Time for Tomatoes!

Love Apple Farms kicks off its annual tomato seedling sale at Ivy’s Porch in Scott’s Valley! Now through June 30, select from over 100 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, from Early Girl to Red Roma, and get growing! New this year, Love Apple Farms is excited to offer a limited variety of seedlings at Wegman’s Nursery in Redwood City and Western Garden Nursery in Pleasanton. Get all the details here.

• With planting underway, save-the-date for the annual celebration of tomatoes at Manresa’s Tomato Modernista dinners on September 21 and 22 featuring the exciting varieties from Love Apple Farms. Call Manresa at 408.354.4330 to make reservations.

Love Apple Farms—Upcoming Events & Classes

Love Apple Farms’ annual Tomato Seedling Sale kicks off on Saturday, March 17, with a new retail space at Ivy’s Porch in Scotts Valley. Grow some of the unique tomatoes used at Manresa in your own backyard with a selection of over 100 varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. This year’s seedling sale will not only feature thousands of heirloom seedlings for purchase, but will also showcase beautiful display gardens allowing guests to learn how to plant their gardens and incorporate new ideas into their home landscape. The sale runs until Saturday, June 30 and hours of operation are as follows: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. on Sundays. Ivy’s Porch is located at 5311 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley.

» Manresa’s Jeff Bareilles returns to Love Apple Farms for a seasonal cocktails class on Tuesday, March 27. The hands-on class will include a demonstration on three of Bareilles’ favorite cocktails, including the classic Martini. Guests will learn how to pickle and cure garnishes as well as infuse spirits for their home bar. Tuesday, March 27 from 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.; $115. For more information and registration, please visit Love Apple Farms.

Manresa Hosts Annual Tomato Modernista Dinners

At the height of tomato season, Manresa Executive Chef David Kinch will choose over 60 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from exclusive farm partner Love Apple Farms to feature in the “Tomato Modernista Dinners,” dedicated to the ingredient. Taking place Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2, the multi-course dinners will feature a colorful, flavorful variety of tomatoes offered in different preparations and textures. The menu will include Ludmilla’s Pink Heart, Boar’s Hoof, White Cherry, Gajo de Melon, Reba, White Oxheart, and Green Doctors. The annual event is a celebration of the prized ingredient—the namesake for Farmer Cynthia Sandberg’s Love Apple Farms and the ingredient that helped inspire the close bond between the farm and Manresa. Throughout the season, Sandberg grows hundreds of varieties of heirloom tomatoes for Manresa. The Tomato Modernista Dinners are $170 per person, exclusive of wine, tax, and gratuity. Open seating begins at 5:30 p.m. Wine pairings selected by Wine Director Jeff Bareilles will be available. Please note that the regular menu will not be available on these dates.

Love Apple Farm Tomato Seedling Sale

It's finally here! Love Apple Farm's 2011 Tomato Seedling Sale starts March 26 through June 26 (or while supplies last).

The Tomato Seedling Sale will be open Mondays through Fridays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Tomato plants will be sold at the Love Apple Farm retail location at the Knox Garden Box showroom at 46 El Pueblo Road in Scotts Valley.

Love Apple Farm will have over 100 varieties of mostly heirloom and some hybrid tomatoes for sale. Tomatoes in small pots are $3.50 each, and $5.50 each in large pots.

Please remember, that these are live plants, and stuff happens! On occasion, germination is low, demand is high, other factors thwart production, and you may not always get the varieties that you want. If you are hankering for something specific, email loveapplefarm@gmail.com shortly before you plan to come out to ensure that the varieties that you are looking for are available.

For more information, visit the Love Apple Farm website.

Tomato Modernista Dinners

“Cynthia Sandberg is a world-class heirloom tomato grower—they are the best tasting tomatoes anywhere.” —David Kinch

At Love Apple Farm, Cynthia Sandberg grows hundreds of varieties of heirloom tomatoes with names like Paul Robeson, Orange Russian, Julia Child, Green Zebra, Brandywine, and Cherokee Purple. The pleasure of tasting Love Apple Farm tomatoes is that they are picked at their peak ripeness while still warm from the sun. For a limited time, the Love Apple Farm tomatoes can be experienced exclusively at Manresa with two six-course dinners prepared by David Kinch. Please join Manresa on the evenings of Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20 for the Tomato Modernista Dinners. The dinners are $165 per person, exclusive of wine, tax, and gratuity. Open seating begins at 5:30 on Saturday, and 5:00 on Sunday. Wine pairings selected by Wine Director Jeff Bareilles will be available. Please call 408.354.4330 for reservations.
Please note that the regular menu will not be available on these dates.

Tomato Modernista Dinner

The Manresa vegetable garden is being tended and the tomatoes are ripening under the warm sun and fresh air of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Now is the time to share the rewards of a bountiful harvest. On Tuesday, September 26, Cynthia Sandberg of Love Apple Farm will deliver the most beautiful varieties of tomatoes to Manresa. Grown on the sunny fields of Manresa's organic kitchen garden, David Kinch will transform the intensely flavorful tomatoes into a sensational multi-course Tomato Modernista Dinner. If only for one evening, come capture the pure essence of summer before it slips away. Make your reservations for September 26 by calling 408-354-4330. Open seating from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. $110 per person exclusive of wine, tax, and gratuity.