hearing friends rave about them. I have really high standards and at first, I was a bit concerned about not directly choosing what is in my box (both content and quality) and having too much produce. My concerns faded within the first few weeks. The quality is superb - John and Elizabeth at Rio Gozo have high standards - and they grow beautiful, delicious varieties. The quantity is perfect for our family. When we've got a bit too much we just share with our friends and neighbors, or turn into rich soil amendment via compost. I love supporting local agriculture and being part of a rich community, but to be perfectly candid -- the biggest benefits to me are the time and money savings. I enjoy going to Farmers Market but I can't always get there -- and when I do, I often go overboard and spend a ton. Now I have a fridge full of fresh local organic produce in exchange for a very little amount of cash and time, and it's fun discovering new foods and varieties.

Tuesdays are "Ranchero John Day" at our house! We've been members of Rio Gozo since shortly after…read moreit started delivering to Ventura. We began by sharing a box with a friend. We soon found that we could use the entire box so committed to a year to have home delivery. The convenience of having it delivered at home has been great. It is not easy for us to make it out to the farmers markets that do have organic produce and we have been greatly disappointed by the absence of any organic produce at the Ventura Farmers Market downtown on Saturdays. Other reviews likely rave about the food itself -- so I will keep this part brief. It is fabulous. It is fresh, rich, and filled with flavor and nutrients. It is incredible to experience the different taste and texture of vegetables picked that morning. They have begun expanding by offering eggs and organic, fair trade coffee. Sometimes there are some fruits included in the haul. I look forward to them developing more organic fruit sources -- as we would love more fruit. One of our favorite aspects of Rio Gozo is that it is a calling for John and Elizabeth -- far from just an income. They truly want people to have a connection with their food source -- to know where their food comes from. And this means knowing both their farmers and the farm itself. We enjoy getting to see "Ranchero John" to talk food, farms, children and much more under the sun every week. Whenever we have a question during the week -- we hear back quickly from Elizabeth when we email. And without knowing your farmer -- how can you develop trust in the food source you are giving your family? I was concerned about lead and how it is outside the organic certification requirements. I talked with John about this and he noted that one can, of course, separately test the soil for lead. I asked if they'd done so -- and he assured me they had and that it was not a problem in their soil. If you don't trust your farmer, how can you trust your food is not lead-laden? They also want people to be able to know the farm itself. One can very happily be a CSA member, enjoy the delicious, fresh, organic produce, and no more. But if one is interested in more -- that is an option with Rio Gozo. They hold potlucks on the farm -- where you can walk around with your family (including your dog), meet other CSA members, others who coordinate with the farm (such as their egg vendor), family and friends of John and Elizabeth and more, not to mention that there is delicious, fresh, organic food. You feel as if they are truly opening their home to you. That is -- they live on the farm -- that's not all that common anymore. This is not some agri-tainment gig with caged animals taken out for a stroll for a fee. This is their home. When the gathering is around Thanksgiving, their visiting family is there to visit with you. When you need to use the restroom, it is in their home. When the sun goes down, the fires are lit outside and there is campfire music. If we want to visit the farm any other time -- we are always welcome. Recently, we were out when "Ranchero John" came by our home with the veggies. Our 3 year old was so sad to have missed him that we went to the farm the next afternoon. We did not have to make any special arrangements -- we just showed up and were welcomed. Our son loves walking around the farm -- seeing where his food comes from, pulling up a carrot fresh from the dirt, nipping off an edible flower from the arugula, getting his boots really muddy . . . . The connection our son has with the farm and farmers is such a gift to us -- from his understanding of food and its source to his sheer joy in touching and tasting at the farm. Our 9 month old daughter is just beginning to enjoy the weekly visits as well. We open up the cooler for her on the porch, she peers inside at all the veggies, and dives in. To feel that it is safe (and healthy, no less) for her to chew whatever she wishes to pick out, is such a joy for us (yes -- we watch for choking hazards). When there are flowers in the haul, we are not worried about the children touching the flowers (let alone taking a bite) for fear of pesticides that then go in their mouths when their hands inevitably enter their mouths. It's all available to them -- that's a wonderful, safe, feeling to give them. I highly recommend this CSA - it's the next best thing to your own (organic) family farm - without having to worry about Mother Nature.

This was probably one of my favorite experiences as a result of walking into a random store. I…read morewasn't sure what to expect when I walked in but I was immediately greeted by Carolina who welcomed me to try anything in the store. I knew Ojai was famous for its olive oils, but Carolina especially embodies mastery and craftsmanship as reflected in her offerings of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. As I was the only patron in her shop at the time, I was privileged with her showing me various unique combinations of balsamic and olive oil. She certainly lives up to the Italian stereotype of having good taste. She suggested against me buying food for my mother for Mother's Day, but she understood when I insisted that my mom is a foodie (where I get it from). Carolina herself is classy and refined, yet still so open and welcoming, all of which also is reflected in her store. It is thus no surprise that her shop has been around for over a decade. I hope her shop is there when I am 100! If there was ever a place to stop in Ojai, I would recommend this place. A truly unique experience, unparalleled. I am bringing my mom and all my other loved ones here.

It's a cute little store. It was quiet since we were the only ones there. They have samples in a…read moreglass covered sampler. We were also told that we could sample anything even if it was closed, which was great. We were focused on the balsamic vinegar. We tried the Blackberry Reserved Balsamic, and it was amazing. I didn't ask, but they have like a salad recipe that it would be paired with or possibly sell salad there as well. So glad we decided to stop by. The lady who helped us was kind and friendly. Overall, we will be returning since the service and tasting was a pleasant experience.

I love this shop. It's beautiful, light and bright, and oddly so calming. Service is phenomenal…read more The woman who owns the shop is really nice and incredibly helpful. She's thoughtful and mindful about the product selections, and she has great taste. The quality of the product is also outstanding. Their oils and balsamic vinegars make the best salad dressings and dipping sauces. Plus, they have exceptional foodstuffs, like pastas, sauces, pesto, tapenade, chips, and more. This time, they also had a sample table with maple syrups from Runamok. They were terrific! Every time I'm here, I spend $100 on delicious things and leave happier than I arrived, so I'm calling that a victory.

This is such a fun store. You can taste any of the products and there was so many items to choose…read morefrom. I had so idea there was white balsamic vinegar. I loved the blueberry dark balsamic. It was so tasty! I need to go back and pick up some goodies for my sourdough bread.

Sadly this farmers market does not seem to exist anymore. We drove up to Santa Paula on Saturday…read moremorning to shop the farmers market but we couldn't find it at any of the addresses posted here or online (and it's not a very big town.) When we asked around we were told it hadn't really "taken off" so it just folded. Downtown Santa Paula is charming however!

I've been playing live music there for a while. It has a great atmosphere, and lots of great food…read moreas well as being connected Anna's Cider. It's not far from Ventura. Just zip down the freeway and check it out.

Excellent food!!! I love the carne asada tacos! I return here every time I visit Ojai...read more

Really amazing tacos, full of flavor! Check out this spot the next time you are in Ojai.read more

The produce at this market is good. The olives and olive oil are outstanding ! It would be even…read morebetter if it were larger.

Great Market! I got some pie from the Jimenez Family farm :) excited to back to the market when in…read moreCarp again.