Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Visiting Tanaka Farms and a Strawberry Tour

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Have you ever visited a farm to pick your own fruits and vegetables?  Last weekend, I took the kids to visit Tanaka Farms for a strawberry tour.  It was the most wonderful activity to spend time with my kids, by far!  Tanaka Farms is an authentic working farm with 30-acre of farmland producing organic fruits & vegetables that not only supply to their own produce stand, but also provides for the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program and various educational tours.  Tanaka Farms is conveniently located in Irvine, California.

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As soon as we entered the premises, we were greeted by the coffee and sugarcane plants.

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I booked a late morning strawberry tour.  Their Strawberry Tours runs from March through June, (please click here for more information about the tour).  I highly recommend that you bring hats for yourself and your kids and apply sunblock for this event.  But in case you forget, you can still purchase whatever you need as you line up to purchase your tour tickets.

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Here are the tickets/stickers for the strawberry tour.

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For each person who pays for the tour, s/he will also receive a 1-lb container, to bring home the strawberries that you picked from the farm.

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Weekend tours run every half hour from 9:30am to 2:30pm.  The picture below shows you the waiting area.  My kids were so excited and they were running around the hay while we were waiting.

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If you visit my blog often, you know that I don’t normally show pictures of my kids here.  But look at those lovely smiles.  They are too beautiful not to share.

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Right next to the waiting area was Tanaka Farms’ market stand where you can pick your own fruits and vegetables if you’re not going on the tour.

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These Swiss Chard/Rainbow Chards are beautiful.

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Besides picking your own vegetables, you can also purchase them from the market stand.

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The market stand carries fruits and vegetables that are freshly harvested from the farm.

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Maui Onions were super sweet and awesome.  We got to sample some sautéed ones while we were waiting for our tour.

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Besides fresh produces, the market stand also carries jams, honey and some unique kitchen tools that you can purchase.

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Here goes the wagon for our tour!

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Yay…we’re ready to take off.

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Here’s our tour guide, Thomas.  The Chinese characters on the back of his shirt says “Hope” (希望).  There’s a "Walk The Farm" event in June at the Tanaka Farms.  The purpose of this event is to raise funds to aid farmers in Japan.  For more information about the event, please click here.  

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During the tour, Thomas explained how the farm works, showed us the different kinds of fruits and vegetables, and reveal many fun facts about fruits and vegetables.  My Little Boy was the one who asked the most questions during the tour.  Thomas was very knowledgeable and very patience.  He answered every single question and more.

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Look at this view.  It’s simply refreshing and peaceful to be out in an open field.

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When we passed by the celery field, we can totally smell the freshness and crispness of the celery scent in the air.  You've got to be there to take in all in.

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Here comes another tour wagon and some field workers.

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The view and the environment were just beautiful.

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Here come our first stop of the tour.  Our driver stopped right next to an ice box and took out some Sugar Snap Peas for us to sample.

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These sugar snap peas were sweet, crunchy, juicy, and refreshing!  Probably the best sugar snap peas that I've ever eaten, no kidding!

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Then we passed by the Swiss Chard field as we munched on the peas.

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Up next, we've got to sample some Maui onions, as is.

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My Little Boy said it’s a little too spicy for him.  But I’m glad that he tried.  Smile with tongue out I think they were quite sweet, for raw onions.

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We then got some carrots right after the Maui onions.  These carrots were super sweet and crunchy.  They offset the spiciness from the onions.  Seriously, these carrots tasted like desserts to me.  My Baby Girl finished the whole carrot all on her own.

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Then we passed by the banana, papaya, avocado, lime and grapefruit trees.

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Here’s closer look at the bananas.  How long do you think it’ll take for bananas to grow before they’re ready to be harvested?   4 months?  No.  6 months you say?  No.  A full 2 years!  After learning the fact, I have new respects for the bananas, and the farmers who grow them!

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Next, we've got to sample some Bak Choy.  Of course you can do a stir fry at home.  But I’m surprised they tasted so good when raw. 

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During our tour, we pumped into the owner of the farm, Farmer Kenny.  It means a lot when the owner himself tours and works on the farm himself.

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Next is the corn field.


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Take a guess on what kind of plant it was in the picture below.  Yes, an agave plant, a huge one!


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Then, we finally arrived at the strawberry field.  See the onions growing in the middle and between the strawberries?  They act as a natural pest rebellion for the strawberry plants.  Smart, right?  As mentioned before, Tanaka Farms is an organic farm and only uses natural pesticide for pest control, such as pepper, garlic, and onion oil.

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Can’t wait to pick these beautiful strawberries!

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But before we got out of the wagon to pick our strawberries, Thomas explained to us what to pick and what not to pick.  Yes, that’s a strawberry flower (see picture below).  Of course we don’t pick that.

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Not the green strawberries either.

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There, the ripe and beautiful strawberry.

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Thomas showed us the “bunny ears” method, which is the correct way to pick the strawberries without hurting the plant.

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Check these out!  Big, juicy, and sweet strawberries.  They are about the freshest strawberries you will ever eat.

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My Little Girl was quite busy picking and eating the whole time.

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My Little Boy was hard at work too.  He only ate one or two strawberries while picking and insisted to eat them after he returned home so he can focus on filling his basket.

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Aren't these strawberries beautiful?  Did you know that there are an average of 200 seeds outside of each strawberry?  Amazing, isn't it?

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My Little Boy was so proud that he picked his own strawberries. 

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My Baby Girl was still too busy eating! 

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Hello gorgeous!

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Check out this view (picture below).  I can’t quite believe this is in the middle of Orange county in L.A.  What a beautiful view.  Don’t you love that red barn?  I’m glad that I was able to take these pictures on the slightly bumpy wagon ride.  (click on the picture to enlarge)

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After our tour, we were back to the farm stand and had a little strawberry lemonade.

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And we had a little kale salad sample as well.   It was so fresh and yummy.

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If you’re in the greater Los Angeles area or plan to visit the area soon, you've got to visit Tanaka Farms for a tour.  Your kids and the kids in you will thank you.  It’s a wonderful and educational experience to see how the farm works and you'll have a chance to sample the freshest produces you can get your hands on.  I can’t wait to go back for their harvest tour (March through August) and watermelon tour that will be available in July and August.

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Stay tuned for some strawberry recipes in the next few blog posts.

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Before I post the new strawberry recipes, here are a few of my favorites that you can try for now.

Strawberry and Cream Swiss Roll (草莓奶油瑞士卷)
Kiwi-Strawberry Bellini
Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream
Strawberry and Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble
Eton Mess with Dark Chocolate Strawberry Meringue Roses
Strawberry Meyer Lemonade Spritzer

Wow, I do have quite a few favorites.  What can I say, my kids and I adore strawberries!


Tanaka Farms information:
Website: http://www.tanakafarms.com/
Address: 5380 3/4 University Dr., Irvine, CA 92612
Reservation Phone number: (949) 653-2100 Ext. 204



Disclosure:  Both of my kids and I received the strawberry tour free of charge for the purpose of this review.  My assistant, a.k.a. husband, paid for his own ticket.  I was not compensated for this review post.  All opinions are 100% my own.  Thank you Tanaka Farms for allowing me to review the strawberry tour.  We all had so much fun and definitely will be back again to visit your beautiful farm.

60 comments:

  1. Aww so much fun! And such a great experience for you and the kids to have together! (they are serious cuties, by the way!)

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    1. Thank you, Joanne. Yes, it was such a fun tour. And best of all, the produce is super fresh and yummy.

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  2. That looks sensational, Amy! Those strawberries, and not to mention the bok choy and other produce! Looks like a wonderful afternoon with your adorable little girl and boy!

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    1. Thank you, Monica. Oh yes, it was a fun day for all of us. I can't wait to go back for other tours or just pick veggies from the farm stands. :)

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  3. This really looks like a great visit at a huge huge farm. And these strawberries looks sooooo good I'm almost jealous! We won't have some untill a couple of weeks around here:)

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    1. Oh, yeah, it was so much fun to visit the farm. Those strawberries are just so fresh and sweet. I guess the freshness really brings out the best of them. :) Hope you'll get some gorgeous ones there soon.

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  4. It's a beautiful farm..I love going to farms and picking berries..apples etc..
    And you are so right..those children are too beautiful to NOT share:)

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    1. :) Thank you. I agree. I've gotta take the kids to visit the farm more. Nice outdoor activity, great produce and great way to spend time with the kids....plus, delicious meals for dinner with the freshest ingredients.

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  5. Hi Amy, thank you for sharing all your very well taken pictures. The farm look so interesting and beautiful. And your children look so adorable and cute.

    Have a nice week ahead.

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    1. Thank you so much, Amelia. It was a little bumpy when I took those picture. I'm really glad the pictures came out clear and not blurry. :) Have a beautiful week ahead.

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  6. O my, so many pictures. Lovely post. We are picking fruits and barrios all summer, that's a wonderful experience for kids and we love to cook a lot of jams and fruit desserts. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. Thank you, Yelena. I agree, it's such a nice experience for kids...and grown ups too, actually. It's the best to prepare something refreshing with the produce we picked at the farm. I can't wait to go back again.

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  7. What a great experience and those fruit and veg look awesome!

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    1. Thank you. Oh yeah it was. Fun time at the farm. :) The produces are just gorgeous.

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  8. Hermosa granja todo orgánico me encanta las verduras y frutas recién cosechadas,lindas fotos hugs.

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    1. Gracias. Sí, las frutas y verduras frescas de la granja son los mejores.

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  9. Looks like you and your kids had tons of fun! I used to live down in Irvine and I always passed by strawberry farms. Sadly, we didn't go. Your strawberries look very red and ripe. I bet they are really sweet. I need to get down there soon.

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    1. Oh yeah, we did had lots of fun. Oh...didn't know you were from Irvine. You should check out the strawberry farm. Their strawberries are super sweet and fragrant. All the veggies are crisp and fresh. I'm going to go back very often.

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  10. I wish I were there with you! This is my paradise. So many fresh veggies and fruits. My brother would be exactly like your son. Totally focused so he can enjoy the fruits of his labour later (no pun intended). :-) What a lovely time!

    ~Jayne

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    1. Oh yeah, it was a lovely farm. Hehe...it's interesting to see the different personality of the kids, even from fruit picking. :)

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  11. That tour looked like fun, and the farm is just beautiful! I would love to visit there sometime :)

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    1. Oh yeah, it was such a fun tour and gorgeous farm. The produces were superb as well. Go for a visit soon as the strawberry tour only last til June.

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  12. It looks so much fun at the farm tour, it's a yummy and educational tour for the kids! Have a Happy Mother's Day!

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    1. Thank you so much, Veronica. Yes, it was such a fun day at the farm. I can't wait to take the kids back for another tour and veggie picking.

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  13. It looks like the perfect day. Lucky you!

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    1. Thank you, Abbe. Oh yes it was such a nice day. :)

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  14. Such a fun tour! I would love to visit the farm too.

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    1. Oh yeah, it was so much fun and you should go too. :) I know you're going to love all the fresh fruit and veggies.

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  15. I had fun joining your photos tour:D I am sure your kids had a great time!

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    1. Thank you, Jeannie. Glad you love my pictures of the tour. ^^

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  16. This is such a great place for a family outing. The white onions are huge!!! Thank you for taking us along for the tour. :)

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    1. Thank you, Danny. Oh yeah, it was such a fun outing for the family. :) Oh...those Maui Onions were so sweet. Simply divine.

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  17. I feel like I went on the tour myself with all of these wonderful photos:) The strawberries are beautiful and your kids are adorable! What a fun day!

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    1. Thank you so much, Sue. Oh yeah, we had lots of fun. It's a great outdoor activity and educational for all of us.

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  18. Amy, this is a great place to visit. I love the fresh and big strawberries, look so good !:)

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    1. Thank you, Esther. OH yeah, this is such a beautiful farm. The strawberries were so sweet and fresh too. Can't wait to go back to the farm stands for other veggies and watermelon tour.

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  19. Thank you for the lovely tour, wish I could visit. Your children are adorable.

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    1. Thank you so much, Judy. You're welcome, glad you like the picture tour. It a nice farm to visit.

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  20. Hi Amy,

    Your kids are ADORABLE! Thanks for sharing this wonderful review. I found it very educational and definitely a great outing to do with the family. I felt as if I was there with you through all the pictures you posted.

    Wow! the owner of the farm looks really young.

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    1. Thank you, Dice. Yes, I love this educational tour a lot too. Perfect family activity, in my opinion. :) The owner in this picture is the younger generation owner, his parents are also owners of this farm, according to their website.

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  21. Hi Amy,

    Your children really have gorgeous smiles. Glad you decided to post their smiles up here to share with all of us. Thank you. :)

    If I ever have a chance to go CA, I will visit Tanaka farm. I love picking strawberries. We can pick strawberries in Cameron Highlands in M'sia.

    Very nice review with many good photos. Thank you again for sharing.

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    1. Thank you so much, Mun. I'm glad I can share the pictures and spread some smiles. :) Yeah, fruit picking is just so much fun. I can't wait to go again.

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  22. Thankyou for visiting my blog.
    I wish we had a farm here were we could go and pick fruits and veggie, love the pics of the farm and the ectivities there.

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    1. Thank you, Finla. Oh you never know. Maybe do a little search in your area. I didn't expect to found a farm that close to the hub of a city here either. :)

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  23. I just happened to visit your blog when you share the picture of your beautiful children! How lucky is that! j/k.. :) Oh Amy, they are adorable! Thanks for sharing the family trip at Tanaka farm! There are lots of Japanese owned strawberry farms around here too. We've never been to strawberry picking (we usually go cherry/peach picking), but we should consider a trip! Thanks for the fun post!

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    1. Thank you, Nami. I'm glad to share my kids smiles. How lucky you've got many Japanese owned farms in your area. Strawberry picking is a lots of fun. You should take your kids there when it's still in season. Now, I want to find out where I can pick cherries. :P And I usually pick peaches at my In-Law's garden, lucky me. hehe...

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  24. What a great day. I know your kids had a wonderful time...I know I would. :)

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    1. Oh, yes we all had a wonderful time. It was such a nice tour and farm.

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  25. Your kids are adorable! Sounds like a wonderful day. I'd certainly enjoy it! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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    1. Thank you so much. Oh yeah, it was such a fun day for the whole family. :)

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  26. Your kids are so sweet! Looks like you had a great day together. I remember taking my girls berry picking when they were around that age, and they always loved it.

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    1. Thank you so much, Beth. Yes, we had such a great time together. :) This is such a fun activity for young kids and grown ups, too.

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  27. Hi Amy,

    I've been wanting to visit your blog ever since you left a comment on mine, but I have the attention span of a three-year old. :-)

    Loved seeing your kids and all the fresh fruits and vegetables, which are so inspiring. It makes me want to go out and cook! Sautéed onions - yum!

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    1. Thank you, Lady Jennie. I totally understands how busy thing might get. :D

      OH...those sauteed Maui Onions was so good. I have to go back and get more.

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  28. Lovely pictures.. Had fun watching your kids with such beautiful smile... Thanks for sharing :-)

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    1. Thank you, Nilu. It was such a fun day I just wanted to share. :) Glad you enjoy my pictures.

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  29. Amy, I think I would enjoy this tour as much as your children did! I would love to pick my own vegetables and fruits. Here several farms organise strawberry picking, but strangely the strawberries are horribly expensive (they should normally be less expensive... so I never do it).

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    1. Yes, it was so much fun picking fruit and vegetable.

      Sorry that it's more expensive than usual! And that totally doesn't make sense!

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  30. Hi Amy, this was such s fun tour, love the way you took pics of the place. Wish I had access to a strawberry field.

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    1. Yeah, it was so much fun spending time at the farm. :)

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