July/August Grower Spotlight - Jason Tamai - Ventura County Agricultural Education
Hello Friends of SEEAG,
We’re back! The 2014/15 school year has started and SEEAG is on the path to having another record breaking year by providing more students than ever access to our AG education program.
Pepperdine University wins the prize as the first field trip of the year. The students were very eager to learn about the 194 homes Limoneira provides to their farm worker family.
August 2014:
I met Jason Tamai during check in at the Young Farmers and Ranchers’ Annual Golf Tournament at the Spanish Hills Country Club. When I asked him if he would like to be a SEEAG Farmer of the Month he did not hesitate. Jason walked in that morning with Tom Meisel from Quinn Company. I’ll never forget what Tom said, “Hi I’m Tom Meisel. There’s a new sheriff in town”. I just love that saying so I thought it only fitting since Jason and Tom are friends that I conduct the interview in front of a big yellow Caterpillar Tractor at Tamai Family Farms in Ventura.
Jason Tamai is a fourth generation farmer and Tamai Family Farms has been in the business of agriculture for over 50 years and is a local provider of sustainable, quality and accessible produce. He was very proud of this fact and the 2nd time I met him at one of his farm field locations in Ventura he immediately wanted to give credit to his brother. Farmers always usual err on the side of humble.
Jason has three major concerns in providing fresh produce to their customers:
- Providing safe, healthy fruits and vegetables to all of us.
- They only grow the healthiest quality food on the market. They grow kale, tomatoes and strawberries to name a few.
- Tamai Family Farms is committed to making sure that all of their customers have equal and affordable access to their produce by selling it at very competitive prices.
In addition, to growing in Ventura County Tamai Family Farms also grows in Coachella Valley and time tested growing practices have been passed down through four generations ofgrowers. He believes sustainability not only applies to their clients, but also to their land. “Oxnard, CA has some of the richest and most fertile soil in the world”. They believe that it is their environmental responsibility to cultivate and nourish this precious resource so that it will provide for future generations.
You can find Tamai Family Farms produce at many farmer’s markets in the area from Goleta to Redondo Beach and Santa Monica. Please visit their Farmer’s Market Schedule list for complete information at – Farmer’s Market ScheduleThey supply many farm to table restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including one of my favorites, Gjelina, on the trendy Abbott Kinney Blvd in Venice. Jason became my hero we offered to help me get a reservation there if I couldn’t on my own. I’m going to take him up on that offer only if he and his wife can join me. Thank you Jason for all you do. Visit – Tamai Family Farms
Video and Photos by – John Phaneuf