About Greenfield

Greenfield (formerly, Clarke Colony) is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Greenfield is located 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 289 feet (88 m). The city was the fastest growing in the county during the 2000s, the population was 12,583 in 2000, increasing to 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most well-known public event is the annual Harvest Festival. Greenfield is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.

John S. Clarke and other promoters laid out the town from 1902 to 1905 on part of the Rancho Arroyo Seco Mexican land grant. The original name of Clarke City was rejected by the post office which established Greenfield post office in 1905. Greenfield incorporated in 1947.

Greenfield traces its roots to 1905 and the creation of Clark Colony Water Company, which built a network of irrigation canals and filled them with water from the nearby Arroyo Seco AVA. Greenfield's central location makes it a "springboard" to a number of Southern Monterey County attractions. There are plans on building a museum on Greenfield's history. Construction is said to start in 2008 or 2009.

Greenfield is located in one of the developing wine grape growing regions of California with over twenty vineyards and wineries within a thirty mile radius, several of which have tasting rooms and offer a wide selection of wines for sale. Some of the Vineyards and Wineries located nearby are Chalone, Scheid, Paraiso Vineyards, Pisoni Vineyards, Hahn Estates Smith & Hook, San Saba, J.Lohr, Kendall-Jackson, Ventana, Hess Select, Estancia, The Michaud Vineyard, and Graff Family Vineyard.

The city of Greenfield is centered in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. 80% of the lettuce grown in the United States is grown in the Salinas Valley. The area has often been coined as the "Salad Bowl of the World". Over $2 billion(US) worth of fruits and vegetables are produced and shipped annually across the U.S. and abroad. As a result many major vegetable producers are headquartered in the nearby city of Salinas. Local tourism is increasing as more people are attracted to the area, which is also known as the center of "Steinbeck Country" because of famed author John Steinbeck. The area is also known as a premier wine grape growing region due to the rich soil and desirable climate. Vineyards, wineries and wine tasting rooms continue to expand throughout the region.