CUESA is hosting another insider’s tour of two Ferry Plaza farms. We’ll visit Glashoff Farms in Fairfield at the peak of walnut season, where Maria Glashoff will show us how they harvest, hull, and dry walnuts. Try the hand-crank nutcracker and taste this year’s harvest. We’ll also get a glimpse of the berry vines, the orange, prune and persimmon orchards, and the beef cattle they raise for the family.

Then Shelly McMahon of Shelly’s Garden in Brentwood, a new seller in the Tuesday market, will introduce us to her 1,200 laying hens and show us around the pastures where they spend their days. We’ll peek into their coops and see the egg washing machine. We'll learn how small, humane operations like Shelly's are worlds apart from the factory farms involved in the Salmonella recall. We’ll also check out the culinary herbs and heirloom tomatoes growing in the fields.

The tour costs $25, including lunch made with farmers market ingredients and round trip transportation from the Ferry Building in a comfortable, air-conditioned bus.

There is no official minimum age, but the tour is geared toward adults and not recommended for young children.

Where to meet: Meet at the Ferry Building (in the front, south side of the clocktower). Be there between 8:30 and 8:45; we leave at 9 am. Please be prompt! We cannot wait for stragglers.

Note: The weather could be very dry and hot, or it could be cool. We will spend time both outdoors and indoors. The tour will involve a fair amount of walking on uneven ground, so be prepared with sturdy shoes.

What to bring: water bottle, sun protection, layered clothing. Also consider bringing snacks, a camera, a book or other entertainment for the bus, and cash for purchases.

We will do our best to return by 5:30 pm, but traffic conditions can be unpredictable and we can't guarantee punctual arrival.

This tour is organized by CUESA, the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, as part of our mission to cultivate a sustainable food system. CUESA organizes 5-6 tours each year to Ferry Plaza Farmers Market farms and artisan food businesses in order to give eaters a first hand look at where their food comes from and how it is produced. For more information or to sign up for our weekly email newsletter, visit www.cuesa.org.

We sincerely thank our farm tour sponsor, First National Bank of Northern California, for underwriting tour costs and Coach 21 for providing a discount on the bus charter fee.