California Highway 101 Road Trip Migrant Farm Workers Photo

When traveling along Highway 101 in California you'll see California's farmland and its migrant workers.  From picking the strawberries to harvesting crops, the fields full of laborers can often be viewed as you speed by on the freeway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara in Camarillo and Oxnard on Highway 101.

Coming from Los Angeles and Sherman Oaks on Highway 101, you will go down a 7% grade at Conejo Pass. Next, you'll pass the road signs that say Camarillo. The workers are usually seen beyond the sign.

Integral to the local economy, they often pick crops such as strawberries and beans, or fruit such as avocados, limes, lemons and oranges. The strawberry season is noteworthy as California is a large exporter of berries to countries such as Japan. And throughout California there are numerous berry festivals, including the big Oxnard Strawberry Festival each May, greeting vacationers who enjoy strawberry dishes, colorful rides and contests.

Ventura County has attempted to keep open space dedicated to farming. Houses are being built and Highway 101 has been widened to an additional lane each direction for a total of six lanes north and southbound in Oxnard, but still, the traffic can come to a complete standstill for what seems like no reason at all.

For those exiting Los Angeles County, this region takes on an open and relaxing feel otherwise. Likewise, as you leave this area and head up the Conejo grade, it feels like you've left the country for the big city as the highway widens to anywhere from 8 to 12 lanes.