“Watch out” Sonoma and Marin…

Sonoma County is known for wine country destinations, a short 90 minute drive to Half Moon Bay, by the way.  The May 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine’s focus on our northern neighbors gave me pause.  When you see the words California agriculture and farming on a page, doesn’t SAN MATEO COUNTY jump out at you?  If not, then we definitely need to ramp up our branding.  San Mateo County has the largest square footage of designated open space in the nine San Francisco Bay Area county region and many of those acres are leased to farmers who grow fresh local foods that we see in our farmer’s markets.  The rich soil and vibrant farming culture is one of the reasons west San Mateo County is so special.

I’m always excited to see Half Moon Bay on the pages of Sunset Magazine.(1)  This month’s issue highlighted northern California’s great agriculture for cheesemaking, where I enthusiastically flipped through the always beautiful pages looking for Pescadero’s Harley Farms.  When I read the article  titled “Watch out, France”, the story was about Marin and Sonoma.  That’s OK, their hills are beautiful too, but hold on a strawberry pickin’ minute…

When you visit Half Moon Bay, our destination lodging, such as the Half Moon Bay Ritz and others, will have a plethora of suggestions for enjoying your stay in our area.  Be sure to ask your Concierge about Harley Farms and the unique and charming village of Pescadero; they may also have brochures.  If you’re running short of time and want to bring home some local cheese as a gift, you can run into New Leaf Community Market and find the beautiful presentation of a few varieties at the charming cheese kiosk.

Since you can read about artisan cheese from our northern neighbors in the magazine, I’ll share a little information here if you’re looking for a special cheese related experience,or just some great local cheese for a special dish or party, south of the Golden Gate bridge!

Harley Farms is located about 15 miles south of Half Moon Bay in Pescadero, CA.

“Harley Farms is a restored 1910 dairy farm, with 200 alpine goats on nine acres of pasture in Pescadero, California. The farm grew from six pet goats to today’s herd, with their delicious, critically-acclaimed cheese.” – Harley Farms website

The local restaurants, and beyond, serve them.  The local grocery store sells them.  The Farm hosts seasonal dinners and other special events.  They sell related products for the bath, and support the community too.

For a much more visual experience, take a virtual trip to  harleyfarms.com and see the bounty and beauty in San Mateo County’s own back yard.

(1) http://www.sunset.com/travel/california/more-coast-less-cost-in-half-moon-bay-00400000016394/

More things to do in Half Moon Bay and the area:

https://mariansbennett.com/about-coastside-real-estate/fun-adventure/

Related posts:

https://mariansbennett.com/?s=Harley+Farms

p.s.  I love Sonoma County, Marin County and Sunset Magazine!