Do Tell, Anabel! | Anabel Marquez 💋

Leadership grows when we step outside our own worlds and learn from the people who power our communities. 🍓

For my @leadershipvc immersion activity, I chose agriculture, an industry vital to our region and deeply personal to me. My grandfather, Papá Pancho was a field worker in Oxnard so spending time at a local agricultural field off Pleasant Valley Rd. was especially meaningful.

@ayalafarms is a women-owned and family operated farm in Oxnard. The owners, Ana Ayala and her two sisters (not pictured) welcomed me to their strawberry fields so I could learn firsthand about their operation.

I learned about harvest preparation, irrigation, seasonal growing techniques and the business relationships that move strawberries from field to consumer. At peak season, Ayala Farms produces an average of 6,000 8-lb. boxes of Albion, Salma, Numeración and Eclipse strawberries. You can buy from them at Farmers Markets throughout SoCal!

Thank you, Ayala Farms for sharing your fields, knowledge and story with me. 🍓

#LeadershipVenturaCounty #VenturaCounty #WomenInAgriculture strawberryfieldd