New farm-to-table marketplace opening at San Luis Ranch

Around 10,000 square feet of retail space make up SLO Ranch Farms and Marketplace which recently opened in the San Luis Ranch development.

Several restaurants and a neighborhood market will be among the merchants and much of the food you'll find there will be sourced locally.

“The produce quality is going to be a lot higher when it's not in transit for five days and not coming from miles away,” said Kayla Rutland, City Farm SLO Executive Director.

City Farm SLO is a nonprofit, urban farm operating on 19 acres of land just off Calle Joaquin. It's located right next door to San Luis Ranch.

SLO Ranch Farms and Marketplace is currently purchasing vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce and zucchini from City Farm SLO.

“We have a twice-a-week ordering system with SLO Ranch so we receive their orders and deliver a day off and we're doing that twice a week,” Rutland said.

“When they bring over the produce, we eliminate the middleman of the shipping and packaging because it's coming straight from our farm to their table,” said Jacob Grossman, Operations Manager at SLO Ranch Farms.

While the marketplace will continue to partner with City Farm SLO, SLO Ranch Farms also plans to grow its own seasonal produce in the 40 acres of farmland that surrounds San Luis Ranch.

Grossman says the idea is, “Interactive farming, which we hope will be educational and fun.”

There will be space for u-pick berries and u-pick flowers, a community garden, and space for the restaurants in the marketplace to grow their own fruits and vegetables.

“For example, Palo Mesa Pizza, who will move in soon, hopes to grow most of the ingredients to make a pizza, and Sushi Table has committed to growing carrots and cucumber for their rolls,” Grossman said.

With pumpkins, flowers, and corn already planted, Grossman says having produce right in their backyard is beneficial.

“The guaranteed freshness and knowing where it came from, being able to track its roots. I also reduce carbon emissions with the elimination of shipping and packaging,” Grossman added.

He says the overall goal, whether growing or purchasing, is to keep all produce local.

“We hope to create a family experience and a fun time for people to come out and enjoy the agricultural heritage of the ranch and see a working farm in progress,” Grossman concluded.

SLO Ranch Farms plans to open a pumpkin patch that will be open to the community this fall.

SLO Ranch Farms and Marketplace is located at 865 Froom Ranch Way in San Luis Obispo.