There are four newcomers to Santa Barbara County Farm Day, which takes place August 24. Over 15 local farms and agricultural organizations will open their doors and offer free tours, tastings, giveaways and kid-friendly activities.
At the Ballard Walnut Grove in Solvang, visitors can walk among 900 walnut trees and learn how walnuts grow from the owners of the family-owned farm. At the end of the tour, visitors can enjoy walnut samples and visit a craft area for children.
Visitors to Dare 2 Dream Farms in Lompoc can greet the pasture-raised chickens and goats, stroll through the garden and discover how the farm uses compost and beneficial insects in its growing practices.
At Growing Minds Farm Education in Solvang, visitors learn about educational programs and have the opportunity to meet the animals (goats, pigs and horses) that live on the farm. Children can participate in arts and crafts activities. Food is available for purchase.
Santa Barbara Blueberries in Gaviota offers fun and educational tours throughout the day, showcasing the farm’s organic soil (made from earthworms and composted food and green waste) that creates an ideal ecosystem for growing blueberries. Pick-your-own berries and farm stand produce are available for purchase.
“Farm Day offers visitors a diverse mix of row crops, vineyards, orchards, livestock, agricultural support and agricultural education sites,” says Caitlin Case, executive director of the 501c3 nonprofit Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), which hosts Farm Day.
Tours run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can select which farms they want to visit on the Farm Day Trail Map and then build their day’s itinerary. Participating towns are Santa Maria, Santa Ynez Valley, Orcutt, Lompoc and Gaviota.
To participate in Farm Day, register at https://my805tix.com/e/sbfarmday-24. Some farms require visitors to register for specific tour times. After registering, visitors present their 805Tix QR code at each location to enter without registering. They will automatically be entered into a drawing to win prizes. Winners will be notified on Farm Day.
