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    Gizdich Ranch

    4.3 (900 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Ultima M.

    I remember coming here for school field trips, this business is a Watsonville Staple Locally owned and operated selling locally grown items I stopped here for the first time in decades!! Came here on a Sunday shortly before closing time at 5pm There was a huge line to buy pies !! I was really surprised to see how crowded it was here. Memo to self arrive with time and patients to stand and wait in line. There is a deli that sells sandwiches and drinks, you can purchase pies or slices of pies. You can pick your own apples, there is an antique store and a little souvenir store This is a fun spot for kids Parking is limited and on a dirt road

    Marta S.

    Oh my, what a fun place. Coming here made me feel like I was on vacation. The pies are delightfully fresh and delicious and you got to try the apple slush float! It's like a root beer float but it's apple slush and vanilla ice cream. Once you have it you will dream about it. Besides the restaurant where you can order fresh pie by the slice, drinks, and fresh fruits farmers market style, they have a store in the building across where you will find lots of unique gifts. There are beautiful fruit trees on the property as well. It's a magical place to visit even for an adult. I loved it there!!

    Dutch apple and double berry apple Dutch à la mode
    Justine T.

    The U-Pick apple picking was a fun experience. It's $2.50/lb and we were able to hand pick 12 apples for a little under $12. Bring your own bag/basket since they do charge for bags for a minimal fee. It was cool being able to freely roam around the various apple trees and personally hand pick the ones you want. I'm not much of a raw apple eater, but I did enjoy the red delicious apple which was nice and fresh, crisp, and sweet. The staff at check-in were all nice and welcoming which is always a plus! This place also has a gift shop and pie shop which gets very crowded and has long wait times. For two slices of pies we waited about 45 minutes, but if you want a whole pie I suggest going into the gift shop as the line is much shorter/quicker. I tried the Dutch apple pie and the double berry dutch apple pie which were both fresh, warm, and had a nice mixture of tart/sweet. The vanilla ice cream really balanced out all of the flavors and I also enjoyed the cinnamon crumble topping/crust on both of the pies. There's plenty of picnic-style seating indoors and outdoors, parking is minimal on dirt road, and I do suggest coming early to avoid crowds/lines. Overall, apple picking was a fun experience for the first time and I for sure know the apples we picked are fresh. However, I probably wouldn't wait so long in line for a slice of pie or go out of my way for it. Yes, it was good--but not to die for good.

    Fresh apple juice, mile high apple pie
    Tom G.

    We love this beautiful farm, antique store, market, n their orchards full of apples, and berries. We buy th eir apple juice every time w e go there, it's like, Drinking an apple a day, it's so refreshing. We also buy their mile high apple pie when in season. Fresh apples inside, nothing extra filling. We try n go 2x a year .

    Double Berry Dutch Apple Pie (check the gift shop to grab a whole pies & skip the line!)
    Maribel M.

    Popped in on our way through Watsonville, had to stop in to try a piece of pie. The queue for pie on a Saturday at 2:30pm was about 20-25 people long. The staff at the Pie Shop & Deli were kind but may have been slightly short-staffed as the line did not move after ~15min. Tip: If you're short on time, pop over to the gift & food shop steps away from the deli. The shop sells whole pies! We grabbed a Double Berry Dutch Apple Pie (delicious crumble top, great mix of apples & berries, just the right sweetness level) to go & got to skip the line!

    Benny W.

    We decided to stop by here after our lunch for pies. There was an antique shop, gift shop, and pie shop there. We ordered the Blackberry Pie and Dutch Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. The pies were freshly baked and weren't overly sweet, which we really liked. We went to the gift shop and wanted to buy their Apple Juice. However, we ended up not buying it because we weren't heading home right away and didn't want it sitting in a hot car. We walked by the office and the owners ( father and son) happened to be there. We end up chatting with them. They were really nice and friendly. We'll be back in September to pick apples, buy their apple juice, and have more of their pies.

    Very Berry and Dutch Apple Pie
    Radhika K.

    I've been coming to Gizdich Ranch for over 10 years and it hits every time! My favorite is the very berry pie! I love how all their pies are naturally flavored and is not overly sweet. The crust is so perfectly flaky and buttery, I have yet to find another pie that can beat Gizdich.

    Part of today's harvest
    Nicole G.

    Found out about this strawberry picking field from my sister-in-law. Me and my family came early on Saturday morning on the second week of strawberry season. There were lots of strawberries to pick, and they were perfectly ripe. There were lots of rows to choose from. Even though there were a lot of people, the place didn't feel crowded. Parking is free. Once you park, you will climb a few steps up to the field. At the first tent, you can choose to purchase a cardboard box for strawberry picking for $2. You also have the option to bring your own bucket or bin for strawberry picking. After that, the people at the tent will point you to a second station, where the person will go over how to pick strawberries without ruining the plant. They will also advise to pick from the back and work your way to the front rows. At the end of the strawberry picking, you head to the last tent where the strawberries get weighed. Strawberries that you pick cost $3.75 per pound. Overall, it was a fun and neat experience. I recommend going early in the morning so that there are fewer people. If you have babies, I recommend bringing a carrier. There is space for strollers around the perimeter of the field, but it is very muddy.

    Slice of Olailiberry pie with Vanilla and Olailiberry Ice Cream
    Shih Fa K.

    Visited for the first time today because I had a piece of Olailiberry Pie that a co-worker brought into the office. I wanted two, but could only get one, so I got a slice with some ice cream: vanilla and strawberry/olailiberry, and they went great with the pie. Also picked up some fresh-pressed Apple juice here because I tasted some, and it was delicious. I will definitely visit again. The service was fast, friendly, and helpful. The ambiance was an old farm that has a lot of loyal customers who drive great distances; saw a friend who lives further than I make the journey for a strawberry rhubarb pie.

    Fresh hot pies
    Fely L.

    What a fun place to visit and grab some yummy fresh pie. We came to try apple picking and it was fun. You walk the orchard and pick your own apples. They have different varieties of apples. We went for the Gala and Fuji. Again the also have different versions of Gala as well. We finish the picking by stopping by there store front to have a slice of fresh pie and a whole pie to go home with us. We had a slice of apple crumble just the right amount of balance of sweet and tart. I had the berry apple crumble slice and love that. Similar sweet and tart. Of course had to have a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go with it. oh have to mention the line for the pies can get long so be patient as it worth it.

    Went to have picnic with mom and her neighbor.   Yummy
    Mr Erik N.

    Picnic lunch was great. Hot drink and sandwich/chips. And pie to take home. Perfect day to sit out and enjoy. Also we found the photo funny sign. Next time I'll bring 3 younger friends or the kids to take some funny photos. I never knew this was in the back because I never stayed to eat like we did this day. Thanks for the memories.

    Larry C.

    Came here on a Monday to get a pie to bring home like a trophy, and as I got here, remembered that yes we had been strawberry picking here with our kids probably 15 years ago ago. The place looks much the same. I decided to browse thru the little antique shop first. The woman in the shop asked if I'd been to "my farm" before, and I thought she just being folksy, so I told her our berry picking story, and asked her if she had a pie suggestion. She says she's always been partial to the Apricot pie. So I head over to the pie shop, and whose picture do I see, it IS her farm,I 've just been chatting with Nita Gizdich! So of course I got an apricot pie.

    Molly G.

    Stopped by on a Sunday afternoon and while the line was fairly long and took some time, it was totally worth the wait in my opinion. The strawberry rhubarb pie is my absolute favorite! It's the perfect balance between sweet and tart. Despite the long line, there was plenty of seating for our big group, and we enjoyed our food comfortably under a large umbrella. If you're looking for something cool and refreshing, I would also highly recommend the apple slushy.

    Apple slushie

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    1 month ago

    Best pies in town all of them are yummy Apple pumpkin strawberry rhubarb my favorite there Apple juice is like no other

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    2 months ago

    Excellent pies no where else can be found to match the quality and goodness of these delicious treats.

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    Page 1 of 23

    Gizdich Ranch Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Gizdich Ranch

    Calories in strawberry pie?

    I have no idea, but you have me thinking...What is the saying, if you have to ask you probably should not eat the whole pie? :)… Read more

    Do I need to make a reservation to pick strawberries?

    No, but you might want to call and ask what is in season...

    Hello, are you open on Monday, 5/29/23, Memorial Day for U-Pick Strawberries? Thank you.

    We are open for the Pie Shop, Fruit Stand, Picnic Area and the Antique Shop. The U-Pick is open on Sunday only.

    When does strawberry u-pick season start this year?

    We're hoping for May 14. Check our website, we will post when we are open. Thank you. gizdich-ranch.com

    When will you open for berry picking (u-pick)?

    We typically open the Strawberry U-Pick the first weekend in May. The Olallie Berries open around the second week of June and the Apples in late September. All of this of course depends on Mother Nature. We will post our opening dates on our… Read more

    Is apple picking open now? Or when does it open?

    https://www.gizdich-ranch.com/u-pick The website says they are opening soon, in September, and to call them for details.

    When will you opening for u pick?

    They're open right now!! 🍓🍓🍓🍓

    Apple pie bake time?

    First, frozen pies must thaw for 3.5-4 hours. Bake in a preheated oven for 70 minutes at 350 degrees (or until golden and apples don't feel hard when a knife is inserted through the top of pie), then cool about 45 minutes for a warm pie.

    Do you need reservations for the u pick?

    No just show up!

    Before I post my review. Has anyone ever been to this place and they didn't have apple pie?

    When I went they were our of apple pie, but had other glavors available.

    How much is the apple juice?

    Sorry, can't remember exact price, but I don't think it's hugely expensive--definitely try it if you get the chance! You can really taste fresh apples. I find it unlike any apple juice I've ever tried.

    Is it pet friendly?

    No, it's not. Animal waste can contaminate the food being grown there.

    Can you pick blackberries and raspberries as well other than strawberries?

    They used to at one time but doesn't seem that way anymore

    Are olallieberries open for 2019? The recording on their phone line says 2nd week of June, but the website only mentions strawberries.

    For the "u-pick" they are not available yet but you can still buy the pies.

    Do they ship pies out of state?

    Unlikely. Call the bake shop and ask.

    Do they only accept cash and do they open on time?

    They do take CCs even in the field, but it'll help expedite things if you bring cash. No clue about the opening time but they're farmers, and generally speaking they're always early.

    What kind of fruits are available in early August and are there still strawberries?

    Last year boysenberries were ready around this time. Strawberries should still be in season too but they could be all picked out. Your best bet is to call them.

    I'm guessing they aren't organic since their site doesn't say anything about it and a couple reviews I saw here? Does anyone know what their growing practices are?

    Nope they aren't organic . Go to crystal bay farms! Located in Watsonville .They are organic , kid friendly and the owners are amazing!!!!

    Anyone know what the going rate for upick strawberries this season here is?

    Here right now. It's $1.95/lb on May 20,2018

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    Review Highlights - Gizdich Ranch

    I had the original apple pie a la mode and it was delicious I recommend this if it's your first time here.

    Mentioned in 49 reviews

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    High Ground Organics - Yum- these carrots are big and tasty

    High Ground Organics

    4.3(17 reviews)
    5.6 mi
    $

    Nice place for blueberry u-pick. Bring tick repellent and wear proper clothes. Website doesn't…read moremention it, only an email we didn't read until on the way to site did, so I didn't have right clothes or repellent. Ended up with three ticks and one tick bite. Site doesn't offer any bug spray, but maybe should? As far as Covid safety, only thing is a reservation system which limits attendees. About 8-9 rows so plenty of space to spread out, but it's self regulated. Some parents corral their Children and others don't so you're at mercy of others, or have to speak up. We also got chased down rows by an oblivious sneezing and coughing man who prob had allergies and wore a mask... No one from farm is monitoring people once in. No questions or temp checks for admittance, though email prob asks that you mind it. Also: expensive! Expect to pay about $20-25/gallon baggie, which holds about 3-4 pounds. Blueberries are delish. Ticks are not so be prepared.

    I can't tell you how delicious High Ground's produce is. I labor under the happy delusion that I am…read morea good cook because my vegetables are always so tasty. When Two Small Farms reorganized, I stuck with my usual pickup spot, which went to High Ground Organics. I was a little nervous. I'd been getting Mariquita Mystery Boxes all winter, so I knew that I liked what Mariquita alone produces. But what about High Ground? My worries were for nothing. The produce is as high quality and varied as I could have hoped.

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    High Ground Organics - Farmers Steve and Jeanne

    Farmers Steve and Jeanne

    High Ground Organics - Harvest Fair

    Harvest Fair

    High Ground Organics - Broccoli Romanesco takes the prize for coolest vegetable!

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    Broccoli Romanesco takes the prize for coolest vegetable!

    Mariquita Farm - red carrots

    Mariquita Farm

    5.0(4 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    After trying several CSAs and not getting any love from the waiting list for other CSAs with drop…read morepoints in my neighborhood - I nearly gave up til I discovered Mariquita. Andy & Julia offer a traditional CSA process of drop offs and have established bi-weekly "Mystery Box" nights at different meeting points around the city of San Francisco. For the Mystery Box - you never know what you'll get - but you'll definitely get far above your $25 worth! You can also sign up for updates from the "Ladybug Buying Club" - notices about veggies and fruit that are available in bulk for pickup at Mystery Box locations. Recently, I have brought home a giant Musquee de Provence pumpkin for $6, a flat of organic fall strawberries for $24, 25# of Braeburn apples for $26 and over the summer - basil for $1 for a generous bunch (I got 12!). Mariquita also hosts "U-Pick" events for tomatoes in the fall - and at fifty cents a pound, you'll find it hard to resist going home with less than 50# of tomatoes... I personally brought home 150# of tomatoes and now have tomato sauce for the rest of the year. Mariquita always has the best produce - unlike other CSAs, it doesn't just go bad in the fridge from being picked too ripe and hanging out in a hot warehouse or truck for too many days. What are you waiting for? Sign up for the Ladybug Buying Club newsletter now!

    I've been getting produce from Mariquita Farms for at least the last four years. The mystery boxes…read moreare a blast, with tons of unusual produce that test my creativity and a great value at just $25 each (going up to $30 next month--still a great value). It may be a little pricey compared to your local Asian market, but for the quality and the focus on sustainability rather than the bottom line, it's worth it to me. The farm also sends out a newsletter alerting you to what's predicted to be in the box, recipe ideas, and happenings on the farm, which is great for planning what to do with the haul (because it is a haul!) and learning about where our food is coming from.

    Photos
    Mariquita Farm - Ever wonder what 44 pounds of tomatoes look like? Heirlooms on the left, Early Girls on the right.

    Ever wonder what 44 pounds of tomatoes look like? Heirlooms on the left, Early Girls on the right.

    Mariquita Farm - Romanesco

    Romanesco

    Mariquita Farm - Celery root

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    Celery root

    Hillview Farm - The juicer produces 80 to 100 gallons of fresh pressed juice per day.

    Hillview Farm

    5.0(2 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $

    Braeburn Fuji Gala…read moreGolden Delicious Granny Smith Gravenstein McIntosh Pink Pearl Pippin Red Delicious Why exactly am I naming these apple varieties you ask? Prior to my visit to the Hillview Farm these were the only 10 varieties of apples I could name if someone were to ask. For somebody like me who eats more apple pie and drinks more apple juice than I do eating fresh apples I thought 10 was pretty impressive. Then I met Joe Stabile. Joe and his wife own an 18 acre apple orchard in Watsonville. When they bought the property in the early 1980's 4 varieties of apples were grown at this 450 tree orchard. Joe and his wife now have over 200 varieties of apples on this orchard and nearly 4200 trees! Yup, shows you how little I know about apples! For the Stabiles it's all about custom grafting and creating new varieties of apples. Many of the varieties found in the Hillview Farm orchard are not found anywhere else. Joe, a former IBM engineer who retired in 1992 to become a full time farmer, is a man of great patience. He loves the art of taking different types of apple trees, grafting the branches together and playing the waiting game on how successful the graft will be. Some grafts take years to develop. That doesn't faze Joe though; no matter how long it takes the bottom line is that the apple has to taste good. Overall taste is the deciding factor in deciding whether a custom graft is successful or not. For our recent farm tour the Stabiles went all out and pre-picked three big baskets of delicious Gravensteins, sweet Sansas and tart Pink Pearls for our group to enjoy. Judging by how quickly the fruit in the basket disappeared I'd have to agree with my fellow farm visitors that the Pink Pearls were our favorites for its beautiful color and delicious taste. Joe showed us the heavy machinery that sorts his apples by size. Then he showed us his juicer and talked about his juicing techniques. Joe and his small staff presses 80 to 100 gallons of juice per day. He bottles the juices immediately and stores the fresh pressed, unfiltered juices and juice blends in freezers then sells the product in assorted sizes at local farmers markets. Joe also sells dried apples at the farmers markets. He uses an industrial sized dehydrator and gave us delicious samples of both the Golden Delicious and Fuji varieties to sample. Our group was already in apple heaven when we stepped out into his orchard to look at the fresh fruit trees and examine some of the grafting techniques used. In addition to apples the Stabiles harvest dozens of varieties of pears, plums and persimmons plus other tree grown fruits. The different sizes, shapes and colors of the apples in the Hillview orchard were mind-boggling. I took tons of photos but after awhile they all started to look the same to me. The Stabiles didn't seem to have that problem though. They knew exactly which variety was which and even gave us data on the fruit's characteristics when we asked. True apple geniuses those Stabiles are. After our tour we gave the family some business too buying up fresh pressed apple juice, and homemade apple products such as preserves, syrups, dressings and butters. Hillview Farm products are sold at three local farmers markets. They are at the Vallco Farmers Market in Cupertino on Fridays, the Danville Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Jack London Square Farmers Market in Oakland on Sundays.

    Hillview Farm has all kinds of fruits on display. not so interested in them…read more what caught my eye was the apple cider. locale: JLQ farmers market (9/7) drink: apple cider(32 oz, $5) -100% pure preminum-cold pressed, -marked "plain" assumed it meant nothing added -so sweet! like drinking candy. hopefully no sugar added 4.5 stars

    Photos
    Hillview Farm - Loved the color of these!

    Loved the color of these!

    Hillview Farm - Heavy machinery: The apple sorter

    Heavy machinery: The apple sorter

    Hillview Farm - The dehydrator is used to make dried apples.  Fuji and Golden Delicious work best.

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    The dehydrator is used to make dried apples. Fuji and Golden Delicious work best.

    Watsonville Farmers' Market

    Watsonville Farmers' Market

    4.3(14 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    This is not really a farmer's market in the sensitive beard-toting, subaru-sporting,…read moretepui-tent-habitating eco-friendly organic produce folk sense. No, this is mainly for the street foodie enthusiast, for those into the quickest possible route to $4 slabs of masa packed with an earthy rich mole, chicken, and oaxacan cheese, steaming styrofoam cups of champurado, fresh crispy churros that my fiancee intuitively, aggressively chomps like a pittbull eating strips of bacon, that sort of thing. You come here to binge out on huaraches, sopes, and down horchata like you have no other task in life. You get stuffed here and post up in the old school Ville, only leaving after feeling immensely satisfied, and less impoverished than if you went to a sit-down place pretty much anywhere. I can't help but feeling a couple of these little ladies slanging tamales and empanadas have to be some of the best cooks in Santa Cruz county. More than 4 gringoes max last week sighted in the crowd last time we were there. Bound to blow up. Damn it, another of my favorites out in the interest of the yelper nation.

    We haven't been to the farmers market since the pandemic started but it was great to be back! Wish…read morethey had more venders but I'm hoping that comes back when the weather is better. The new restrooms are great and we really enjoyed ourselves Lots of yummy treats and great customer service the plaza is always a great reminder of growing up in Watsonville and gives a beautiful small home town feeling

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    Watsonville Farmers' Market
    Watsonville Farmers' Market - Inspire booth set up Every Friday from 2-5

    Inspire booth set up Every Friday from 2-5

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    Gizdich Ranch - bakeries - Updated May 2026

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