If you think barns are for cows and chickens then you haven't been to Pie Ranch for the barn dance. On the third Saturday of the month this blink-and-you'll-miss-it spot on Highway 1 blows the roof off. The nonprofit farm teaches sustainable practices and gives attention to something commonly overlooked in our Web 2.0 world: (offline) community. At 6 p.m. a potluck starts things off. Bring a dish to share, spread a blanket and strike up a conversation. At 7 p.m. the band starts: guitars, fiddles, mandolins, and a dance caller set the barn bouncing. A few seasoned line dancers are in the mix, but generally footloose beginners take to the floor and go with the flow. Before you know it you'll be promenading, dosey-doing, and finding your two left feet: Grab your partner go round and round… down the middle… It's a barn good time, and that's not pie in the sky!
Pie Ranch, 2080 Cabrillo Highway (Hwy. 1), Pescadero; 650-879-0995. It's midway between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz and 8 miles south of Pescadero. The barn dance happens on the third Saturday of the month. Admission is $7 to $20 depending on the band. No dogs.