'Graze at the Fields' offers chance to eat with local farmers

CARLSBAD – For people interested in the farm-to-table food movement, preserving urban-facing agriculture, and knowing local farmers, an event like no other, the annual Graze at the Fields, will be held on Thursday, May 2 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the world-renowned Carlsbad Flower Fields while in bloom.

Graze is an agriculture insider event that is open to the public. "Grazers" will eat, drink and connect with local farmers, vintners, brewers and chefs, tasting locally grown and curated bites and beverages while learning more about what it's like to farm in our county.

Brought to area residents by the San Diego County Farm Bureau, a nonprofit organization supporting the more than 4,000 farms in San Diego County, Graze supports the local agriculture community.

Each year Graze hosts over three hundred guests as they sample fresh strawberries with third generation farmer Jimmy Ukegawa of Carlsbad Strawberry Company, and taste gelato from Gelato Love crafted with Jimmy's strawberries. Guests can "talk chickens" with farmer Frank Hilliker and take home some of his fresh cage-free eggs.

Raging Cider will be pouring samples of its cider and mead, produced from fruit grown locally using regenerative farming methods. More than 50 farms, breweries, wineries, chefs, and other agriculture related entities participate in the event. This year is shaping up to be the best Graze yet!

The San Diego County Farm Bureau strives to keep farmers farming. With a 20% decrease in San Diego County farms over a 5-year period, the Farm Bureau aims to draw attention to the 214,000 acres fighting to stay in production and the 16,000 jobs this industry creates for our county.

This special event celebrates San Diego farming and all the community benefits of supporting local food, fiber, and flora.

For more information and tickets, visit http://www.sdfarmbureau.org/graze-at-the-fields.

The San Diego County Farm Bureau is a non-profit organization supporting the more than 4,000 farms within the county. Ranking 13th in the state, San Diego boasts top crops in cut flowers, nursery, avocados, vegetables, citrus, and poultry.

The average size of a San Diego County farm is 44 acres and 94% are family owned. San Diego County has more certified organic growers than any other county in the nation and is home to 35 certified Farmers Markets.

The mission of the Farm Bureau is to foster San Diego agriculture through education, public relations, and public policy advocacy in order to promote the economic viability, sustainability, and community building of agriculture. For more information, visit http://www.sdfarmbureau.org.

Submitted by the San Diego County Farm Bureau.