Santa Barbara County Farm Day

Santa Barbara County farms are opening their doors to the community to connect, learn, and explore local agriculture firsthand. On September 6, 20 farms, ranches, wineries, and agricultural organizations welcome the public to visit them for Farm Day. The free event is hosted by Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG), whose 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.

The seventh annual Santa Barbara County Farm Day is bigger than before with seven additional locations this year. Farm Cart Organics, Folded Hills Winery, Rancho Olivos, Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm, Wolfe Family Farms, Tutti Frutti Farms, and Rincon Farms join this year offering a diverse catalog of options for participants to choose from.

“This year, Santa Barbara County Farm Day has expanded to locations throughout the county, making it easier to participate in this free event,” said Caitlin Paulus-Case, SEEAG executive director.

On Farm Day, visitors will experience behind-the-scenes tours of the farms, tractor rides, produce tastings, giveaways, and kid-friendly activities. “With [more than] 20 locations from Santa Maria to Carpinteria, the day offers everyone a unique opportunity to connect with the hands and lands that feed us,” Paulus-Case said.

Farm Day venues span across Santa Barbara County allowing for easy access to the public. To learn more about the 2025 locations, visit SEEAG’s interactive Farm Day trail map.

Rincon Farms

As I made my way to visit Rincon Farms, it was hard to believe that this little piece of the Central Coast was real. The beauty of the vast farmland on rolling hills with the ocean shore just 10 minutes away is truly breathtaking. As I pulled up to the farm, I took a glance around to be met with trees galore and blue skies. 

A new addition to Santa Barbara County Farm Day, Rincon Farms is excited to welcome in all visitors who come their way September 6. Sean Bettles, Rincon Farms’ Farm Operations Manager, said, “We want the public to know more about us and spread the word about what we do.”

In 2000, Dave Bettles bought the ranch where Rincon Farms thrives today. Since then, the farm has grown into a vital part of the produce industry in California. The farm packs three million pounds of fruit a year, making them a little more than one percent of the industry. They sell to wholesalers up and down California from L.A. up to San Francisco.

Sean Bettles came onto the crew five years ago and started the organic program at the farm. The process to achieve that status was a long one, taking three years to transition from conventional to organic agriculture. “I started that, and I had to do the long three-year wait and in May this year was the first time that we were able to start selling our avocados organically,” he said.

Rincon Farms hosted an event in May, inviting the public in to see the farm. The event went so well it solidified to the Bettles their desire to be involved in Farm Day. “I was stoked to interact with the public in that way, and I think the public was too,” Sean Bettles said, “So I was like, ‘Okay, let’s put me on the map for farm day.’”

Visitors to Rincon Farms on Farm Day should expect to learn about the process of growing avocados and see the avocados packed in boxes, encouraging transparency with the public. In the packing house, you’ll see the faces of the people who physically pack the avocados that you purchase at your grocery store. Walking around the farm, you’ll see trees stretching across hillsides and even the Bettles’ dog, Bella. Everyone is encouraged to come, participate, and ask questions about the farm.

To learn more about Rincon Farms, visit rinconfarms.com, and for more information about all of the farms participating in Santa Barbara County Farm Day, see sbcfarmday.org. Events are free, but preregistration is encouraged. Click here to register: bit.ly/41B71gc.