Ocean Mist Celebrates 90th Anniversary

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="229"] Castroville artichoke harvesters in the 1930s; photo from Ocean Mist Farms[/caption] Ocean Mist Farms will celebrate a 90-year legacy of growing artichokes and fresh vegetables with activities planned throughout the year ahead. The fourth-generation grower-owned business was founded by Italian Immigrants in 1924 that started the business by growing artichokes and Brussels sprouts along the Pacific Ocean’s Monterey Bay in Castroville, Calif. Today the company farms in multiple locations throughout California, Arizona and Baja Mexico and its famous artichokes have been proclaimed the official state vegetable of California. “Our land may be the foundation of Ocean Mist Farms, but it really is the people who  build our legacy,” says Mark Reasons, facilities manager and member board of directors. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="156"] Original Ocean Mist Farms produce crate labels[/caption] Some of the activities Ocean Mist Farms has planned this year to celebrate its anniversary include the redesign of the company website and the creation of a new Artichoke Club website; branding its original root stock variety that dates back to 1924 as an Ocean Mist Farms Heirloom Artichoke and sharing a new video that tells the company’s 90 year legacy story. The highlight of the anniversary festivities will be at the annual Castroville Artichoke Festival – this year held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds May 31 and June 1 – where Ocean Mist Farms will be honored for being a part of the community since 1924. “We are proud to reach this milestone together,” Chief Operating Officer Joe Pezzini. “Investing in quality people and farm land is the foundation of success and longevity for generations of Ocean Mist growers.”