The first Farm Stand Tour of the 2026 season takes place this weekend. Pictured, from left, front row: Brenda Kirby of B. St. Blooms and Kylee Canda of Canda Family Farms. Back row: Ethel Byers of Hastings Avenue Veggie Stand, Ashly Siller of The Sheldon Stand, Ashley Garske of Aldrich Farm Cart, Justine Dutra of Reis Ranch Produce and Andrea Mangan of the Social Hall Road Farm Stand. Not pictured is Paula Carli of Windmill Flower Farm. Photo by Seti Long

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Three years after its debut, the Farm Stand Tour continues to grow, with locally produced goods remaining in demand throughout the year, not just during the peak summer harvest.

The first Farm Stand Tour of the season will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 11, featuring an expanded list of participants as roadside farm stands and small businesses continue to gain popularity.

The Farm Stand Tour began in 2024 as the brainchild of Nicole Allard of Crackleberry Hut, along with the original participants Ashly Siller, Ashley Garske, Paula Carli, Justine Dutra of Reis Ranch Produce and Ethel Byers.

Freeze-dried fruits and candies are among the specialty items available at The Sheldon Stand, offering convenient snacks for road trips and everyday treats. Photo courtesy of The Sheldon Stand

Each year, the tour has expanded, organizing a kickoff event at the start of summer to encourage shoppers to visit local farm stands and discover what each has to offer throughout the season.

Visitors are encouraged to stop at every participating stand and collect a stamp on a checklist. Completed checklists are entered into a drawing for a gift basket filled with products from each participating stand.

As the event has grown, organizers have established participation requirements, including that each vendor hold a Cottage Food Permit.

"I'm so grateful to Nicole Allard for coming up with the tour idea in 2024," said Justine Dutra of Reis Ranch Produce. "She had a fantastic idea, and we've kept it going last season and this season. It's a great way to showcase all the stands and what we specifically offer."

Reis Ranch Produce was one of the original participants in 2024 and has continued to grow.

"I'm proud to say that we've been open every single day since June 2, 2025, even on holidays," Dutra said. "My customers and their appreciation for everything we offer keep me inspired and going."

Ethel Byers, owner of Hastings Avenue Veggie Stand, has operated her stand for nine years. She said it began as a way to share produce from her abundant garden but has since expanded to include handcrafted tallow-based products.

"I have pure tallow, body butter and hand cream in different scents," Byers said. "My soaps are all cold-process soaps made with natural ingredients and essential oils."

Fresh vegetables, herbs and seasonal produce are available at participating farm stands throughout the tour, including carrots, tomatoes, squash and zucchini from The Sheldon Stand. Photo courtesy of The Sheldon Stand

As the farm stands have grown in popularity, so have the products they offer.

"With there being no farmers market in our area, I believe people turn to the farm stands for locally grown items," said Ashly Siller.

Siller operates The Sheldon Stand, where she has expanded beyond freeze-dried fruits and candies, fresh vegetables, watermelons and eggs to include spices, seasoning blends and raw honey.

New participants joining the tour since its inception include Canda Family Farms, B. St. Blooms and the Social Hall Road Farm Stand.

Andrea Mangan, owner of the Social Hall Road Farm Stand, said she enjoys operating directly from her property.

"I started with farmers markets, but then my health declined, so I opened a stand in front of our home that my wonderful husband and children built for me," Mangan said.

Her stand now offers preserves and jams, sourdough bread and pastries, juice concentrates, tallow products and plants.

Eight farm stands throughout the Biggs, Gridley and Manzanita areas will participate in this year's July tour: Reis Ranch Produce, Windmill Flower Farm, Canda Family Farms, Aldrich Farm Cart, The Sheldon Stand, Hastings Avenue Veggie Stand, B. St. Blooms and the Social Hall Road Farm Stand.

Maps and checklists are available on the Farm Stand Tour Facebook page and at each participating stand. Instructions for submitting completed checklists to be entered into the gift basket drawing are included on the flyers.