Interview with Mary Maranville - SEEAG: Part 4

**In part 4 of this 7 part series, learn about the experience that SEEAG offers students in their programs**

 

Welcome to another edition of Farm Talk!  On today’s show, Paul is joined by Mary Maranville, Founder and CEO of SEEAG (Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture).  Mary tell us what SEEAG is all about, the inspiration behind it, and what her “ah-ha!” moment was.

Farming is such an important part of our lives, and yet many kids don’t know much about it, or how it all works.  SEEAG’s mission is to educate students in the greater community about the farm origins of their food, and agriculture’s contribution to our nutritional well-being.

SEEAG has many wonderful programs that promote agriculture awareness, hands-on learning opportunities, career pathways, farm days, and so much more!

Tune in for a wonderfully interesting interview & prepare to be inspired!

About SEEAG:

Since 2008, SEEAG has impacted the lives of over 40,000 students 100% free of charge. I am very proud of what we have accomplished since SEEAG was founded, all in accordance with our mission to educate students about the farm origins of their food from field-to-table while connecting them to the farmland in their own backyards.

We constantly strive to improve our curriculum and programs; to provide cutting-edge, reality-based education and to widen our reach within the community to impact the lives of children, youth and adults in meaningful, long-lasting ways.

In many cases our farm field trips to Petty Ranch provide young children with their first opportunity to pick a piece of fruit with their own hands. You only need to see the smiles on their faces and hear their laughter as they run around the orchard picking lemons, oranges and tangerines to understand the positive impact farm visits and outdoor education have on their lives. Experiential learning not only positively affects their education experience, it creates memories that will last a lifetime.

In an effort to reach and educate more community members about local agriculture, SEEAG founded Ventura County Farm Day in 2013, which has grown into a community-wide annual event for the entire family. In 2018, 20 farms and thousands attendees participated in open house educational farm tours to celebrate the hands and lands that feed us.

About Mary Maranville:

Mary Maranville founded Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) in 2008.

“Even with California’s rich agricultural heritage, children don’t make the connection between the acres of farmland around them to the food on their tables. SEEAG’s education programs help make that connection; providing kids with field trips to local farms brings the message home even further.

My lineage is filled with multi-generational farmers. Being raised on a dairy farm in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York was such a privilege. At the same time I had no idea about the importance of my father’s work, putting food on household tables. When I came to Ventura County 20 years ago and saw the bounty of local agriculture and farms it inspired me. In 2008 I witnessed a local elementary school farm field trip in Santa Paula. Then and there I knew I could make a difference educating school children about the farm origins of their food and agriculture. Now, after providing over 40,000 school children with free field trips to local farms, there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think and appreciate my father. He loved growing things and providing food for families.

SEEAG is dedicated to my father and was founded to create agricultural ambassadors with the hope they will help preserve family farms around with world.

I hope you are inspired by SEEAG’s mission. Thank you.”

~Mary Maranville

For more info about SEEAG please go to: https://www.seeag.org/