Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/990920
N itaGizdichhasseenthe agriculture industry of the Pajaro Valley change time and again. From tomatoes to berries to apples, she's helped to harvest all sorts of crops. But these days, she's known as the matron of Gizdich Ranch just east of Watsonville. While the acres of land hold berries and apples, the ranch is infamous in the region for its pies. So much so that the name Gizdich is a household one throughout Watsonville and Santa Cruz County. "People say you want to go and buy a pie? And then others ask, 'Where are you going?' and you say, 'Gizdich.' And they say, 'Oh yeah, I remember that place. I went there as a kid,'" said Gizdich. e Gizdich family bought the farm in 1934. ey grew tomatoes and shipped them out before the automated tomato harvester was developed. It was home to acres and acres of berries. Nita married into the family when her husband, Vince, proposed to her when she was a junior in high school. She finished high school on a Friday and married Vince on a Sunday. She worked odd jobs before the couple moved to the ranch and she was tasked with helping the family. Be fo re it be ca me fa mo us fo r t he pi e shop, the farm went through different iterations. During the berry era, they also started a business that allowed people to come and pick their own berries. at was during 1960s, the era of the ho us e w if e a nd th e e ra of ma ki ng jams at home. Women and their children would descend upon the ranch to pick fruit for the home. e pie shop came out of a passing comment. "One [customer] that was picking out there said, 'I thought I heard someone say you might have a pie shop,'" Gizdich said. "I said, 'Not me. I can drive a tractor and fork li . But I don't like cooking.'" But the idea grew and soon a pie shop was established. Gizdich credits her friend who taught her to pound the dough for the crust and bake pies. Back then, it was only Gizdich and another employee who ran the pie shop. When the shops started, it was only open for the season. For years, that shop opened for apple season then closed. e weeks before anksgiving and then it closed. e weeks before Christmas and then it closed. It only occurred to the Gizdich family later to keep the pies shop open year-round. Decades later the kitchen expanded three times and boasts 16 employees who put out dozens of pies each day. Since then, it's served as a pitstop for bicyclists coming through on long rides, elementary school tours and a popular tourist destination in the summer months. " e school tours started over 30 years ago with me. Now they're coming here as parents and with children and they say, 'Well I came here as a little girl and these are my children,'" she said with a hearty laugh. "It makes me feel old." Gizdich has since given up leading the tours for the children but still leads the occasional tour for groups from tour buses or retirement homes. e ranch is home to 17 varieties of apples and seven kinds of berries. In May, they open the larger barn for the berry season. August marks the time for the apple harvest. In the decades since she moved onto the ranch, Gizdich and her family have created countless memories there. During the good times and bad, it never occurred to them to sell the land. "It worked out perfect that way. But never did my husband say we're selling the ranch. He enjoyed working on the ranch. My sons enjoyed it. We didn't ever want to get rid of the ranch, so we stayed on," she said. WAtSONVIlle SeSquICeNteNNIAl ASliceofHeavenAllYearLong GizdichRanch It'sStrawberry Pik-Yor-Self Time! FreshFruitPies•LemonMeringue Gift Baskets • Gift Certificates Gizdich Ranch 722-1056 • 55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville Pies Also Available At: Shoppers Corner • Ben Lomond Market Deluxe Foods • Corralitos Market • Freedom Meat Lockers • Sunnyside Produce www.gizdich-ranch.com Opening Day May 5th Place Y r Trust in e Oak. SHANNE Carvalho REALTOR ® (831)588-2374 Shanne@SerenoGroup.com www.ShanneCarvalho.com DRE# 01339231 InPortuguese,Carvalhomeans"Oak".Themightyoaktree is an apt metaphor for Shanne Carvalho, a REALTOR ® who has spent his career developing a reputation for hard work, dedication, integrity, and fair play with his colleagues and clients. Whether you are a buyer or seller, Shanne brings a wellspring of experience not only as a REALTOR ® , but previously as a general contractor and mortgage broker. He has been honored many times and received numerous awards for extraordinary service, and for his business performance in this County and surrounding counties. He takes pride in them as an indicia of promises made and kept. by Calvin Men Shmuel aler - Santa Cruz Sentinel Shmuel aler - Santa Cruz Sentinel | COMMUNITY | SANTACRUZSENTINEL.COM FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 2 C