Phil McGrath speaking to attendees at a previous Ventura County Farm Day. Courtesy photos.
VENTURA COUNTY — More than 20 farms, ranches and agricultural organizations will open their doors to the public during the 13th Annual Ventura County Farm Day on Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event, organized by Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEG), invites community members of all ages to explore and experience local farms, ranches and agricultural venues across Ventura County.
Farm Day features tours, tastings, giveaways, and family-friendly activities while visitors learn first-hand about the hands and lands that provide food to local communities and the world.
Agriculture is Ventura County’s largest industry, generating $2.31 billion in annual crop value across 145 square miles of irrigated land. Top crops are strawberries, avocados, nursery stock, celery, raspberries and lemons.
“We have farmland all around us,” Caitlin Paulus Case, SEEAG executive director. “Farm Day is a wonderful opportunity to see how the food we eat is grown and to connect and hear from the people who make it all happen.”
Ventura County Farm Day features new stops this year including Blue Ridge Honey, Greenwood Daylily Gardens, Rio Regenerative Farm, Shulman Dragon Fruit Orchard, United Water Conservation District and the Wildflower & Weed Show.
Coming back after a few years off is Otto & Sons Nursery in Fillmore, which grows roses, fruit trees, and perennials.
Other participates in Farm Day include theAgriculture Museum of Ventura County, Agromin (organic compost, mulch), Duda Farm Fresh Foods (celery and lettuce), Growing Works (a program of the Turning Point Foundation), McGrath Family Farm (organic farming), Ojai Olive Oil (olives), Oxnard Historic Farm Park, Petty Ranch (fruits and vegetables), Prancer’s Farm (strawberries, tomatoes, avocados), Ranchos Camulos National Historic Landmark Museum, Reiter Affiliated Companies (berries) and Ventura County Agriculture/Weights and Measures.
Petty Ranch will serve as the Farm Day Hub with booths, displays, kids’ activities and free fresh produce.
“The beauty of Farm Day is that all of us farmers get to share what we feel is important on our farms with community members who are interested and engaged in learning more about how their food is grown and the people growing it,” says Mike Roberts, a farmer with McGrath Family Farm. “Farm Day allows us to meet with our customers, face-to-face, walk the fields and share our unique stories.”
Ventura County Farm Day sponsors include AgWest Farm Credit, Bobalu Berry Farms, Brokaw Nursery, Earthtrine Farm, JaniTek, Montecito Bank & Trust, Scott Family Foundation, Ventura County Credit Union, The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, Driscoll’s, Mission Produce, County of Ventura Executive Office, AGQ Labs, Port of Hueneme, Al and Petra Lowe.
Farm Day locations are throughout Ventura County. The public can select where they want to visit by going to the Farm Day Trail Map(https://venturacountyfarmday.com/map) and then travel at their own pace from site to site. Descriptions of what to expect at each site are included on the map. “We suggest choosing three or four stops so you aren’t rushed,” says Case.
Visitors are encouraged to register in advance at My805Tix (https://my805tix.com/e/vcfarmday-25). Once registered, guests show their 805Tix QR code at each location to enter without signing in.
SEEAG’s mission is to educate students and the greater community about the farm origins of food and agriculture’s contribution to nutritional well-being through free hands-on classroom and farm learning, and Farm Day events in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Overnight Farm Day hotel rates are available through Ventura County Coast by going to www.venturacountycoast.com/ventura-county-farm-day.
For more information about Ventura County Farm Day, visit https://vcfarmday.org/ or call 805-892-8155. Questions? Email seeag.education@seeag.org. No pets allowed.
List of participating farms, ranches and agricultural organizations and their locations:
Camarillo
Growing Works
Reiter Affiliated Companies at Santa Rosa Ranch,
McGrath Family Farm/Farmivore Food Hub/Rodale Institutes
Fillmore
Otto & Sons Nursery
Rancho Camulos National Historic Landmark Museum
Moorpark
Shulman Dragon Fruit Orchard
Ojai
Earthrine Farm
Ojai Olive Oil
Oxnard
Agromin
Oxnard Historic Farm Park
Reiter Affiliated Companies
Rio Regenerative Farm
United Water Conservation District
Santa Paula
Agriculture Museum of Ventura County/Wilreflower & Weed Show
Prancer’s Farm
Ventura County Agriculture/Weights and Measures
Saticoy
Petty Ranch
SEEAG’s Farm Day Hub
Somis
Greenwood Daylily Gardens
Ventura
Blue Ridge Honey
Duda Farm Fresh Foods