Editor’s note: Making thoughtful food choices is a way to protect our land, water, air and resources, support our local farmers and improve our health. While a more plant-based diet is healthier and better for the environment, there are more and less sustainable meat options as well. Local dietician and food educator, Gerri French, provides a rundown of local resources. Find links to all these resources and how to join the Santa Barbara-Ventura Agriculture committee at: https://tinyurl.com/GoodAgGroup
By Gerry French
Edible Santa Barbara and Edible Ventura County are magazines that promote local food resources. Santa Barbara and Ventura farmers markets are great places to buy local, organic produce. Santa Barbara Permaculture is a great resource as well. Also, check out "Santa Barbara Food and Farm Adventures" on Meetup for farm and food outings. Below are other great resources.
Community Supported Agriculture
- Farm Cart Organics – This farm in Carpinteria buys from a variety of sources; it delivers in north and south Santa Barbara and Ventura County and has specialty food items.
- Plow to Porch - Buys from a variety of farms and delivers in SB County.
- Something Good Organics - Farm in Santa Ynez that delivers to SB County; has add-on specialty food.
- Dare 2 Dream Farms - Farm and stand in Lompoc that delivers to North SB County; has add-on specialty food.
- Local Harvest Delivery - Buys from a variety of farms that deliver in South SB County; has add-on specialty food.
- Sunrise Organic Farm – Farms at seven different locations with a farm stand in Goleta; pickup and delivery.
- Sow a Heart Farm in Agoura - Various sized boxes with food and flowers from their Regenerative Farm and Farm Stand with added products.
- Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark; farm and farm stand.
- Farmer and the Cook in Ojai - farm; farm stand and restaurant.
- Rodale Institute in Camarillo - (formerly McGrath Family Farm) farm stand and monthly farm tours, leaders in Regenerative Organic Farming.
Local Meat
- Rancho San Julian - grain and grass-fed beef; options for grass fed exclusively and monthly purchase.
- Motley Crew Ranch - small animal farm in Lompoc.
- Casitas Valley Pastures - small farm in Ventura.
- Old Creek Ranch - Grass fed and finished beef and lamb in Cayucos.
- Hearst Ranch - Grass fed and finished beef.
- Morris Ranch - Grass fed and finished at San Juan Bautista.
- Ventura Meat Company - Food from family farms: grass-fed beef, organic poultry and pasture-raised pork.
- Farmer and the Cook Store and Ojai Community Farmers Market in Ojai.
Local Seafood
- Kanaloa market, Santa Barbara fish market and Community Supported Fishery. Example: Get Hooked, a women-owned Community Supported Fishery (CSF) that offers its members responsibly sourced, hyper-fresh seafood from local fishermen.
National Resources
- Foodprint.org - food choices for environment, people and animals.
- Environmental Working Group - climate change and the environment; creators of the Dirty Dozen.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch - sustainable seafood info.
- rg.org - vegetarian recipes and resources.
- Eatwellguide.com - links to national CSA, farms, restaurants.
- Slow Food USA - good, clean, fair and sustainable food for all
- Civil Eats - food and environment policy and farm information
- Collaborative for Health & Environment - science dialogue on environmental factors impacting human health
- Grist.org - climate justice information