Fourth Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day – Meet All The Hands That Feed You
The Californer/10205756

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Californer -- It's almost time for the fourth annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day with in-person, open farm tours on Saturday, September 17. This year's theme is "Meet All The Hands That Feed You." Visitors can use an online Farm Day Trail Map to build a custom itinerary to navigate between growers throughout the Santa Maria Valley.

"How do farmers provide fresh, wholesome, nutritious fruits and vegetables to consumers? It all starts with people, soil and water," says Brett Ferini, ranch manager at Rancho Laguna Farms. "Come to Farm Day to see how so many people bring together all the elements to provide us with the foods we love."

A Day of Fun, Free Activities. The public will experience a day of free agricultural activities for all ages, farm tours, giveaways and onsite farmer's markets, plus hear from the local farmers.

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"So often, when we buy fresh fruits and vegetables, we don't think how they're grown. Hundreds of people are involved in growing, harvesting and shipping citrus, berries and vegetables to market," says Mary Maranville, founder and president of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), the non-profit group that puts on Farm Day each year. "Santa Maria Valley farmers grow produce that is distributed all over the world. We're very fortunate we have the opportunity to hear their stories and see firsthand how the growing process works."

Participating growers include Allan Hancock College Agriculture and Viticulture & Enology Program, Babé Farms, Bejo Seeds, Bonipak Produce, Engel & Gray Harvest Blend Compost, JB Dewar, Las Cumbres Ranch, Mark Richardson Center and Agricultural Farm, Plantel Nurseries, Primus Labs, Rancho Laguna Farms, Reiter Affiliated Companies and Riverbench Vineyard & Winery. Check the Farm Day website (https://santabarbaracountyfarmday.com/) (https://santabarbaracountyfarmday.com/, for the latest list.

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Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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.

Santa Barbara County Farm Day is supported in part by The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, Edwin and Jeanne Woods Family Foundation, Allan Hancock College, the Santa Barbara Foundation, Driscoll's, Zaca Mesa, Bonipak, JB Dewar and Reiter Affiliated Companies.

Also, mark your calendars for the 10 annual Ventura County Farm Day (https://www.venturacountyfarmday.com/) taking place November 5.