UC Master Gardener Program of Ventura County

09/10/2026

The UC Master Gardeners of Ventura County will be at this Saturday’s Lima Bean Fest at the Oxnard Historic Farm Park & Museum!

Stop by our booth to say hello, learn more about gardening and tour the beautiful demonstration garden lovingly tended by Ventura County Master Gardeners.

The festival celebrates Oxnard’s rich lima bean history, including the region’s longtime reputation as the Lima Bean Capital of the World. Enjoy lima bean tastings featuring chili, soup, hummus and even a lima bean cookie, along with live music, a bean-thresher demonstration, kids’ crafts, a lima bean toss and tours of the historic farm site.

-Saturday, Sept. 12
-Noon to 4 p.m.
-1251 Gottfried Place, Oxnard
-Free admission

Come celebrate one of Ventura County’s most distinctive crops and learn more about the agricultural history of our region!

Image description: Flyer for the 3rd Annual Lima Bean Fest, Saturday, Sept. 12, noon to 4 p.m., at Oxnard Historic Farm Park, 1251 Gottfried Place. The event features a lima bean tasting contest, thresher demonstration, lima bean toss, live music, kids’ crafts, a lima bean slideshow, local history books and tours.

09/08/2026

What a fun day at the Tractor Fair at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula!
There were plenty of smiles, laughter and good times throughout the day for both Master Gardener volunteers and visitors. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth to make crafts, and to those who joined us for the garden tours. We loved spending the day with our community!

Photos by UC Master Gardener Program of Ventura County

Photo 1:
Children and adults gather around a table at the Agriculture Museum, using colorful markers to decorate rocks during a craft activity.

Photo 2:
A smiling volunteer sits at a booth at the Agriculture Museum, holding colorful markers. A garden and mountains are visible behind her.

Photo 3:
A Master Gardener volunteer wearing a blue polo shirt and wide-brimmed hat holds up a decorated rock at a craft booth, while visitors work on crafts at the table behind her.

Photo 4:
Children and adults crowd around a table at the Agriculture Museum, decorating rocks with colorful markers during a community craft activity.

09/06/2026

Tractor Fair returns to the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula on Labor Day!
Celebrate after the Santa Paula Labor Day Parade at the Agriculture Museum’s 11th Annual Labor Day Tractor Fair. The free community event will feature more than 14 vintage tractors from the T**a T**a Flywheelers, live jazz, family activities, local food vendors, community resources and more.
The UC Master Gardeners will have garden tours. Visit our booth for beeswax candle making and rock painting!

Monday, Sept. 7, 2026
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula
Free admission

¡La Feria de Tractores regresa al Museo de Agricultura de Santa Paula por el Día del Trabajo!

Celebra después del Desfile del Día del Trabajo de Santa Paula en la 11.ª Feria Anual de Tractores del Día del Trabajo del Museo de Agricultura. Este evento comunitario gratuito contará con más de 14 tractores antiguos de los T**a T**a Flywheelers, jazz en vivo, actividades para toda la familia, vendedores de comida local, recursos comunitarios y mucho más.

Los UC Master Gardeners ofrecerán recorridos por el jardín. ¡Visita nuestro puesto para hacer velas de cera de abeja y pintar piedras!

Lunes, 7 de septiembre de 2026
11 a.m. a 2 p.m.
Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula
Free admission



Photo Description:
Promotional graphic for the 11th Annual Labor Day Tractor Fair at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. The free event is Monday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 926 Railroad Ave. The graphic features an illustrated red tractor, photos of vintage tractors and children participating in activities, and lists vintage tractors, a farmers market, live jazz, food trucks, crafts, photo opportunities, community resources and kids activities.

Gráfico promocional de la 11.ª Feria Anual de Tractores del Día del Trabajo en el Museo de Agricultura de Santa Paula. El evento gratuito se llevará a cabo el lunes 7 de septiembre, de 11 a.m. a 2 p.m., en 926 Railroad Ave. El gráfico muestra un tractor rojo ilustrado, fotografías de tractores antiguos y niños participando en actividades. También anuncia tractores antiguos, mercado de agricultores, música de jazz en vivo, camiones de comida, manualidades, oportunidades para tomar fotografías, actividades para niños y recursos comunitarios.

09/05/2026

It’s National Hummingbird Day, so today we’re celebrating the tiny, high-speed acrobats that make our gardens a little more magical.

Hummingbirds may be small, but they have big appetites. They visit hundreds of flowers a day for nectar and also need insects for protein. They’re important pollinators, too, carrying pollen from flower to flower as they feed.

Want to make your yard more hummingbird-friendly? UC Master Gardeners recommend planting nectar-rich, tubular flowers, especially California native plants such as sages and California fuchsia. Providing clean water, shelter and places to perch can also help turn your yard into a hummingbird hangout.

And one important tip: Skip the pesticides. Those tiny insects hummingbirds catch in midair are an important part of their diet.
If you use a hummingbird feeder, keep it scrupulously clean and replace the sugar solution regularly, especially in warm weather.

So the next time a hummingbird zips past, take a moment to watch. You’re witnessing one of nature’s most impressive little flying machines.
Source: UC Master Gardeners, University of California Agriculture and Natural UC Agriculture & Natural Resources

“All About Hummingbirds and How to Lure Them Into Your Garden”
https://ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners/article/all-about-hummingbirds-and-how-lure-them-your-garden



Photo description: A hummingbird hovers under a bright orange flower, sipping nectar with its long beak against a soft green blurred background.

08/07/2026

🌱 Want to grow your own vegetables — without a big garden?

Learn how to grow healthy, fresh veggies in containers at a free vegetable container gardening class with VC Master Gardener Terry Garman.

The class will cover which vegetables grow best in containers, along with tips on soil, watering, fertilizing, pests and where to place your containers.

📅 When: Saturday, Aug. 8
⏰ Time: 11 a.m. to noon
📍 Where: Oxnard Library, 251 South A St., Oxnard

Walk-ins are welcome, or register in advance: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=48967

Photo description: Raised garden bed filled with young tomato plants and other vegetables, with a metal plant support, garden trowel and silver watering can.

07/13/2026

Reminder: FREE virtual class TOMORROW at 6PM. Learn how to protect your home and landscape from wildfire risk. Presented by the UC Master Gardeners of Ventura County.

Can't make this date? No worries, it repeats monthly through October.
Register now at Calleguas.com/WUE

Reminder: FREE virtual class TOMORROW at 6PM. Learn how to protect your home and landscape from wildfire risk. Presented by the UC Master Gardeners of Ventura County.

Can't make this date? No worries, it repeats monthly through October. Register now at Calleguas.com/WUE

06/10/2026

What a buzz-worthy day! 🐞🦋🐝

We had an amazing time at the Oxnard Insect Festival on June 6 at Plaza Park. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our educational booth—we loved meeting so many curious visitors, sharing information, and celebrating the fascinating world of insects with our community.

We’re grateful to everyone who came out and made the event such a success!



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Photo by VC Master Gardener GinaMarie McCroskey

Photo 1 Description: Volunteers at an educational booth engage with children and families during the Oxnard Insect Festival at Plaza Park. Kids gather around a table displaying photos and information about native bees and flowers, while volunteers wearing bee-themed headbands answer questions and share information about pollinators. Colorful festival tents and visitors fill the background.

Photo 2 Description: Visitors stop at a UC Master Gardener Program booth during the Oxnard Insect Festival at Plaza Park. A volunteer wearing a bee-themed headband talks with a young girl and her family while educational displays highlight California’s native bees and flowers. A large informational sign about pollinators stands beside the booth as festivalgoers browse exhibits in the background.

Photo 3 Description: Visitors stop at a UC Master Gardener Program booth during the Oxnard Insect Festival at Plaza Park. A volunteer wearing a blue shirt talks with two young girls while educational displays highlight California’s native bees and flowers.

05/19/2026

A timely topic, and we hope everyone is keeping safe in the Sandy Fire.

As wildfire season continues to ramp up, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources is hosting a free webinar to help Californians find reliable, real-time fire information.

The May 21 “Fire Savvy” webinar will feature wildfire experts from Watch Duty, The Lookout and Weather West discussing how they track fires, verify information and keep the public informed during emergencies.

The virtual event runs from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday, May 21 and is free to attend.

Register here: https://bit.ly/FireSavvyWebinar

Photo description: A person outdoors holds a smartphone displaying the wildfire tracking map app Watch Duty while pointing at fire icons on the screen. The person is wearing a smartwatch and standing near a sidewalk with trees and bushes in the background.

05/15/2026

As comes to a close, we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the Ventura County Master Gardener program—and programs across California.

It’s been inspiring to read the many thoughtful comments about why this program matters. From Ventura County and beyond, your words highlight the real impact of sharing research-based gardening knowledge in our communities.

Thank you for being part of this effort. If you haven’t had a chance to give yet, take a moment to read why others have chosen to support this work this Giving Day—and what makes the Master Gardener program so special.

If you still would like to donate, go to https://give.ucanr.edu

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“Supporting the BEST volunteers in Ventura County!” Jill T.

"I appreciate all the knowledge from classes the Master Gardeners of Ventura County give to the community. It’s priceless and allows us to gather while learning with our neighbors.” Paula C.

"I know every person involved this program in Ventura County and beyond puts their heart into this program." -Michele W.

“The master gardener program makes life better and provides education on gardening. Stop and smell the roses. Get outside.” Stuart D.

“I am inspired to support the Master Gardener program because of its dedication to education, sustainability, and community outreach. I appreciate the positive difference the program makes in helping people learn to grow and care for the environment.” The program helps us build a stronger, more resilient community through the universal language of plants.” Buddy K.

“MGs do so much good for the community.” Nora K.

“Every Master Gardener I’ve ever met is generous of spirit and time, caring, dedicated and passionate about the environment.” Jo Ann G.

“Plants are beautiful. We need to keep the knowledge alive.” Don K.

“I hope more people will experience the joys of gardening.” Cheryl Y.

“This work is needed more than ever.” Antonia T.

“Master Gardeners are passionate about gardening but more importantly, they are also committed to bring their knowledge and the joy of plants to the community.” Kathleen M.

“The Master Gardeners do incredible work and I want to support them.” Simone P.

“Gratitude for tremendous learning opportunities.” Kathleen J.

“The success of home gardeners can have a hug positive impact on our environment and Master Gardeners are an excellent way to provide them with education and assistance.” Beth W.

"The Master Gardeners are the most amazing ambassadors and the program couldn't run without these volunteers. Tiffany D.

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Photo description: A Giving Day logo in white text over a blue box from the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources sits in front of a picture of orange California poppies and green foliage.

05/15/2026

Last chance to help us grow! 🌻

A quick reminder that our fundraising campaign for GIVING DAY ends at noon today.

Here is the link: https://give.ucanr.edu/forms/Ventura-MG

Every single donation is a seed that grows to support our community and local home gardeners to be healthier and more resilient!

Donate to support:

-Free gardening classes in libraries and community events

-Water-wise gardening and wildfire preparedness education

-Pollinator and California native plant garden design

-Hands-on workshops that teach real skills you will use

-Science-based gardening resources to help you save money and time

-Soil, seeds, and tools we need to support our 10 demo gardens

If you’ve been meaning to give, there’s still time. We would be so grateful for your support.

Thank you for helping us grow stronger gardens and communities across Ventura County!



Photo description: Master Gardener Terry Garman stands beside a table displaying hydroponic growing examples in an advertisement with a blue background promoting UC ANR Giving Day, highlighting Ventura County Master Gardeners and their more than 100 free community classes each year.