Who: Mike Cirone of See Canyon Farms
Where: 60 acres in San Luis Obispo
How: Mike graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1978 with a degree in Fruit Science and knew he wanted to farm. He started out with ten acres of apples in 1983 and now farms 60 acres of stone fruit, pears, avocados, and apples. See Canyon is located in a unique microclimate a couple of miles from the ocean. It has good ground water, the benefits of cooling while also having warmer temperatures, and is also cool and shady in the winter. Almost all of the produce is entirely dry farmed, meaning it is only watered by rain and ocean air. Apples are in peak season right now and See Canyon is known for growing over 80 varieties of delicious heirloom apples. In the weeks to come be on the lookout for Mutsu, Honey Crisp, and Gold Rush apples, to name a few, as well as D’Anjou and Bosque pears.
Why: See Canyon goes to six Farmers Markets per week. Mike appreciates the feedback he receives from customers and likes providing customers with the freshest fruit possible, straight from the farm. You can find See Canyon at the Santa Monica Wednesday and Saturday Downtown Farmers Markets. Make sure to stop by their booth and sample all of the different varieties apples to find your favorite!