The fifth annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, a once-a-year event that shows the public how food is grown, attracted more than 5,000 community members.

A mom and her daughter check out some farm-grown food at Santa Barbara County Farm Day.
A mom and her daughter check out some farm-grown food at Santa Barbara County Farm Day. Credit: Courtesy photo

Farm Day, Sept. 23, included behind-the-scenes tours, tastings, giveaways and kid-friendly activities. Participating farms and agricultural organizations were in Santa Maria, Santa Ynez Valley, Orcutt, and Los Alamos.

“Farm Day is a fun, free way to spend a day on multiple farms,” said Mary Maranville, founder/CEO of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), the nonprofit that puts on Farm Day every year.

“All ages who attended Farm Day came away with a better appreciation of where our food comes from and the people who make it all happen,” she said.

Community members had a chance to select farms and agricultural organizations to visit from a list of 17 locations.

“Our Central Coast agricultural sector feeds the nation and serves as a backbone for our regional economy,” said Assemblyman Gregg Hart. “I am grateful for SEEAG’s work to educate students and the community at large about our local agricultural industry.

“The education provided by SEEAG connects our community members and farmers, shines a spotlight on the origin of our fruits and vegetables, and teaches lifelong lessons to students.”

SEEAG’s Ventura County Farm Day is Nov. 4. For more, visit https://venturacountyfarmday.com or call 805-892-8155.