From berries to avocados and even alpaca fleece, Ventura County Farm Day is a chance for children and their families to "meet the hands that feed us".
"364 days of the year we are going about business as usual, but Ventura County Farm Day is the one day we get to open our doors," said Chris Sayer, who runs Petty Ranch Farm in Somis — one of more than 15 Ventura County farms opening up to the public for a day of free agricultural activities.
Farm Day organizer Mary Maranville says the free event is an opportunity for young people to get an up close experience with agricultural activities.
"Everybody knows Driscoll's Berries but they've never had a chance to see where the berries are grown or how the berries are grown, which is pretty important," said Maranville.
Maranville, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), which puts on Ventura County Farm Day each year, said, "Agriculture is Ventura County’s largest industry. Farm Day is the opportunity to see how fruits and vegetables are grown, harvested and then shipped to stores for sale."
"You’ll come away with an appreciation of the hard work that goes into growing each piece of produce,” Maranville added.
Visitors can map out their day by selecting locations from the Farm Day Trail Map at https://venturacountyfarmday.com/map. Each site offers tours and produce and other giveaways. Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Some locations require reservations.
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), Oxnard Historic Farm Park (antique farm equipment, vegetable crops, talks about the agricultural heritage of the Oxnard Plains), Prancer’s Farm (strawberries, tomatoes, avocados), Agromin (organic compost, mulch), The Abundant Table (nonprofit farm), Sow A Heart Farm (regenerative agriculture), McGrath Family Farm (organic farming), SEEAG’s Farm Lab (hands-on farm-related kids activities) and Petty Ranch (also the Farm Day hub).
The Ventura County Farm Day Trail Map list of participating locations is updated daily.
Ventura County Farm day takes place on Saturday, November 5.
