Agriculture is a predominantly male run industry. According to the 2012 census of agriculture, only 30% of farmers in the United States are women. Right here in our own backyard of Ventura County we have a women in agriculture , that bring your our newest local Pumpkin Patch Farm.
How she got there ? Stephanie Bengard - grew up on a dairy farm in Tulare, Ca. She met her husband Bardin Bengard- [a 9th generation homesteader from Salinas, Ca] through the industry. Danielle Coultas fell in love with farming through her husband, Danny Coultas- a 5th generation farmer in Oxnard, Ca. Together Stephanie and Danielle decided to start a pumpkin patch in Oxnard, California.
Rancho Bonito Pumpkin Co located in Oxnard . It’s the first year !! Why they decided to start a pumpkin patch ? After a year of Covid 19, most families were cooped up indoors. It is so important for young children and families to experience the outdoors. What a better way to bring joy to families than the change of seasons and pumpkin picking. It’s a great way for families to make memories and learn something new about the land around them.
Trials & Tribulations: This has been a big project for Stephanie and Danny. It stems all the way from picking out certain varieties of pumpkins, for size, for color, for decor, and baking. Did they order enough seeds? Did they plant enough? Did the plants come up ok? creating a site map, placements of each row of pumpkins. Working with Ventura county Agriculture commissioner, Ventura County permits ….A local farming neighbor lent the pair a barn for their farm stand. The farming community is supportive of each other and will always lend a helping hand.
Shaping the next generation: There is so much beauty in the land around us. With farming, you need to be committed, work hard, and love the land. Bengard and Coultas have brought their children out to the ranch and have instilled the knowledge of how to grow a pumpkin. Teaching them hard work, and dedication, early on, maybe they too will learn to love farming and will take on the next generation.
Community Involvement: Stephanie and Danielle have partnered with local preschools and schools and have set up field trips. The students will get to come out, choose their own pumpkins, and hopefully learn something new while having fun. We have also set up Pumpkin Day at a preschool in Ventura. They can’t make the trip out to the so we will bring the pumpkins to them! This brings us so much joy to see the smiles little children get when they pick the perfect one!
Rancho Bonito is located 4000 E pleasant Valley Road, Oxnard CA . Open Monday - Wednesday 2 - 6p, and Thursday - Sunday 11 - Sunset . Free entrance . Follow them on Instagram.
