Ever wonder where great-tasting fruits and vegetables are grown? Find out at the 8th Annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day, Saturday, September 19. Visit farms in Santa Barbara County to learn how fruits, nuts, produce and wine are produced, harvested and delivered.
Twenty farms and agricultural organizations will open their doors from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. during Santa Barbara Farm Day. Guests will experience behind-the-scenes farm tours, tractor rides, produce tastings and giveaways, and plenty of kid-friendly exhibits all at no cost.
Ag participants this year range from large, international agricultural operations to family-run, organic farms.
Locations include Allan Hancock Student Farm and Vineyard/SEEAG’s Farm Lab, Babé Farms, Ballard Walnut Grove, Bonipak Produce, Engel and Gray Harvest Blend Compost, Growing Grounds Farms, Growing Minds Farm Education, Mark Richardson CTE Center and Agricultural Farm, Plantel Nurseries, Rancho Olivos, Reiter Affiliated Companies, Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farms, Sunrise Organic Farm, Sweet Wheel Farms and Tutti Frutti Farms.
“You’ll find Tutti Frutti Farms’ organic produce at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and local farmers markets,” says Caitlin Paulus Case, executive director of Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), the nonprofit that puts on Farm Day each year. “Come visit Tutti Frutti in Lompoc on Farm Day and taste what they grow. If you love walnuts, plan a stop at Ballard Walnut Grove in Solvang or Rancho La Viña in Lompoc.”
Long-time farm participant Bonipak in Santa Maria is hosting its Bonipak Farm Day Street Fair on Farm Day, with over a dozen vendors and organizations. Bonipak and Driscoll’s will distribute thousands of pounds of free, fresh produce at the street fair.
The Santa Barbara County Farm Day Hub is at the Mark Richardson CTE Center and Ag Farm in Santa Maria. It is where people can learn more about SEEAG’s ag education programs and pick up a printed Farm Day map and merchandise.
A unique farming/healing venue on the list of stops during Farm Day is Growing Grounds Farm in Santa Maria.
“Growing Grounds Farm is a program of Transitions Mental Health Association where we blend vocational training with therapeutic horticulture. Not only that, but we are also a great source of local, fresh, pesticide-free produce,” says Sterling Snow, program supervisor at Growing Grounds Farm.
Participating wineries are Bien Nacido Estate Winery and Riverbench Vineyard and Winery, both in Santa Maria. For olive oil lovers, Rancho Olivos in Santa Ynez will offer olive orchard tours and olive oil samples at the top of every hour.
“Farm Day is a chance to experience the incredible diversity of farms growing food all around us,” says Case. “From small family farms to large-scale operations, these farms feed our local communities and send food across California, the country, and the world. There’s something really special about getting to visit them, meet the people who grow our food, and see that connection firsthand.”
Farm Day is open to all ages. Visitors select which farms to visit and travel at their own pace. Expect to visit up to three or four farms during Farm Day.
For more about Santa Barbara County Farm Day and to register, visit https://sbcfarmday.org or call 805-892-8155. By registering, you receive updates on new sites and a QR code for quick entry to all sites. To view the 2026 tour locations, visit SEEAG’s interactive Farm Day Trail Map (www.sbcfarmday.org/map). No pets allowed.
SEEAG is 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its mission is to educate students and the greater community about the farm origins of our food and agriculture’s contribution to our nutritional well-being.
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