Agency Spotlight: Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture
Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) was founded in 2008 to connect children to the origins of their food through agricultural education to bridge the gap between local farmland and healthy eating for youth.
The mission of SEEAG is to educate students and the greater community about the farm origins of food and agriculture’s contribution to our nutritional well-being through STEM-based classroom and outdoor learning.
We believe that every student and person deserves the opportunity to understand where their food comes from, how it is grown, and how farming impacts our health, communities, and environment.
THE IMPACT OF SEEAG
● Fosters food literacy through our educational programs and community events
● Brings STEM learning to life in outdoor settings
● Empowers future leaders by exposing students to real-world agricultural systems and career pathways
● Strengthens food systems by connecting community members directly with growers fostering food and farming advocacy
● Supports our local agriculture industry through educational programs and public events
Since 2008, SEEAG has provided 100% free, hands-on agricultural education to tens of thousands of K-12 students, interns, and families throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, and surrounding counties. Beginning with 3rd grade students, we introduce them to our Farm-to-Food Lab, sparking curiosity with hands-on agricultural science in the classroom and on the farm. We extend that learning through STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture, exposing middle and high school students to the diversity of careers across the Central Coast’s agricultural economy. The Youth Wellness Initiative connects young people and families to fresh produce and food access resources, helping bridge the gap between regional agricultural abundance and community need. Farm Day invites the public to connect with local farms through free tours and events, celebrating the hands and lands that feed us across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
Volunteer for Farm Day
Our largest annual Ventura County Event, Farm Day, is coming up on April 11th from 10 am to 3:00 pm. Our Ventura County Farm Day event will be held across 15+ different locations across Ventura County spanning from Oxnard, Camarillo, Ventura, Ojai and Fillmore. We are looking for 40 volunteers to make this event a success. To find out more about registration click this link.
By opening farm gates to the public, Farm Day fosters meaningful connections between community members and the farmers who grow our food—cultivating appreciation for the hands and lands that nourish us. Like all SEEAG programs, Farm Day is offered completely free of charge, made possible by our generous sponsors and dedicated family of donors.
Volunteer for SEEAG’s Petty Ranch Farm & Southbank Learning Farm
We offer a growing range of volunteer opportunities for all ages, at our farm sites, during events, and through special projects. On Our Petty Ranch Farm Site Each year, Petty Ranch has welcomed thousands of third grade students through SEEAG’s Farm-to-Food Lab program. We hold monthly volunteer days for maintenance and projects at this site, generally on the third Thursday of each month in the afternoon (Note. Some months and during the summer the day and time of this event changes so check our volunteer page for more information.)
The Southbank Learning Farm is SEEAG’s new farming and food initiative, designed to expand opportunity through hands-on learning, workforce development, and community partnership. Established through a 20-year, $0 per year social benefit lease with the County of Ventura and in collaboration with the Ventura County Probation Agency, the farm will serve as a place where education, agriculture, and second chances take root.
Located on more than three acres of County-owned land behind the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard, the farm builds on the legacy of the former Senior Nutrition Farm. Through SEEAG’s experiential learning programs, career pathway opportunities, and the cultivation of fresh, locally grown food, the Southbank Learning Farm will create meaningful impact for justice-involved youth and the wider community. Volunteer opportunities to help us maintain this farm are coming soon. Check back at our registration page for more information.
Donate to SEEAG
The following items are always appreciated:
● Work boots and workwear for interns and apprentices
● Lumber and other building materials for our farm sites
● Mulch and compost
● Farm and garden supplies, tools, and equipment
● Seeds, seedlings, plants and trees
● Fresh produce
● Conference Table and Chairs
● Auction and Raffle Items
● Professional Services
For volunteer inquiries, please call SEEAG’s office at (805) 892-8155 or you may email Bobbi Rudin at Bobbi@seeag.org
