Stone Brewing Co. Announces Stone Farms Is Now Open To The Public
Escondido, CA – Since reviving the property now known as Stone Farms in March 2011, Stone Brewing Co. has been busy cultivating and generating produce at the small organic farm in Escondido, CA for its two farm-to-table restaurants: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido and Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station. After more than two years of hard work and dedication, Stone Farms is finally ready for the public to stop by and check out what’s been growin’. Stone Farms is now open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day. To celebrate its public debut, Stone will host an open house event at the farm on Saturday, June 22.
After a number of years in business, the former farming tenant of the property, a well-respected operation known as La Milpa Organica, was unable to stay in the black and sadly ceased operations in 2010. Stone co-founders Greg Koch and Steve Wagner didn’t want the valuable community resource to fade away, so they decided that Stone should step in and restore farming activities on the land. In a further masterful stroke of creative genius, they imaginatively renamed it Stone Farms.
Today, five acres of the 19-acre property is utilized as tillable land, which contributes all of its produce to the two Stone restaurants. Year-round crops grown at the farm include: salad mixes, a variety of braising greens, roquette arugula, chard, mustard greens, mizuna, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, amaranth, carrots, beets, onions and radishes. Seasonal crops include: spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and peppers. Stone Farms also raises chickens, ducks and quail that produce eggs for garnishes, specialty dishes and appetizer items. An on-site store offers pints and growler fills of fresh Stone beer from four taps, Stone Farms merchandise, and freshly picked organic produce.
“The farm is a wonderful complement to everything Stone creates and values, since both farming and brewing are crafts that require love and dedication,” says Stone Farms Manager David Solomon. “The staff and I are extremely excited to finally share our hard work and the farm’s growth during the last two years. This project will help people understand why small, organic farms are important to have in our community.”
For guests interested in a more in-depth experience, join an entertaining guided tour of the property with one of Stone’s talented Indoctrination Specialists. Tours are offered on Saturdays and Sundays at 1pm and 2pm. The special tour includes round-trip transportation to the farm from Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, a pint of beer brewed exclusively for Stone Farms using specialty ingredients grown on site, a souvenir logo pint glass and a bag of organic salad mix or herbs to take home.
The tour, which includes a beer tasting and time for guests to explore the grounds, lasts about one hour and 45 minutes. It is suggested that guests wear comfortable shoes suitable for uneven surfaces and bring a hat, sunscreen and loose, lightweight clothing. Tour passes are $20 per person; non-drinking tickets are $10. Guests wishing to drink must be 21 or older and present a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased at the brewery tours tasting bar at Stone Company Store – Escondido or online.
Grand Opening Event:
Saturday, June 22 from 11am to 3pm
Stone Farms
9928 Protea Gardens Road
Escondido, CA 92026
Guests dropping by the grand opening event are encouraged to stroll the beautiful grounds while sipping a pint of Stone beer and listening to live music provided by Sol Remedy, a band made up of mostly Stone Farms employees. Carlsbad-based pizza truck Red Oven will make their authentic Napoletana pizza with produce from Stone Farms and utilize the on-site pizza oven to cook. Pizzas will be offered for a small donation and all proceeds will benefit The Escondido Creek Conservancy, which is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and protection of the natural open space within the Escondido Creek watershed. The on-site store will be open for purchasing pints of beer, growler fills, Stone Farms merchandise and freshly picked organic produce.
For any additional information on Stone Farms, please visit stonebrewing.com/farm. For more information about Stone Brewing Co. please visit stonebrewing.com.
About Stone Brewing Co.
Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone Brewing Co. has been brewing in North County San Diego since 1996. Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, Stone is the 10th largest craft brewer in the United States—a position it achieved without paid advertising, discounting or compromised standards. In addition to brewing, Stone owns two eclectic farm-to-table restaurants—Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido and Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station—and Stone Farms, an organic farm located near the brewery which grows produce for the restaurants. Stone also operates an off-site events company, Stone Catering, as well as Stone Distributing Co., which distributes more than 30 craft beer brands throughout Southern California. For more information, please visit stonebrewing.com or on social media sites: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, and The Stone Blog.
