Orchard Tours 2012
Folks enjoying the Sheldon orchard in the spring
We will have springtime orchard tours every Saturday morning at 9am from January 14th through April 28th. Come take a stroll with real farmers through our historic orchard, taste what’s in season, visit the packinghouse and pick a bag of fresh fruit to take home with you. The Sheldon orchard has 15 varieties of tangerines as well as blood oranges, meyer lemons, minneolas and more! You will get the chance to see how they grow and discover which are your seasonal favorites. This is an excellent Ojai adventure for any age; a great way to learn where your favorite fruit comes from and how it is grown. To reserve your space and receive more information please sign up for the tour.
The Friend family and its descendants have been growing fruit in Ojai since the 1880′s. We have been growing tangerines since the 1920′s, well ahead of most California growers. Our Sheldon Ranch, situated at the entrance to the bucolic Matilija Canyon, provides a unique frost-free microclimate which is perfect for tangerine flavor development. The ranch is surrounded by the Los Padres National Forest and abuts the year-round flowing Ventura River. It is our prettiest ranch and we hope you can come along with us for a visit!
Tour Schedule: Arrive at our packinghouse by 9am. Hear a short history of our 6 generations of family farming in the Ojai Valley. Walk through the orchard accompanied by a knowledgeable family farmer. As we stroll we will be tasting and picking many varieties of seasonal citrus. Return to the packinghouse where you can purchase more fruit and be back on the road by 11:30, to enjoy other activities in the Ojai Valley.
Pricing: Adults $12, children 10yrs & under $8.00, under 3yrs free.
Price includes tour, unlimited tastings and one of our colorful tote bags (additional fruit you pick is only $1.50/pound).
Cash or check only; payment accepted at the end of the tour.
Reserve your spot now by signing up online. Space is limited to 20 people per tour date!
What to bring: Please wear suitable walking shoes. Bring warm clothes or hat and sunscreen as weather dictates. If you are bringing small children bring an off-road stroller or backpack. Bring addresses of friends and family to send fruit to!
We are unable to accept credit cards, so please bring cash or check.
We will send you a confirmation e-mail with directions and further information once you sign up for a tour.
The tour that we had is something I will never forget. And, in fact, keep talking about! --Mical
From out-of town? To find lodging, places to eat and more ways to enjoy the Ojai Valley: www.ojaichamber.org, www.ojaivisitors.com and www.ojaiconcierge.com
Additional dates, private tours and tours in Spanish are available by request, call (805)646-2871. We charge a minimum of $100/hour to cover our time and expenses of group and private tours.
Sorry, due to liability issues we are unable to host meals, weddings or large events on our property.
Our Store
2011 Holiday Hours: We will be at the Santa Barbara farmers’ market on January 30th and the Ojai Farmers’ Market on New Years eve(Sorry we will not be in Hollywood on the 31st)
