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A Fun & Free Family Garden Nursery in San Diego

San Diego is a wonderful Southern-California destination, and especially for families! And I recently discovered a venerable family-run garden/nursery that's not only a great family destination but also free to visit. Fewer than 10 miles from San Diego International Airport, City Farmers Nursery has been on its rustic property for over 45 years, started from the ground up by the Tall family.

Founder Nate Tall would be impressed how the property today is sprawling with varieties of fruit trees, ground covers and bonsai trees. Nate’s son Bill Tall added to it with live animals on display and his passion is for customers to visit the animals as they shop for plants. When I’ve visited the nursery, there was an air of excitement watching families stroll among the baby goats, ducklings and roosters in natural surroundings. Kids were happy seeing the goats and their babies, a wild turkey and chickens clucking about in their cages. Bill told me he likes to think of the nursery as a place to relax in the middle of the city and keeping it natural without chemicals.

I meandered through the lush walking paths, then ducked into the nearby general store, stocked with hard to find items and throwbacks to yesteryear. Need a metal fly swatter? You just might find it here as you have a chat with the staff who know all about trees and seeds. Beekeeping supplies, it’s here, organic seeds, ditto, along with a calico cat lazing around and enjoying the customers and vice versa. Classes are regularly held on such topics as beekeeping, raising chickens and gardening techniques.

When your hunger and thirst rear their heads, Nate’s Garden Grill is cooking farm fresh foods and serving local brews. Homemade biscuits and house cured bacon are a few of the locally sourced and hearty meals. I must say, the bacon is scrumptious and ice tea with mint hit the spot on a recent warm day. Live jazz and bluegrass music add to the country style feel and the performers schedules are posted on Nate’s Garden Grill Facebook page.

City Farmers Nursery is the place in San Diego where the fun is free for all ages and much more relaxing than standing in long admission lines at an amusement park. Breathe the fresh air and take in the beauty of it all.