When you walk through McGrath Family Farm in Camarillo, you’re not just stepping onto a piece of land — you’re stepping into nearly 150 years of Ventura County agricultural history. What began with Irish immigrants Dominick and Bridget McGrath starting a farm on the Oxnard Plain has grown into a vibrant, organic operation in Camarillo. Today, McGrath Family Farm is not only a place where fruits and vegetables are grown — it’s also a place where farmers are trained, schoolchildren learn where their food comes from, and the community gathers to connect. On October 2, 2025, Dinner at McGrath Family Farm, a Totally Local VC Farm-to-Fork Dinner, will take place right here, in the fields that have fed Ventura County for generations.
A Family Rooted in the Land
Dominick and Bridget McGrath arrived in Ventura County in 1876 with grit, determination, and a vision for building a future on California’s fertile coast. As the years passed, they, along with their ten children and many grandchildren, expanded the family holdings — starting with cattle and grain before moving into dairy, sugar beets, and row crops. By 1879, their Home Ranch stood just a mile from the ocean in Oxnard, anchoring the family in one of the most productive farming regions in the state.
The McGrath name soon became synonymous with farming across the coastal plain. Dominick’s sons grew the family’s holdings into the thousands of acres. As locals liked to say, you could walk from Montalvo to Port Hueneme without ever leaving McGrath land. Joseph Dominick McGrath — the youngest son — eventually owned ranches in Camarillo, Montalvo, and portions of the Patterson Ranch (now Channel Islands Marina).
By 1948, it became time to divide the vast McGrath ranches among the four brothers. They did it not in a lawyer’s office but in a way that has become part of family lore — drawing cards to decide who got which parcels, a gesture that spoke volumes about their commitment to keeping the peace among siblings. With a second division in 1971, the next generation created the two contiguous Camarillo ranches that today make up McGrath Family Farm.
A Living, Breathing Farm
Students visiting the farm during Ventura County Ag Week
Nestled in the heart of Camarillo, McGrath Family Farm has grown into a leader in organic and sustainable agriculture while serving as a hub for education and community connection. The farm is alive with activity: school groups touring the fields, young farmers apprenticing with seasoned growers, and neighbors stopping at the farm stand for just-picked produce.
Through McGrath Family Farmers, a collective that supports smaller farms, the ranch doubles as a training ground for the next generation of growers dedicated to regenerative practices. “We don’t just grow crops — we grow farmers,” explains Mike Roberts, ranch manager and owner of Baby Root Farm, one of several independent farms rooted on McGrath land.
We don’t just grow crops — we grow farmers.
Today, the farm is home to a diverse agricultural ecosystem that includes Carranza Family Farms, Baby Root Regenerative Farm, the Farmivore Food Hub, and the Rodale Institute California Organic Center. The Rodale Institute serves farmers across the region by addressing local challenges, conducting cutting-edge, regionally focused research, and acting as a hub for education and extension. Together, these farms and partners strengthen McGrath Family Farm’s role as both a pioneer in organic agriculture and a catalyst for shaping its future.
More Than Farming
Farmer Phil McGrath out standing in his field
For the McGraths, farming has always been about more than just food. Generations of family members have served on nonprofit boards, supported schools, and given generously of their time and resources to Ventura County. “Our family has always believed that the land sustains us, but it’s our responsibility to sustain the community in return,” says Phil McGrath.
Five generations later, that legacy of stewardship and generosity is still growing. Hundreds of McGrath descendants continue to call Ventura County home, carrying on a tradition of farming that is as much about people as it is about produce.
From their beginnings as immigrants fleeing hardship in Ireland to their present role as stewards of organic agriculture, the McGraths have woven themselves into the fabric of Ventura County life. Their story is one of resilience, tradition, and generosity — still unfolding, still growing, still rooted in the same soil that drew Dominick and Bridget here nearly 150 years ago.
And in October, when guests gather for the latest Totally Local VC Farm-to-Fork Dinner Series event, they’ll be surrounded by that legacy — seated in the very fields that have nourished Ventura County for nearly a century and a half, sharing a meal that celebrates history, community, and the next chapter of the McGrath family story.
👉 Want to learn more about the our Dinner Series? Explore the Totally Local VC Farm-to-Fork Dinner Series.
👉 Want to see information about our October 2nd dinner? Check out Dinner at McGrath Family Farms.
Photo credits: Cornucopia Institute, McGrath family, Kat Merrick
