Tour guests will be taken to five locations in the heart of Brentwood's farmland. Buses will begin picking up tour guests at Nunn Better Farms and the East Contra Costa Historical Museum at 1 p.m. The tour will make rounds to Smith Family Farm, Dwelley Farms and Shelly's Garden. As buses will be in rotation until 5 p.m., guests are welcome to spend as much time as they like at each location.
The East Contra Costa Historical Museum, 3890 Sellers Ave., will host guided tours throughout the afternoon. The house, which was built in 1878, features many artifacts unique to the time period such as farm equipment, tools, clothes, office supplies and cookware.
Pat Bello, museum docent, said the building has specialized rooms that offer a glimpse of what life was like during that time while highlighting the cultural diversity of this region.
Tour guests can also visit Shelly's Garden, where free iced tea and pastries will be offered to patrons. A shaded area with tables will be provided for guests to enjoy their tea (chamomile, mint or lemon verbena grown onsite).
Shelly McMahon said the Garden offers a variety of 40 culinary herbs including basil, dill, Swiss chard, oregano, shiso (an herb used in sushi) and epazote (an herb used in Mexican cuisine). Shelly's Garden also offers farm-fresh eggs.
At Dwelley Farms, guests will find an array of produce including squash, white peaches, white nectarines, strawberries, watermelon, pluots, cucumbers, eggplant and a variety of potatoes.
Smith Family Farm is home to more than 50 types of tomatoes and 15 different hot and sweet peppers. The farm also sells herbs, apples, peaches, onions and watermelons, among many other types of produce.
Over at Nunn Better Farms, 830 Sunset Rd., guests will find white and yellow corn, and they might be invited to look at the packing shed, according to event organizer Barbara Guise.
At each stop, tour guests can get their ticket stamped. If guests visit all five locations, they can turn in their tickets to be entered into a raffle for $50 in cash.
In the past, Delta Community Services has raised funds by sponsoring the St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner, or working a token booth at the CornFest.
Guise, who is also Board Vice President of Delta Community Services, said she hopes this event is a big enough success that the organization can make this an annual fund-raiser.
"It will be fun for out-of-town people to visit the farms," said Guise.
Tickets are available at Delta Community Services, Brentwood Community Center, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Health Hut, The Weathervane Western Wear, and SpeeDee Oil Change & Tune-Up. Tickets must be purchased by July 19. Tour guests can purchase two tickets for $20. The single-ticket price is $11.
Delta Community Services has served Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, Byron and Bethel Island for more than 25 years by donating goods and food to the needy, working with local churches to help the disadvantaged, and serving as an information and reference desk for community resources.
For more information about the farm tour, call 634-8275.
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