Sand ‘n Straw Community Farm

629 Mar Vista Drive
Vista, CA 92081

(760) 575-4758

Dog-Friendly: No    Kid-Friendly: Yes

[email protected]

Website    Young Pioneers

Community Farm Stand Hours: Wed 1-4PM // Sat 9-noon

Make sure to check out our list of Hidden Gems in Vista for the ultimate day trip!

About Sand ‘n Straw Community Farm

Sand ‘n Straw Community Farm is a dream concept to me, especially now that I have a child. Their offerings on their 6 acre property are large. One of their biggest features is an outdoor classroom for children. Here the children learn an abundance of skills such as gardening, cooking and even how to build straw bale homes!

They also have a café with delicious drinks, adult classes, farm-to-table dinners, camps for children, CSA boxes for pick-up and a bunch of freshly grown food and products available for purchase. 

What They Grow

Apples • Apricots • Arugula • Avocados • Basil • Beets • Blackberries • Blueberries • Broccoli • Brussel Sprouts • Butternut Squash • Cabbage • Cantaloupe • Carrots • Cauliflower • Celery • Cherries • Cherry Tomatoes• Cilantro • Collards • Corbaci Peppers • Corn • Cucumbers • Dragon Beans • Dragon Fruit •Eggplant • Eight Ball Squash • Grapefruit • Green Beans • Green Onions • Jalapeño Peppers • Kale • Leeks • Lemons • Limes • Loquats• Mizuna • Okra • Onions •

Oranges • Oregano • Parsley • Parsnips • Patty Pan Squash • Peaches• Pears • Peas • Persimmons • Plums • Poblano • Peppers • Pomegranates • Prickly Pears • Pumpkins • Radishes • Raspberries • Red Mustard Greens • Rutabaga • Serrano Peppers • Shallots • Shishito Peppers • Spaghetti Squash • Spinach • Summer Squash • Swiss Chard • Tangelos • Tatsoi • Tomatillos • Tomatoes • Turnips • Watermelon • Zucchini

CSA Boxes

CSA Boxes (Community Supported Agriculture Box) are the best. You are getting fresh produce grown directly from the source.  Supporting our local farmers is so important, especially those using safe, regenerative & pesticide-free practices.

Although some CSA boxes are shipped directly to your door, for the time being Sand n’ Straw is offering pick-up only.  It’s fun though because you can also hang out at their little café and market and mingle with other like-minded people!

Each week has different goods as new produce becomes available at their farm! They have several size options to choose from which includes 10-12 items in a Full Share and 5-7 items in a Half Share.

Order a box today!

Homeschool Classes

Sand ‘n Straw has a Young Pioneers Farm School offering a curriculum that blends nature and culinary arts with science, art and animal husbandry.

The learning experience is so far removed from the boxed-in, institutionalized practices that are normalized within our society.  Here the kids are outdoors and deeply connected with our roots: nature.

The kids get to put on imaginative plays, do bird-watching and each day is over-flowing with adventure, discovery and imagination. 

There are different classrooms and each one each offers a different learning experience.  Teachers help their students to connect to the land through hands-on experiences such as cooking, gardening and learning a variety of sustainable practices.

At the Tipi and ABCs Adventures, students explore letters, numbers, and sensory experiences, building cognitive skills and socio-emotional development.

At Nook Station, diverse activities from cooking to wildlife exploration inspire curiosity and teamwork, fostering a love for learning in a dynamic environment.

Their farm animals also play an important role in their educational approach and are often integrated into the lessons. Students will learn how to shear sheep and care for the animals while gaining a deep empathy for all lives.

There is A LOT of information on their website so please look at the “Stations” menu.  You can start here if you are interested in learning more!

While you’re in the area, make sure to visit Alta Vista Botanical Gardens nearby!

Summer Camps

Beyond their homeschool program they also have summer camps and a summer semester with incredible week-long classes. Learn skills such as how to make natural dyes, identifying and working with medicinal plants, how to build a cobb home and more!  Check it out!

Farmstand & Café

Their farmstand is stocked with homegrown produce and holistic goodies for your home.  Alongside the farmstand is their adorable café and a play center for young children.

When I visited, parents were sipping on their drinks while their children interacted with each other and played with the model train setup, going down the slide and  navigating the rock-climbing structure.

There are also animals you can feed right next to the play station.

Events

Sand ‘n Straw hosts many events throughout the year.  Their most popular is their ‘Farm to Table Dinner’  which supports educational scholarships. Delight in the freshest flavors of the season as you savor dishes crafted from our farm-fresh produce, lovingly cultivated and harvested.

See their full list of events here!

History of the Property

In 2018 the Viles family purchased a property that needed a lot of love. They were the perfect family for this project and have put huge efforts towards regenerating the soil, bringing it back to a state of deep, fertile richness.

The name Sand n Straw comes from their roots, starting off their farming ventures in Encinitas and now making their way to the country life of Vista. They drew inspiration from co-founder Rich’s brother, when he was diagnosed with stage IV stomach cancer.

Realizing the importance of eating organic whole foods, they began the quest that forever changed their lives as well as their community. It took a lot of learning, problem-solving and mistakes to get to where they are at today. They toured farms all over California & Oregon and through trial and error have created an amazing farm.

The rest is history!