Ventura Farms facts for kids

Ventura Farms is a large and famous ranch located in the beautiful Hidden Valley. This valley is part of Thousand Oaks, California. The ranch used to be called Deerwood Stock Farm and Kentucky Park Farms.

This amazing ranch covers about 2,200 acres. That's like having over 1,600 football fields! It has been a popular spot for filming many Western movies and TV shows. Even today, filmmakers still use it. The main activity at Ventura Farms has always been raising special horses called thoroughbreds. These horses are known for their speed and are often used in racing. The ranch is located at the east end of Lake Sherwood. It is very close to the entrance of Hidden Valley.

Ventura Farms is home to many different kinds of gardens. You can find an English Garden, a Family Garden, and even a Secret Garden there. There's also an Arabian Division, which might have plants or designs inspired by Arabian culture. Besides gardens, the farm has many animals. You can see a group of Santa Gertrudis cattle, Kashmir sheep, and even Reindeer! They also have beautiful Arabian horses and about 800 Koi fish swimming in ponds.

The ranch also has some very unique buildings. These include the Sound of Water Pavilion and a Japanese Tea House. There's also a Chinese Scholar House and a Poet’s House. One of the most impressive features is a large conservatory. This special building is about 1,800 square feet. It is home to an incredible collection of 25,000 orchids, which are beautiful and colorful flowers.

History of Ventura Farms

The ranch was first known as Deerwood Stock Farm. J.C. Dellinger owned it for many years, from before 1944 until 1978. In 1978, David Murdock bought the ranch. He is the CEO of Dole Corporation, a big company known for fruits and vegetables. Mr. Murdock then changed the ranch's name to Ventura Farms.

Some people believe the ranch might have started even earlier. It could have been founded by F. W. Matthiessen. He might have given it the first name, Kentucky Park Farms. Later, it was owned by Carleton F. Burke. He was the very first chairman of the California Horse Racing Board.

Ventura Farms in Movies and TV Shows

Movies started being filmed at the ranch when J.C. Dellinger owned it. Since then, Ventura Farms has appeared in many famous films and television series.

Movies

• In Old Kentucky (1935)
• Under Fiesta Stars (1941)
• San Fernando Valley (1944)
• My Pal Trigger (1946)
• Trail to San Antone (1947)
• The Paleface (1948)
• Never a Dull Moment (1950)
• Sons of New Mexico (1950)

Television

• The X-Files (in the 2001 episode The Gift)
• 24 (TV Series) (2006)
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020)
• Crisis (2014)
• Westworld (2016-present)
• 9-1-1 LoneStar (2021)