Location, Location: The Santa Maria Valley
Located in the middle of California’s Central Coast, the Santa Maria Valley enjoys near perfect conditions for agriculture, from the growing of lettuce and broccoli to strawberries and wine grapes. The valley lies between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the coastline of the Pacific Ocean. Santa Maria, at the northern limit of Santa Barbara County, is some 21 square miles. It is separated from the small town of Guadalupe by agricultural fields. It is between these two coastal towns that a large portion of our fields lie, with others just north of Guadalupe in Nipomo (which falls in San Luis Obispo County). Our climate is temperate, often described as Mediterranean, with numerous micro-climates. A low, dense, marine layer is common in the morning and later afternoons with day-time highs often hovering between 63 and 73. Days are mostly sunny and winds are breezy to strong.
Beyond produce, which has long been a key part of the regions’ economy, the Central Coast is home to Allan Hancock College, the Santa Maria Indians Baseball Club (California’s oldest semi-pro baseball team) and the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA). Our Nipomo Dunes still hide the remains of Cecil B. DeMille’s 1923 film The Ten Commandments. The Central Coast is home to many wineries and is famous for our Santa Maria Style Barbecue.