Getting fresh in Camarillo

Summer is fast approaching, and so are all those delicious fruits and vegetables that make this time of year so very tasty.

Camarillo residents are blessed to be surrounded by some of the most fertile farmland in the world, known for its sweet berries, succulent citrus and tantalizing veggies.

It's an enormous part of our local economy and is the foundation on which this region was built.

Thanks to local roadside produce stands, fruits and vegetables can travel from the field to the dinner table in a matter of hours- a luxury found in very few parts of the United States.

Produce stands are also far more environmentally friendly than most major grocery store chains.

We want to hear about your favorite roadside produce stand. What makes it special- is it the juicy strawberries or the amazing avocados?

Perhaps it's the price? With today's rising food costs, produce usually costs less at a roadside stand than at a supermarket.

These stands are often run by families- even multiple generations can be found pitching in to help customers. Do you buy your produce because of a relationship you've built with a particular owner? If so, we'd like to hear from you. Is there a vendor at the local farmers' market who sells especially tasty produce? Or perhaps offers a hard-to-find specialty item? We want to hear about them too.

To share your story, send an e-mail to us at camarillo@theacorn.com or write to our office at 1203 Flynn Road, Ste. 140, Camarillo, CA 93012.

Let's hear from you, Pleasant Valley. We want to know what's cookin'.