Hansen REC move to Camarillo almost complete

Santos Ramirez helps to move irrigation pipes to the Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center site in Camarillo. Photo by Annemiek Schilder

The Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center staff have almost completed relocating from Santa Paula to their new property in Camarillo, said Annemiek Schilder, director of UCCE Ventura County and HAREC. Except for one small container that will be moved next week, everything has been transferred to the new site.

“Shout out to the local team that has orchestrated the Hansen REC move from Santa Paula to Camarillo,” Schilder said, “with help from UC Facilities Planning and Management, Resource Planning & Management, and REC Operations.”

Relics are lined up at Faulkner farm, ready to load for the move. Photo by Annemiek Schilder

Adam Novicki, farm superintendent;Jose Hernandez, senior ag technician; Santos Ramirez, senior ag technician; Stephanie Gomez Gallimore, facility coordinator; Brandy McCarthy, financial services coordinator; and Kathy Speer, business officer, have been key to the success of the move.

“They have been doing a tremendous job arranging for the move of two modular office buildings and their contents, 11 shipping containers, a walk-in cooler, farm equipment, trucks, trailers, wagons, etc. under time pressure and with many challenges along the way, while at the same time cleaning up the old site and starting up research trials at the new site,” Schilder said. 

A crane loads a shipping container filled with Hansen REC farm equipment onto a flatbed trailer. Photo by Adam Novicki

The new address is 5352 Beardsley Road, Camarillo, CA 93010.

It will take a few months for the modular office buildings to be restored and ready for occupancy in Camarillo.

“I would estimate November or December,” Schilder said. “The buildings have to be put back together, utilities have to be hooked up, a septic holding tank has to be installed, and the parking area and walkways have to be paved. However, the first research trial is already in the ground at the new location.”

Shipping containers placed in the new farm yard in Camarillo. Photo by Adam Novicki

HAREC administrative staff are currently working from the UC Cooperative Extension office in Ventura County at 669 County Square Dr #100, Ventura, CA 93003. The farm superintendent and field staff are in Camarillo using their cell phones because the HAREC phones are not functional at the time of this story.

Read more about the Hansen REC move in Schilder's post at https://ceventura.ucanr.edu/Gardening/Coastal/Home/HAREC_in_Camarillo. Also see the UCCE Ventura County Annual Report 2022-23.

A modular office conference room is split in half in preparation of move. Photo by Adam Novicki

Modular office units await restoration and placement at Camarillo site. Photo by Adam Novicki

A trailer filled with farm items is ready to be taken to the new farm in Camarillo. Photo by Annemiek Schilder

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