Philo Apple Farm

Philo Apple Farm is a must visit when you are in the Anderson Valley. They have a self-​serve fruit stand with all kind of goodies from the farm. From Hard Cider and juice, numerous fruits, and duck eggs. When you are there make sure you tour the farm and wander around the huge place. They have pigs, sheep, goats and dogs!

We came to this Family Farm from Venice for a family wedding. This place was so beautiful, so nice! The family, and their staff were all so great, we wanted to move in immediately. The wedding was amazing, the reception after was even more outrageous. The food was out of control bananas, the hand-​made drinks were on point, and the atmosphere was breathtaking. The grounds were stunning, the animals were sweet, and the individual huts were just gorgeous. The main home was so inviting, we didn’t want to leave the kitchen, the store outside is excellent, and the over-​all experience was a perfect 10. We will be back for sure. Thank you very much to everyone involved that weekend for making our stay a «Once in a Lifetime» moment.
Anthony Napoli
«Belli Fratelli Roasters»

My wife and I recently hosted 105 of our closest friends and family at The Philo Apple Farm to celebrate our wedding. There is not an adequate supply of superlatives to describe how terrific the weekend was.
During the planning phase we visited the property a couple of times and had some informal meetings with Karen and her amazing staff. They made us feel so comfortable and secure in the fact that every little detail would be cared for. We are «food people» and after hearing Karen’s story and her vision we immediately knew we had chosen wisely. And in turn we were thrilled that they had chosen us to be one of the few weddings they do each season.
Upon our arrival on the wedding weekend the farm was buzzing with activity as the staff diligently prepared the farm for our special day. Ariel and I, along with our wedding party stayed in the 4 beautifully appointed cabins on the property while our remaining guests stayed at the sister property, The Boonville Hotel and throughout the valley at many beautiful rental homes. We awoke on Saturday morning to an amazing spread of baked goods, chutneys and jams along with house-​made granola and fruit all prepared by the peerless Cruz. Their casual elegance and grace along with a «you’re family» kind of vibe really made us feel at home. Rita was hard at work making the gorgeous flower arrangements, along with the bridal bouquets and some striking boutineers, spiked with hops, all coming from the property.
The ceremony was held among stately trees brimming with the season’s bounty of apples. The guests were greeted on the hot day with sparkling apple drinks and took respite in the shade of the beautiful orchard.
When the ceremony was complete we chose to take Karen’s recommendation and indulge in the Farm’s famous «Roving Feast». There was no formal seating, just a progressive meal and lots of mixing and mingling of the guests. Everybody raved, not just about the format, but about the bounty of food and amazing flavors that seemed to not stop for several hours. Even the kids were catered to with amazing bites and plenty of animals to interact with on the property (the goats were a huge hit).
The incredible evening morphed into a lively dance party, with Tim and Jersey making easy work of the cocktails and wine, and I would be ashamed if I failed to mention the unimaginable array of apple-​spice cakes that the utterly talented Courtney put together. Simply amazing!
All in all, the day was a smashing success. Many of our guests said it was the best wedding they had ever been to. But, it didn’t end there. On Sunday, at the farewell brunch, Karen wowed the crowd yet again with farm-​fresh frittatas, her famous biscuits, and a handful of other delectables that helped ease any residual soreness from the previous night. We lingered as long as we could soaking in all the beauty and were sent off by all the family and staff sporting huge smiles. I simply can’t say enough good things about this place and we will be returning often to relive our wedding day and to catch up with «old friends». Do yourself a favor, if you get to Anderson Valley, carve out some time to visit this charming place!

I took my family ranging in age from 5 to 75 here for an overnight and a cooking class and we had the most magical experience ever. The farm is so beautifully put together, Karen is such a warm host and patient teacher, and we all made a lovely dinner together and learned many cooking protips in the process. At night we played hide and seek in the orchard with the kids and the cottages were so comfortable and well appointed with hospitable little details. It’s such a lovely spot that I am already trying to find another excuse to go back. Such a special place!

Great place for young kids and adults! We took our 2.5 year old and newborn to the apple farm last weekend and had an A+ experience. The horses, goats, chickens and dogs will entertain young kids (plus teach them about farming practices). The orchard is beautiful and the cottages are excellent. Breakfast in the morning was delicious. We will go back.

I love this place and take the chance to stop here for a wonderful bottle of fresh apple juice anytime I head to the coast via Anderson Valley/​Philo. The Apple Farm has beautiful grounds and an array of animals to interact with in addition to their fresh apple products, cooking classes, guest cottages, etc. Really a great place worth checking out!

This place is really cute and they have tasty goodies. Some items were a little too expensive for me to purchase but I enjoyed the lower priced items we left with. I think I ate a bag of apple chips all by myself.

the original owners of the French Laundry, grandparents of Perry hoffman, Michelin award chef at Etoile in Yountville, and of course, suppliers of produce to TFL. Crazy accomplished right? Ive eaten much of their produce via TFL and it’s a legend on how the relationship came about. I hope that relationship and supply goes as along as I keep eating

Staying in Anderson Valley for the weekend (Oct. 12 – 13, 2012), my girlfriend and I put the Apple Farm high on our list of places to stop because the place gets a lot of publicity from mags like Sunset. But it’s the high-​end lodging and cooking classes NOT the drop-​in visitor experience that are (possibly) deserving of the hype. The small farm stand, while picturesque (nice apple displays and info), was self-​service, which means you can’t learn more about their farming practices and products. My one encounter with a staffer was to shoo me and my camera out of an adjacent garden that’s reserved for guests. (There are lots of signs discouraging drop-​in visitors from going here or there on the property). We felt like we were sneaking around just to stroll through the orchards and admire the old apple trees and views. Parking is limited. The apples, juices and other products are good, but you can buy them elsewhere in the region.
For a more fun farm stand experience that’s family-​friendly, try Gowan’s Oak Tree just down the road. Same apples, etc., and a whole lot more traditional farm stand vibe.

Truly enjoyed our two night stay here in June. Very peaceful, quiet (except for the late arrivals who purchased for jugs of hard cider on the second night), and laid back. «Forced relaxation» is what I call it. A radio in the room (reception marginal), but no TV (Not missed at all). Plenty of books and fresh air. lots of places to lounge around.
Nice, unobtrusive staff. Farm stand (honor system) offers apple juice, hard cider, chutneys, jams, and other tasty organics. Breakfast includes delicious French press coffee, fresh cow’s milk, granola, jams, and bread — all local (most right from the farm!).
It is a working farm, so the property abounds with chickens, goats, cows, horses (and gophers from what I can tell).
You can sign up for cooking classes, too (we didn’t).
If you need something beyond the farm stand offerings, head into Boonville for shopping — that’s the «big» town in the area.

My wife and I had our wedding at the Philo Apple Farm in 2009. It was a wonderful experience. We stayed in a cabin and three couples stayed in the other cabins and our other guests stayed at nearby B&Bs. It was a totally memorable weekend. The setting was absolutely lovely. It was a perfect day. Well, it was a bit warm in my dark suit with a hat, but I probably would have been sweating anyway!
Karen and Tim were very clear about how they work and what arrangements are best for them. They only do 2 – 4 weddings year because they are a lot of work and we are basically being hosted at their home. Well, that was fine for us. We arranged to have our friends pick flowers from their garden and do our own arrangements. The food was outstanding and informal. In fact, Sally (of French Laundry fame and Karen’s mother) was there to prepare the meal along with one of her granddaughters and the magnificent Cruz, who makes the jams you buy at the Ferry Market year round.
We had a smallish wedding of 65 and there were about 10 children who had the most awesome time checking out the farm animals and basically having their run of the place.
One of my favorite parts was the impromptu breakfast that Karen hosted the next morning with fresh biscuits and cream with blackberries and coffee. We hung out for hours until it was lunch and we ate all the leftovers from the wedding– since of course the bride and groom are too busy talking to eat!
We have fond memories of the Apple Farm and have been back each year since for a night to visit, and I expect we’ll keep going back, too.

What a wonderful place!
My friends and I rented out one of their cabins in the middle of the apple farm for a weekend recently and it was so cute and quaint, I love it!
It’s such a great place to unwind, relax, and is close to a bunch of amazing wineries. There is a house in the apple farm where you can use their kitchen to cook or go to cooking classes, you can purchase their apple cider, syrup, and other apple goods. The cabins are clean, comfortable, private, and outside you can find horses, a cow, chickens, dogs, all roaming around, minding their business, but it adds such a nice feel to the farm and staying there for a weekend. I highly recommend it if you want to enjoy some apple goodies and come spend a weekend away with a significant other or some friends. I wasn’t on the call to reserve a cabin but my friend said that the owners are super friendly!
I can’t wait to come back again sometime soon!

Back in the day apples were more known for the fruit that they are, their crisp, tart, and sweet natural flavors for enjoyment as is, or making all sorts of things with them (including juice, cider, hard cider, and of course… good ol’ American apple pie… before it was fornicated in the movie American Pie just because some high school twit said that sex was like good ol’ warm apple pie…). Unfortunately the fruit is now more synonymous with electronic gizmos that have the letter i in front of it from a company out of Cupertino.
Philo Apple Farm sits right off the 128, where it is a lot easier to spot driving westward (where the Organic Apple Farm sign can be sign). If you are coming from the Mendocino side eastward, you might miss it… and if you see Gowan Apple Farm, (non organic with 30+ varieties) make a U-​turn. The family that owns PAF, aka Bates & Schmitt, also run the Farmhouse Mercantile in Boonville. The extended family also operate The Boonville Hotel and a few other businesses. The biggest claim to fame being that one of the family members used to be the original owners of The French Laundry in Yountville, before they sold it to Thomas Keller.
PAF is not just an Apple Farm… the grounds can be rented for special events, weddings, and there are cottages if you prefer to stay overnight. Certain cooking classes are held in the main building (fully equipped with a professional kitchen) for a fee (see website).
Nearest the entrance is the farm stand, where it is all done on the honor system. You pick the apples you want, weigh them yourself, calculate the cost, then write down what you buy, and the cost in their log book, then insert the money into their box. Need change back? Yeah you have to help yourself too. Juice and cider are in the refrigerator, and runs about $ 1.50 for a cup, or $ 6 for a bigger jar of it (the stuff is great). Hard cider with alcohol? Why yes… but no sampling of that one. Chutney, jams/​jelly, apple cider vinegar? Sure… but it is not cheap.
The varieties of apples are fewer compared to the non organic competition next door, but you can be assured they are of very good quality. This might be what’s around this time of year
Golden Russet — Olde US cider apple, fully russeted skin with a sugary dense flesh. Historically this apple was often mentioned and rated higher than the similar Roxbury Russet.
Roxbury Russet — might be the first apple developed in the New World. A fine cider apple with firm, coarse flseh. Equally suited for cooking and eating out of hand.
King David — hybrid of Jonathan and Arkansas Black. Also used in cider making with a yellowfish coarse, crisp, and tender flesh.
Wickson — introduced by an Albert Etter, named after E.J. Wickson, a famous California pomologist. Has the zing of a crab apple, but plenty of sweetness to balance it out.
McInTosh — no not the name of the personal computer by the Cupertino company, but this one does hail from the East Coast, the parent apple of Cortland Empire, Macoun, and Spartan. They spoil quickly, so consume as soon as you can.
Black Twig — firm, crisp, and fine flesh, with a nice tart. High in Tannin and also great for cider.
Lady — Pomme d’Api or the Christmas Apple, grown by Louis XIII in his orchards. Crisp white flesh with an intense almost citrus like flavor.
Spotted some quince (maybe not for sale), and a few pears, but it was mostly apples, at the farm stand.
The two black dogs on the premise look ferocious but are extremely friendly. They love visitors and aren’t even afraid of incoming traffic. One of them loves eating apples…

Haven’t stayed yet but have stopped in to their little help yourself/​honor system out door apple stand a few times, and have toured the grounds.
I’m pretty sure this is heaven, and I can’t wait to stay.

I came across the self-​serve stand this past weekend and was amazed at the reasonable prices. The stand was well stocked, clean and the staff and the dogs were very polite. The apple juice is first rate — I am a bit sad that I only got one gallon since it is definitely worth buying a case if you have space to store it at home — fantastic!

I LOVE THE APPLE FARM!!!
Though, I am slightly biased since I am getting married there in June. I just love Tim and Karen, the owners. They are friendly, knowledgeable, and so supportive of the sustainable farm movement. The grounds are gorgeous, and their apple products speak for themselves. Every jam, every cider, every vinegar, dried apple. .. . EVERYTHING I’ve tasted is deliciously natural and sweet. Worth the price.
For those of you who want to do a small wedding, it’s a good choice for a wedding site, but Tim and Karen only do 4 weddings a year, only during the summer months, so plan early!
And Karen has cooking in her genes (her family originally owned the French Laundry) so sign up for her cooking classes! And, needless to say, I know the food at my wedding will be to die for!

I have been coming to the apple farm at least once a year for a while to grab those delicious apples they have! The stand is a honor system and about 15 different varietals of apples all displayed. Above each pallet of apples is a taster apple and a knife to have a little nibble to see what you are getting!
The hard cider is hit or miss for some people but I love it! It would be fun to pick the apples but the old time feel of the stand makes up for it!
This place is a good stop on a wine trip through Anderson Valley!

Stopped by this ADORABLE little apple stand on the way back from hiking in the Hendy Woods State Park. It’s full of old-​world charm and the cutest fruit stand place EVER. We bought some cider and apple juice from the honor-​system un-​manned station, and savored the juice and packed the cider away for later. Based on how good the juice was, I’m looking forward to tasting their other items.
I’m so excited to have discovered this place, and am looking forward to going back!

Everyone’s covered the basics already — the fruit stand is self-​serve on the honor system. We stopped in on Saturday and though there were folks working near the fruit stand, no one said a word to us while we were there. The prices for the 100% apple products were a bit high for us (I understand the higher prices when in stores because of markups, but here it seemed unnecessary), so we only bought a couple of apples and left. We had a much nicer time at Gowan’s Oak Tree down the road.

My girlfriend and I stayed here for our first anniversary, last year. The farm has a few cottages spread across the property. We stayed in the «Red Door.»
The cottage is simple, a bed, a few chairs. The bathroom adjoining has a large claw-​footed tub in it, and off of that there is an outdoor shower.
The breakfast is toast and coffee, with locally-​made jam. It’s a great, rustic getaway. There are more vineyards around there than you can shake a stick at, which makes the Apple Farm a great place to stay if you’re wine-​tripping.
I will say two things though — 1. You are on an apple farm! Try calling to find out when the flies are at their lowest. We had about 10 of those little friends in our room by the time we left… which got to be a little annoying. We were there in November, and I think it was right after the last harvest, and there were a lot of rotting apples around. Winter or early spring might be better… not sure. 2. If you really want to be pampered, go someplace else. This is a rustic getaway.