FREE PUBLIC TOUR OF SWANTON BERRY FARMS ON JUNE 13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ, CA--Organic strawberries grown at Swanton Berry Farms in Santa Cruz County are sought after by strawberry lovers across northern California.

The public will be treated to a rare consumer-oriented public tour of Swanton Berry Farms on Sunday, June 12, from noon to 2 p.m. There is no charge for the tour, and visitors will have an opportunity to purchase organic strawberries at wholesale prices.

Owner Jim Cochran's five-acre operation is one of the leading organic strawberry farms in the state. He began growing strawberries in 1980 and converted to organic growing techniques in 1984. In partnership with UCSC entomologist Sean Swezey, Cochran has perfected the use of biological pest-control methods to fight pests that would otherwise require chemical sprays to control. Conventionally grown strawberries require an average of $2,000 per acre in chemicals. Growing strawberries organically is more costly, but Cochran has tried both methods and prefers organic.

The relatively small size of Cochran's operation allows him to pay a lot of attention to the flavor and quality of his berries. During harvest, about ten people work on the farm--eight in production and two in distribution, says Cochran. "My strawberries are known for being very flavorful, and they're the strawberries of choice of diehard aficionados," he says.

The tour is sponsored by the Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden. Swanton Berry Farms, which was founded on Swanton Road, is located on Coast Road off Highway 1. For visitors coming from Santa Cruz, turn right at Coast Road, which is about five miles north of town at the 25.16 mile road marker. For those coming from San Francisco, make a left turn at Coast Road, which is about four miles south of Davenport at the 25.30 road marker. Go under the silver pipe, up the hill, and make the first left turn onto a dirt road. Park near the old farm buildings. For more information, call the Agroecology Program at (408) 459-4140.

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