KOCT Agritourism Film Premieres To Packed Audience

Oceanside, CA - Monday night, KOCT presented its highly anticipated {Agritourism} documentary at the Sunshine Brooks Theater. The sold out crowd included local dignitaries, business and community leaders on hand to meet and speak openly with people in the community about the Agritourism movement in North County.

The guests were treated to a pre-screening reception that included appetizers, wine and beer from Beach House Winery, Urge Gastropub, Petite Madeline, Jitters Coffee Pub, Cyclops Farms, Privateer Marketplace, and Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub.

For those that are not familiar with this rapid growing movement (according to the premiere website), the goal of Agritourism is to encourage non-farmers and tourists to visit local farms or ranches. Agritourism also encompasses the Farm to Table Movement that is taking place in local restaurants and farmers markets. Through funding from the County of San Diego’s Board of Supervisors 2017-2018 Community Enhancement Grant, Agritourism has become a vision, focused on the importance of having sustainable farmland in the local community. Using existing Agritourism experiences throughout North County San Diego, they show how it’s possible to keep farming and urban development working together. Myrtle Creek, Bates Nut Farm, Cyclops Farms, Beach House Winery, Carlsbad Strawberry Company, State Street Farmers Market in Carlsbad Village and the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are all examples of how Agritourism can work.

Prior to the premiere screening several guest speakers shared their roles in the documentary project and their vision for Agritourism in our area. The guest speakers included, in order of speaking;

Visit Oceanside Director of Development Dana Higgins
KOCT Director/Producer Jacob Rush
San Diego County Farm Bureau Executive Director Eric Larson
Co-Chair Agritourism for South Morro Hills Louise Ravera Balma
Oceanside Mayor Peter Weiss
San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn

The documentary includes beautiful aerial and landscape clips of South Morro Hills in Oceanside, showing just how much farmland there is in North County, and how much we need to preserve it. There are interviews with Jason Mraz a Musician and Local Farm Owner, Eric Larson from the San Diego County Farm Bureau, Local Farmers, City of Oceanside Staff, Restaurateurs and Chefs. Jason Mraz also performs music with Lee Coulter and Barnwell Shifton throughout the documentary.

The documentary received a standing ovation from a very enthusiastic audience and many guests stayed to ask questions of the speakers. After the premier we reached out to many of the guest speakers for a follow-up interview. Below are the highlights from each.

Dana Higgins - Director of Business Development, Visit Oceanside® Conference & Visitors Bureau

“I was pleased to be a part of KOCT’s film premiere to support them in showcasing the Agritourism Documentary. The focus was to highlight the vast amount of sustainable farmland in Oceanside and North County and the importance of protecting this precious resource. We are blessed to live in a region where we have access year-round to fresh, healthy food and we know exactly where and how it was grown. Oceanside has true “farm to table” in our community. That is not something to be taken lightly and now it is at risk of being transitioned into high-density housing.”

“Right now there are a few different visions and plans for the South Morro Hills area which are being discussed and the messaging can be a little confusing. It was to me. We encourage everyone to do their research; ask questions to each of these initiatives to determine the best option to preserve our quality of life and land in Oceanside. I felt that KOCT’s documentary did a fantastic job of inspiring us to do so.”

Jacob Rush - KOCT Director/Producer

“This project is a collaboration between Visit Oceanside, the City of Oceanside, the County of San Diego and the San Diego Farm Bureau. A committee was formed to research agritourism in North County, and specifically South Morro Hills. KOCT partnered with Visit Oceanside to seek grant funding to document this important movement. KOCT is always seeking funding to produce community oriented content for and about and by the people of North County in a non-biased way."

How can the average person support Agritrourism in North County?

“First off, shopping local, buying local, supporting local entrepreneurs, businesses, farmers and farmer’s markets. You’ll always find the freshest, best products at the farmer’s markets. There’s love that goes into what they grow and it shows.”

To view the 17-minute documentary, visit: https://www.koct.org/videosond...

Eric Larson - Executive Director, San Diego County Farm Bureau

“San Diego County Farm Bureau is excited to support the choice for local farmers to pursue agtourism. While agtourism will not be pursued by all farmers, it can be a critically important element for some through diversification of income. “With tourists and residents showing interest in local farming, it is the perfect time for a farmer to explore agtourism. The KOCT video is a great way to get the message out to farmers on the possibilities for agtourism and for the public to start thinking about supporting local farmers.”

Oceanside Mayor Peter Weiss

At the premiere the Mayor shared his vision... "What Oceanside has done so far is good, but not enough. Need more to support farmers and need to resist over development to protect and sustain this important part of Oceanside heritage."

Mayor Weiss was kind enough to give us a phone interview and share additional thoughts on Agritourism in Oceanside. You can listen to the entire 6-minute interview here:

https://soundcloud.com/lisa-fr...

San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn

“Eating food that has been grown right in your own community is a privilege. It’s fresher, healthier and you just can’t beat the taste. You’re also supporting local business owners. Nearly 90-percent of the County’s agriculture is grown in North County so it is a huge economic driver for the area.”

You can view Supervisor Horn's comments from the premiere in their entirety, here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fw69...

This is the first in a new series on Agritourism in Oceanside, North County and the vital role it plays in our community. We will look at all the different segments that it encompasses from local government, zoning, economic development, tourism, eco-sustainability, to business and organization groups that are spearheading the movement, to the local farmers, restaurateurs, and others working and making their living every day within this community-focused industry.