Vital Zuman Organic Farm

I love this little farm/​shack despite it’s shortcomings. Way over priced, I’m guessing because the people running it are so poorly organized. No joke, I have no problem with your hippie dippy lifestyle, but that isn’t an excuse for you not to utilize your land grow stuff in larger quantities.
But I digress, if you want to spring for local home grown $ 15 bottles of jam, this is your place. It’s crazy priced, but it’s delicious. The honey is great too. And make sure to get the fresh figs when in season.

Wanted to love this farm — I really did. I have no problem spending extra time and money to support locals, but this was not worth it. I have friends who have shopped here for years, and I had to tell them I will never return.
It was bad enough that my tiny bag of fruit and 1 jar of honey came to $ 48. (For the life of me, I still don’t know how they got to that figure.) But, I wanted to support them and decided once was fine. Their mode of credit card payment consists of writing down your number to process later (unnerving enough). The next morning, I began getting calls saying it wouldn’t go through. I returned the call (always voicemail, so total phone tag), confirming the number. The next day I got another call saying it was no good — this time from the owner, who answered when I responded. He said I needed to go to my bank — that my card was bad — and I needed to give him another one. I told him I was in front of my bank, but my card was working everywhere but at Vital Zuman. He treated me like a criminal, and I gave him my business Visa (which meant I had to write a check to reimburse my company). His system was the problem, not my card. It worked fine everywhere before — and after — Vital Zuman.
Bottom line? If you have a lot of time and money to waste, go to Vital Zuman.

Price gouging thieves… Beware. Stopped there a week ago with my mother, and purchased a couple of quart jars of lemonade and two red pears. Came to $ 24. I was a little taken back, but didn’t say anything. I paid the $ 24 and split. The lemonade is excellent, that I can’t deny. $ 11 a quart good? Hardly. Intrigued, I googled Malibu Monkey Lemonade to learn what the deal was. It turns out that Vital Zuman Farm doesn’t make the lemonade, they’re just resellers. It further turns out that the same jars they charge $ 11 apiece for are available from Malibu Monkey directly for a mere $ 5 each.
see for yourself. That’s right, folks… a 120% markup. Fool me once.

Hidden gem in Malibu!!!
If you are a fan of farmer’s markets, you should know that you can buy produce straight off the farm!
Head out towards Zuma and check out Vital Zuman Organic Farm, but call ahead first, they are usually there but not always– don’t say I didn’t warn you. (I like to live dangerously and just take my chances… it’s a pretty drive up the coast anyway!)
Go up the driveway and park in a makeshift dirt lot. Enter the tented table area and see the produce that is grown right there on that farm. I like to clean them out of their persimmons and sapotes when they have them, but I also like to get tomatoes, zucchini, lemons, limes (they have the best prices on limes here), passion fruit, and avocado… and I am looking forward to when cherimoyas come into season! (Apparently I love «pudding» fruits.)
I love how they sell fruit that is ripe RIGHTNOW. Sometimes I go to other markets for fruit, and I have to wait days for it to be ripe! This place is great at having fruit that is ready to be eaten.
I once came here and was looking at the tomatoes, and they said, «oh, we just picked the tomatoes 5 minutes ago!» How much more fresh can you get than that?
They also have salad bags which are expensive but full of all kinds of great stuff. These can be filled with romaine, arugula, parsley, dill, purslane, figs, tomatoes, edible flowers… everything you need for a really great salad.
I’ve really started to like markets where they don’t have all kinds of produce all the time. It is always a surprise what is available, because it’s just whatever is in season, and it shows that they don’t compromise quality just to have variety. You know that whatever they have, will be whatever is seasonal and the best-​tasting. No guess work!
The guys who work here are always so nice and helpful. Sometimes, they’ll let you try the fruit, or throw in something extra with your purchase.
If you ever wanted to feel like you lived in farm country, but didn’t want to leave Malibu, then definitely come here.
Or just come here if you love delicious, fresh, local produce!

This farm is located right off of PCH, on the right hand side just before the Heathercliff light when driving North. Its a dirt parking lot and a small outdoor setup similar to a farmers market. They have tables filled with their organic fruits and veggies, at prices similar to a farmers market. And they have shelves filled with homemade fruit jams and honey along with other products such as spices and salts. They have a sample table where you can try many of their jams and honey, along with their homemade balsamic lemonade and basil limeade.
Their honey comes harvested in different stages, I opted for the creamy textured one rather than the liquid one. It’s in a fairly large jar and cost $ 20, see picture. The taste is sweet with a floral undertone to it and the texture is similar to peanut butter with a slightly coarse texture that melts in your mouth. Every time I have been there has been one person working there and they have always been friendly and helpful in answering questions. I will definitely be back once my honey jar runs low.

This place is an absolute must in Malibu!
We saw the sign for balsamic lemonade on our way back from our hike to Escondido Falls, and thought it would be the perfect thirst quencher. Though $ 10 for lemonade in a mason jar, it was well worth it!
The balsamic (3 different ages) acting as a sweetener, I don’t think there was any sugar added. The lemonade was fresh and absolutely amazing. Next time, I’m definitely trying the basil limeade.
We tried some honey and jams as well. They didn’t appeal to me that much, but the fresh fruit and vegetables looked wonderful — especially the figs and heirloom tomatoes.
This place is definitely one that I will go to every time I’m in Malibu.

I LOVE this place. Just moved to Malibu and adopting a Raw Food diet has just become easier. Their zucchinis, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and FIGS are unbelievably delicious. Their swiss chard is out-​of-​this-​world. Try their pickles! SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOD!

Stopped here yesterday on our way back down PCH as on the way up we saw their sign for Balsamic Lemonade. 2 out of 2 Silver Lake residents agree– best lemonade ever… nectar of the gods even! The owner (presumably Alan) was lovely and even helped us back out of the driveway. Can’t wait to make this a regular stop on our way to La Piedra.

They are SUPER convenient off PCH, they lead in with hand painted signs for balsamic lemonade. It’s a real farm! 5 stars just for having the heart to be doing what they are doing. It’s not a big lot, about 6 acres, I think they said, but they are cranking out the goodies. If you are headed North to Zuma and beyond, pop in and pop out with lemonade and hand fruit for your journeys.
The most amazing thing is their «Salad Mix» which had such a complex mix of greens that I could not identify at least half of them. It was more of a lesson on what else could be considered for your salad and it was so much more interesting than the common spring mix that I now find about as interesting as iceberg these days.
Their avocados are super buttery.
RAW HONEY! This stuff is worth the drive.
I would be tempted to give them a half star off for it being kinda expensive if it wasn’t the most cared for, freshest produce you can buy located in spendy Malibu, no less. These guys ain’t exactly rolling in dough, I know the prices are marked to keep the place running. It’s worth it just to support what they are doing here.
What I will say is that though things are a little cheaper at the Sunday Farmer’s Market in the Malibu Civic Center, that only happens on Sundays from 10 – 3 and Vital Zuman is good for farm fresh produce every day but Tuesday.
They also teach classes and do tours and things. Very cute.

We love Vital Zuman Farm and Alan’s magic vegetables!

My husband and I saw the handwritten signs stating «Balsamic lemonade», and «Fresh Figs»…SOLD! We love off the beaten path types, and it is even better because it is a self sustainable farm. You don’t get the Vons grocer making small talk here. The guy sitting behind the desk upon arrival greets you, but lets you do your own roaming around. Questions? He was glad to tell us all the (yummy) details of how the foods and jams are created there. You can sample most of the items sold before buying, but that is not necessary in our case. :) We purchased the balsamic lemonade, as well as the fig jam, and plum jam. We had the lemonade on our lunch hike in the falls, and the jam on some toast that next morning and we couldn’t be happier we stopped by. It’s great to support your local businesses, and you cannot complain about indulging in things that are not going to preserve you like a twinkie later in life.

PARADISE! farm fresh organic produce, literally right off the farm!
All different types of fresh lettuce, herbs, squashes, raw honey, fresh jams and pickles, and fruits FIGS (when in season). This farm has been family owned for decades, and is such a great place to stop by to get the Freshest produce, volunteer or even just to listen to the cool music playing in the background!
Their farm store is very convenient, right off PCH near zuma beach!
If you’re anywhere near this area you should NOT buy any of your greens at the grocery store. You need to get them at Vital Zuman Farm! What a magical place, with divine produce!