Feeling hungry? Northern California offers a feast of fresh fare. Here are three epicurean excursions that will sate your appetite for adventure.

You won't find flashy signs pointing to fourteen-acre Gabriel Farm in Sonoma County. That's not how Torrey Olson likes to run his pick-it-yourself apple orchard. "There are no hay rides or big productions at our place," says Olson. "We like to keep it small and personal." But don't let the two-lane road and laid-back country charm fool you. Olson has also added some modern touches: All of the farm's power comes from large solar panels in the orchard, and Gabriel has been fully organic for the past five years. Visitors can pick from fifteen varieties of apple trees, including McIntosh, Fuji and Pink Lady—just make sure you know the right way to pick. According to Olson, the key is to gently twist the apple until it comes loose; it's all in the wrist (grabbing and pulling is considered poor form). When you've basketed your fill, savor the fruits of your labor by picnicking in the shade of the big persimmon tree on the farm grounds. Then check out the farm's homemade delicacies, including fresh-pressed apple juice and tasty apple pie. Golden and Delicious.

TIP: On your way to the farm, get your picnic supplies at two side-by-side markets in Graton: Pinnacle Market for artisan cheese and bread, Graton Market for fine wine.

Gabriel Farm, 3175 Sullivan Rd., Sebastopol; 707-829-0617. Call ahead and make an appointment. Apple-picking season runs from now through Halloween. To reach the farm from San Francisco: Travel north on Highway 101. Take 116 (Gravenstein Highway) going north through the town of Sebastopol. About three miles after Sebastopol, turn left onto Graton Rd. After a little over a mile, take a right onto Sullivan Rd. The farm will be on the right side of the road.

Pinnacle Market, 9056 Graton Rd., Graton; 707-823-2942.
Graton Market, 9050 Graton Rd., Graton; 707-823-8919.

"Live simply and eat fresh." That's the motto at Mar Vista Cottages, a gourmet hideaway located on the ruggedly beautiful Mendocino coast. The rustic cottages and spectacular location are allure enough, but here's the bonus: Guests at Mar Vista get full access to the site's sprawling organic garden, filled with a potpourri of produce (strawberries, artichokes, garlic, chives, oregano, tomatoes, basil, sweet peas, and green beans, to name a few). You get a harvest basket when you check in; just fill it with the fare you want and cook it up in your cottage kitchen. Fancy a scrumptious veggie omelet? The on-site hens ensure that fresh eggs are in full supply. And if you need culinary inspiration, the owners of Mar Vista provide a recipe book for you to flip through; favorites include fried green tomatoes, Szechuan eggplant, and pretty much anything that uses olive oil. Between meals, you can hike along the coast, surf, or just sunbathe. After your gourmet meal, end your day with a sweet soak in the Japanese tub, which uses water from the creek that flows through the property. Go ahead, veg out.

Mar Vista Cottages, 35101 South Highway 1, Gualala; 707-884-3522. Cottages start at $155 per night, and there is a two night minimum. Note: Mar Vista Cottages is very dog friendly!

If you really love oysters, there's nothing finer than getting them straight from the source. And it's even better when that source is in one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the state. Enter Point Reyes and the historic Drake's Bay Oyster Farm, where they've been digging up premium varieties for more than sixty years. While most Point Reyes visitors are making their way along busy Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the lighthouse, your destination is a sharp left turn onto a winding gravel road that ends at the oyster company's farm on the tranquil shores of Drake's Estero. When you get there, pick up a dozen or two freshly plucked Pacific oysters and then head for a grill. We like nearby Heart's Desire Beach, where you can escape the crowds by hiking a tenth of a mile south along the Johnstone Trail to a private picnic area that overlooks Tomales Bay. Grill your fill, then wander half a mile farther down the trail to Pebble Beach (pictured), where you can find your own slice of sand on the bay. Ah, the world is your oyster now.

Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, 17171 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness; 415-669-1149. The farm is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The left turn to the oyster farm is 9.5 miles after Sir Francis Drake Blvd. intersects Highway 1. To get more information on Point Reyes National Seashore, click here. For a PDF map of the park, click here.

Patagonia has teamed up with Weekend Sherpa to talk about initiatives they support, activities they love, and clothes they dig.



If you like organic food, how about organic clothes, too? For more than ten years Patagonia has been using organically grown cotton in their garments. Organic cotton has a purity like no other: It looks good, grows well, and for the most sensitive among us, rubs the right way. In fact, Patagonia is so confident you'll dig the organic cotton experience that they're giving away a free organic cotton tote bag (big enough to hold lots of stuff). Just print out this email and bring it to any of the three Bay Area Patagonia stores (they'll recycle the paper) to get your free tote. Organic cotton: You'll look good—and you'll feel good too.

Note: The offer is valid until September 9, 2007. Your contact information will be requested to receive the free tote bag.

Patagonia San Francisco, 770 North Point St., San Francisco; 415-771-2050.
Patagonia Palo Alto, 525 Alma St., Palo Alto; 650-329-8556.
Patagonia Outlet Santa Cruz, 415 River St. #C, Santa Cruz; 831-423-1776.

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