Hartnell College
411 Central Ave., Salinas (main campus)
(831) 755-6700, hartnell.edu
Zoom out above rural Monterey County and it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see the crop fields below like an intricate topographical chess board. In the local multibillion-dollar (yes, billion!) agricultural industry, Hartnell College is like the Bobby Fischer or (the fictional) Beth Harmon of it all, mastering the techniques and tapping into local resources to educate future generations of growers, engineers and food scientists, class after class, on campuses in Salinas, Soledad, King City and Castroville. The robust ag department offers multiple certificates and degrees in everything from plant science and food safety to mechatronics and business. Now that’s playing the field!
