Courtesy photo.
VENTURA COUNTY — Saturday, November 4 is the 11th Annual Ventura County Farm Day. On Farm Day, more than 10 Ventura County farms, ranches and agricultural organizations open their doors and invite the public to experience a day of free agricultural activities and tours.
“Big, small, conventional and organic farms plus ag support organizations come together on this special day to give us a close-up look at how the food we eat is grown,” says Mary Maranville, founder and CEO of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that puts on Farm Day. “Ventura County Farm Day is an excellent opportunity for people of all ages to connect with local agriculture, gain a deeper understanding of food production, enjoy a fun day exploring farms and learning about where our food comes from.”
Participating in Farm Day include Reiter Affiliated Companies (berries), Driscoll’s (strawberries), Duda Farm Fresh Foods (row crops), Alpacas At Windy Hills (Alpaca fleece), Good Farms (strawberries), Growing Works (fresh flowers), Prancer’s Farm (strawberries, tomatoes, avocados), Ranchos Camulos National Historic Landmark Museum (learn about local ag history), Agromin (organic compost, mulch), McGrath Family Farm (organic farming),Sa’Aliyas Ranch (learning farm for high schoolers) and Petty Ranch (also the Farm Day hub).
SEEAG’s Farm Day Hub will feature seedling and produce giveaways, orchard tours and booths from the Ventura County Farm Bureau and other ag organizations. The Ventura County Farm Day Trail Map lists participating locations and is updated daily.
“It’s important for the public to understand the effort and time that goes into producing high-quality vegetables,” says Jackson Duda, production manager at Duda Farm Fresh Foods.
“Seeing the scale of what it takes to get something from a seed to the dinner table really puts where your food comes from into perspective.”
Ventura County Farm Day sponsors include The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, Driscoll’s, Reiter Affiliated Company, Gill’s Onions, Sunkist, Port of Hueneme, and County of Ventura Agriculture/Weights and Measures.
SEEAG’s mission is to help children understand the farm origins of their food through classroom agricultural and nutrition education and free farm field trips. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 100,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey since SEEAG’s founding in 2008.
The public can avoid entry lines at each venue by registering in advance at My805Tix(https://www.my805tix.com/e/venturafarmday). Once registered, visitors show their 805Tix QR code at each location to enter without having to sign in. Plus, they are automatically included in a drawing to win prizes. Winners will be notified on Farm Day.
Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information about Ventura County Farm Day, visit www.VenturaCountyFarmDay.comor call 805-892-8155. No pets allowed.