Agriculture juggler keeping all the apples in the air while taking a bite out of each one. The Stackhouse brothers, Rodney and Don, juggle a lot of fruit and nuts figuratively, growing all of it themselves for over 50 years. There’s no trick here. Quality produce is why readers voted Stackhouse Orchards the best vendor. They grow fruit worth taking more than one bite of. BEST SPECIALTY CROP Artichokes Step right up to the “Artichoke Capital of the World,” where fields of green stretch as far as the eye can see. Castroville loves its artichokes, and for good reason. Fried, pickled, grilled, steamed, there are many ways to enjoy an artichoke—and judging by the numbers, many people are doing just that. According to the 2025 Monterey County Crop Report, artichokes are valued at nearly $34 million, grown across 3,070 acres. That’s a lot of heart, of the vegetable and emotional kinds. BEST LOCAL CROP Strawberries Juggling even three pieces of fruit is no easy feat. Monterey County’s strawberry farmers are juggling a lot more than that—they are planting, nurturing, harvesting and shipping millions of pieces of fruit every year, while also keeping their eye on factors like weather, pests, the perfect moment to pick a strawberry (not too soft just yet, but not too underripe) and more. It’s the juggling act that wows in the agricultural circus, to the tune of $1 billion in gross sales in 2025, making it the county’s highest-value crop yet again. Besides flavor, strawberries are packed with vitamin C, potassium, fiber and antioxidants—but nutritional science can’t explain why biting into one is guaranteed to make you happier. Best Farmers Market Vendor | Stackhouse Orchards 44 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 montereycountynow.com/bestof
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