SLO Creek Farm | Activity in San Luis Obispo

September 18, 2020

Visit SLO Creek Farm for a fun outdoor farm experience. Orchards grow freely, abundant with organic apples ripe for the picking. Frolic in the flower fields that provide gorgeous photo opportunities, or take the chance to pick your own bouquet as a special gift for a loved one. At SLO Creek Farm, you’ll find something for the whole family.

Pick Your Own Organic Apples

I visited SLO Creek Farm in September, intent on picking my own delicious organic apples. Rows of apple trees line the south end of the property. Stop by the cashier booth to the north of the driveway entrance to pick up an apple basket then get to picking! Apples are purchased by the pound, so feel free to bring your own basket, bag or other container as well.

Holding a freshly picked apple in the apple orchards, apple trees grow abundantly on either side surrounded by tall wild grasses. — Freshly picked apple complete with beautiful apple blossom.

Tall wild grasses line the rows of apple trees. The grasses are easy enough to navigate through, though I do recommend wearing jeans or some other long pants, and boots or other shoes that can withstand moisture. After the apple picking adventure, we all wound up with a slightly sappy, seedy coating on our pant legs from the grass. It was a bit of a mess, made much less so by us wearing leg coverings (unlike Dad, who decided to wear shorts, unaware of the sticky danger the grass posed) however it was not enough to stop us from having a great time.

There were a number of families at the farm when I was there. Once you venture into the orchard, its easy enough to separate and find a few secluded rows to call your own.

These apple trees pose no particular threat to the vertically challenged. While over six feet tall, most of the fruit is easy to reach for the adult of average height. Most trees also contain low-hanging fruit within grabbing distance for the kiddos.

Overall the apple picking took maybe about half an hour — not nearly as long as other U-Pick adventures, like blueberry picking. The apples are large and heavy and it doesn’t take long to fill a basket to your liking.

Once satisfied with your organic apple bounty, head back to the cashier to weigh and pay for your loot. From here, it’s on to flower and herb perusing, with maybe a few to take home as gorgeous tokens of time well-spent.

Organic apples ready to be washed and eaten! Applesauce, apple fritters or apple pie are all equally delicious options.

Flower Fields Forever

Rows of dahlias, sunflowers, lavendar, pumpkins and more adorn the other side of the farm opposite the apple orchards. Flowers are available for picking (priced by the stem), but even if you aren’t planning on bringing any home, I highly recommend taking a stroll through the flower field. You never know, you may encounter a sunflower taller than you, with a bloom twice as big as your head!

Let’s be real — no matter how you cut it, 2020’s been a hard year for us all. What better way to feed your soul than a walk through a field of bright, joyous flowers. They serve as a small reminder that despite the hardships, despite the utter feeling of doom a day in 2020 can bring, life is still overflowing with small beauties.

Take a seat in this comfortable grass couch, kick up your tired feet and remember what it’s like to approach the world with optimism and wonder. If all this sentimentality isn’t enough to convince you, I’ll let the flowers speak for themselves.