Besides the Ventura County Cooperative Extension office, the University of California has another center supporting local agriculture. The UC Hansen Agricultural Center in Santa Paula, is made possible by a trust established by the late Thelma Hansen. The purpose is to conduct research and outreach to keep our county’s agriculture strong and sustainable.
One of the extension programs at the center are field trips for Ventura County youth. Master Gardener and Hansen Center volunteers host the field trips for area kindergarten, second and third graders. During the field trips kids get hands-on learning opportunities related to plant growth, composting, pollination, harvesting and nutrition. While there, the children feast on a nutritious assortment of vegetables freshly picked from the farm.
More about the Hansen Ag Center, and a calendar of upcoming events can be found at, http://ucanr.org/sites/hansenagcenter/.
Thelma Hansen