We have visited this farming community in the past but missed this cool stop (because it wasn't there the last time we were).

In 2015, S. Martinelli & Company opened this company store. We delighted in learning the 150 year old company's history.
Stephen (the S in the name) followed his brother to this valley, from Switzerland, and introduced fermented apple cider made from apples grown on his brother’s farm (1868). S. Martinelli & Company was founded. We had no idea that they only made HARD cider until the beginnings of Prohibition. Interesting.

In 1917, cities in California and Arizona began “going dry” as a precursor to Prohibition. While attending UC Berkeley, a professor assisted Stephen, Jr. in developing a pasteurization process to preserve unfermented apple juice in glass bottles, adapting a method used in the canning industry. First sales of the product begin that year. Hard Cider production eventually began again but was stopped in 1977, to focus on the very popular kid-friendly apple juice. [We found out that the company has restarted alcoholic cider crafting, just recently.]

Stephen, Jr. then enlisted in the military and while gone, his father suddenly passed away. When WWI ends, Stephen, Jr. takes over the Martinelli business and brings the first Coca-Cola bottling franchise to Santa Cruz County (1918). This was a long and fruitful relationship.
In 1955, this ad sold apple juice. Martinelli’s advertised the Golden Apple bottle, for the current generation, with this iconic photo, which was used as an image on post cards. Pin up girl?
We then moseyed up to the tasting bar and were so impressed. These were not our childhood apple juice flavors. The favorite was apple-mango, in case you were curious!
We then explored the original plant as an end to our history lesson. So very cool.

As we continued on our path home, we were mesmerized by miles and miles of greenhouses. We just had to stop and peek at what was growing below the tarps.

This town is not only rich in agriculture, its has interesting human history as well. Incorporated in 1868, Watsonville derived its name from Judge John Watson, who filed a claim in 1851 against Sebastian Rodriguez, proprietor of Rancho Bolsa de Pajaro. Watson lost and moved on after a few years, but his name lived on ever after. Growth in the Pajaro Valley flourished when the Southern Pacific Railroad linked the area to the Santa Clara Valley in 1871. Churches, schools, newspapers, libraries, and major business appeared as electricity and telegraph lines worked their way into the lives of its residents. History can truly be found almost everywhere one looks. I love that. It was the perfect end to our weekend away!