About:

Love Apple Farms is no longer open to the general public. You can sign up for one of our many gardening or cheese-making workshops.  We are located in the Santa Cruz mountains (coastal central California). For gardening classes, visit us at Ivy's Porch, located at 5311 Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley.

Cynthia Sandberg, owner and farmer, uses biodynamic and organic techniques to grow many different cultivars of fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers. Beginning her work life as a trial attorney, Cynthia transitioned to farming after falling in love with gardening in her backyard on a bit more than one acre in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Founding Love Apple in 2000, Cynthia started as a tomato plant grower and had a small tomato fruit stand on her Ben Lomond property.

In 2010, she purchased 22 acres on the former site of the Smothers Brothers Winery on Vine Hill Road in Santa Cruz and re-established her farm on the terraced hillside. Love Apple Farms partnered with Manresa, a three Michelin starred restaurant, for 10 years, providing them with all of their fruits, vegetables and edible flowers. This relationship was one of the fore-runners in the ubiquitous farm to table movement, and influenced many other such farm/restaurant relationships.