UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Seely Farm Stand is set to open for the summer season on Friday, June 15, to offer fresh local fruit and produce as they have done since 1976.

With its convenient location on Highway 20 in Upper Lake and its eye-catching seasonal produce displays, the family-run operation has become something akin to a landmark to local residents and a welcome stop for Lake County visitors and those making the journey from the Sacramento Valley to the Pacific Coast.

It was 36 years ago when Ed Seely first opened the popular roadside farm stand as a way to sell surplus Bartlett pears from his orchards during the month of August, subsequently growing it to include pears, peaches, apples, melons and all sorts of summer vegetables.

With an eye toward supplying premium fruit and produce and maximizing quality and freshness, picking is done in the cool of the morning to capture the best flavors of each of the crops. They custom pick only the largest and sweetest pears, peaches, apples and summer produce from their orchards and fields, and confidently stand behind all they grow and sell.  

Over the past several years, Seely’s daughter, Colleen Rentsch, has worked to expand the farm stand’s offerings at the request of their customers.

Today, in addition to Seely Farm products, the farm stand also is an outlet for other local producers, showcasing many of Lake County’s finest farm products.

Customers can select from an array of locally grown and made items including produce, honey, jams and jellies, salsa, artisan breads, and goat cheese.  

The Seely family is a founding participant of Farm to School, a program that provides fruit and produce to many of the local school districts.

The program is designed to improve freshness and nutrition of school meals to help lower childhood obesity rates while also helping young people understand where their food comes from through direct connections to local farmers.

Rentsch and Michelle Malm, Kelseyville Unified Food Services Director, together have been recognized for their innovation in the Farm to School program.

In May they were awarded a Star of Lake County for their contributions, and last November, were featured nationally in a segment on The Early Show on CBS News. To view the segment visit www.seelyfarmstand.com .

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through mid-November, Seely Farm Stand is located at 80 East Highway 20 in Upper Lake, just one-quarter mile east of the intersection with Highway 29.

For more information, visit www.seelyfarmstand.com .