T

here was a
time when
Sebastopol
was dotted
with so
many apple
trees, it was
known as the
“Gravenstein
Capital of the World.” Many of
those orchards have given way to
vineyards in the decades since the
region’s Gravenstein heyday, but
even now, you can easily spend a
day meandering down the lanes
and byways of Sebastopol’s farms
and orchards, picking apples and
sipping just-pressed cider — per- Take a picturesque walk through the 40 acres of Walker Apples’ orchard in Sebastopol. DAI SUGANO/STAFF
haps even pressed by you.
That would be just fine with
Sebastopol’s farmers, cider makers Left: Jadin
and community leaders. Stewart, right,
Tall, lanky and farm-raised, and her father,
Dave Hale walks his 10 acres of Michael Stewart
apple orchards off the Graven- drink wine
stein Highway several times a day, at Horse and
intimately familiar with every Plow’s outside
one of its 1,000-plus trees. He tasting area in
knows the look, feel and unique Sebastopol.
flavor profiles of the more than
40 varieties of heirloom apples Right: Flights
he grows, from the Gravenstein of apple cider
and Honeycrisp to the Pink Pearl, are prepared
Akane and little known, but at Golden State
traditionally English Ashmead’s Cider’s taproom
Kernel — all available in season at in Sebastopol.
several farmers markets and the
DAI SUGANO/STAFF
farm stand at Hale’s Farm.

6 HARVEST BAY AREA NEWS GROUP