Conroy Farms
Strawberries are the #1 cash crop in Ventura County, having displaced Lemons by a large margin. We visited the strawberry Fields of Conroy Farms which employs 300 pickers at the season peak which just happens to be last week. Our host for the Conroy Strawberry fields was the second generation owner.
 |
| Owner-Farmer, Conroy Farms |
Conroy Farms has 117 acres of Strawberries. Interestingly, the Strawberries are ripped out every year, the field is tilled and laser leveled for drainage, plastic mulch covering laid down and then replanted.
 |
| Ripe Strawberries |
Strawberries are picked and packed directly into consumer packaging without any further handling. Shelf life is short and strawberries can't be washed since they start molding immediately.
 |
| Picked directly into Consumer packaging |
 |
| Consumer Packaging ready for shipping |
Strawberries that are overripe or otherwise damaged are picked in bulk containers and sent to Smuckers for crushing.
 |
| Strawberries for Crushing |
 |
| Ripening Strawberries ready in a day or two |
McGrath Family Farm
This was not my favorite of the Organic Farms we visited. The owner was more of a gentleman farmer than a real farmer, most of his fields are leased out to commercial corporate growers.
 |
| McGrath Family Farm |
We took a short walk in the newly planted field led by owner McGrath.
 |
| Farm owner McGrath |
 |
| Newly planted organic vegetable crop |
 |
| New planting |
A dirt driveway/road runs along the field. Alongside the road this planting of corn acts as a dust shield keeping the vegetables clean. The corn will reach 5 to 6 feet in height which will nicely protect the crops from a cloud of dust by passing farm vehicles.
 |
| Row of emerging corn seedlings |
