Farm-Fresh Meals Every Day

Growers here produce more than 100 commercial crop varieties, and the annual value of Ventura County production ranks it 11th among the nation’s 3,140 counties.

Thanks to the moderate climate, farmers can ship fresh fruit and vegetables from local fields and orchards to stores and restaurants year-round. Because Ventura County growers produce such enormous quantities of these crops — it takes more than 80 million Americans, for example, to consume the annual strawberry crop — most of this bounty is destined for markets outside the county. Still, local residents can find a wide array of locally grown food at markets, restaurants and roadside stands throughout the area.