This post is sponsored by Bolthouse Farms and SHE Media. All opinions are my own.

Do you know where your food comes from? Since moving back to California, I have a lot more opportunities to buy local produce, but I don’t always prioritize it as I should.

Visiting the Carrot Fields

Last month, I had the chance to visit Bolthouse Farms. They are one of the leading producers of carrots in the entire world. I am very fortunate to live in California, which I learned is called the “bread basket” of the world. California produces over 80% of US carrots. That’s pretty impressive if you ask me. Bolthouse Farms is known for its farming tradition, as they have been farming carrots for over 100 years.

During my visit to their farm, I got to see one of their carrot fields for myself. I got to pick and taste a carrot right from the ground. Plus, I got to ride on their carrot harvester and see all of the work and effort that goes into carrot farming.

Touring the Bolthouse Farms Plant

After visiting the farm, we journeyed to the plant where the carrots are processed into various food products. I saw the entire process from field to juice bottle or baby carrot bag. It was so interesting and impressive to get to see their operations first-hand.

What was so amazing to me is just how little waste they create. Nearly every part of the carrot is used in some way. The tops get fed back into the soil, the carrots that aren’t the prettiest get turned into chips or shreds or animal feed.

Watching the entire process of production took me back to my sustainability education days. As a bit of a nerd and sustainability scholar, it impressed me how close to a closed-loop system Bolthouse Farms has. They are creating very little waste, which ultimately is good for the planet.

I know it’s not always possible to buy local produce. But that’s why I’m so glad I got to experience a large corporation’s operations. It actually made me feel better about the times I do have to buy from the grocery store. I am happy to know that Bolthouse Farms makes good choices for the environment and it made me feel better educated that there are brands out there that do follow sustainable practices. Now it’s just my job to educate myself and research so I can support the brands that align with my values.

Overall, I really enjoyed visiting the Bolthouse Farms carrot field and plant. It was such a neat opportunity to learn more about food production and also about California’s agricultural landscape. The experience definitely got me thinking more about what I buy and eat.

Check out these links in case you’re looking for other sustainability stories or fresh produce stories.