SeeCalifornia.com

California is the nation’s leading producer of strawberries–more than 2 billion pounds of strawberries are harvested annually. The growing region extends 500 miles from San Diego to San Francisco. At Ventura County’s Ag Museum see the latest exhibit:  “Strawberry Fields Forever?”

It’s strawberry season in California. Consumers love strawberries for Valentine’s gifts and meals–chocolate dipped berries, strawberries with whipped cream, strawberry desserts, and berries in champagne–delicious! Strawberries seem to magically appear in huge sizes, bright colors and sweet flavors at local markets, stores and even in fields where you can pay and pick them. Most of California’s huge strawberry crops are picked by hand. Planning for the busy harvest period, and recruiting and retaining the skilled labor force needed to bring in the berries, are vital.

Two labor experts from one of the nation’s oldest berry growers (family owned since 1868) discuss the challenges at a Strawberry Symposium held at the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula.  Alvaro Valerio and Saul Aguilar talk about labor recruitment, retention strategies, production and innovations in harvest machinery that helps workers earn more money. Both ment work at Reiter Brothers, Inc., based in California with global operations.

The Strawberry Symposium Feb. 8, 2014 is a free admission event at Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum, 926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula. See: venturamuseum.org