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Tropical Fruit Discussion / Starting a farm in Southern California
« on: November 17, 2023, 04:08:17 PM »
I’ve posted previously about an old avocado orchard we are restoring in Fallbrook.
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=49059.0
This post is about the first property we bought a couple of miles away. We refer to this property as the Farm and the second as the Orchard.
In May of 2020, we found a 16 acre property in San Diego County to start our family farm. We had been looking at farm properties on and off since 2006. There are really nice farms for sale, but anything with a decent house and mature trees come at a premium. We were looking for a diamond in the rough where we could build value over time through sweat equity.
The previous owner had cleared the flat area at the top of the property which I think is about 4 acres. They put a tiny house trailer on it and put up solar panels and a little shed. The structures are not built well. Scott put some temporary supports in areas that were falling apart. We will rebuild, but for now we’re focusing on the land.
We are hooked up to city water for irrigation, but one of the first things we invested in was a well. They had to drill twice because the first hole collapsed. The well is 490 feet deep and we get about 35 gallons per minute.
Most of the property has been left undisturbed and is covered with natives. It’s completely overgrown and there’s lots of dead underbrush and old trees that need pruning and lots of love. We have to clear trails to access the property and there’s a lot of poison oak.
There is a seasonal creek that flows for half the year and when the rainy season starts in the fall, the property comes to life. When we first visited the property in early May, we could hear the creek flowing from the top of the hill. There wasn’t any access to see it, but it was one of the main reasons we decided to buy it that day.
For those not familiar with the climate in Southern California, we usually don’t get any rain from late spring until the fall around November. That’s the biggest challenge to farming here. The natives have adapted and go dormant during the summer months, so the property seems so dry especially after the creek dries up around the beginning of July.
Our goal is to develop our farm using concepts of agroecology and utilize rainwater harvesting techniques to try and be as efficient with water as possible. We are working to restore the native ecosystem, grow a diversity of food, and co-create a beautiful farm with nature.
Janet
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=49059.0
This post is about the first property we bought a couple of miles away. We refer to this property as the Farm and the second as the Orchard.
In May of 2020, we found a 16 acre property in San Diego County to start our family farm. We had been looking at farm properties on and off since 2006. There are really nice farms for sale, but anything with a decent house and mature trees come at a premium. We were looking for a diamond in the rough where we could build value over time through sweat equity.
The previous owner had cleared the flat area at the top of the property which I think is about 4 acres. They put a tiny house trailer on it and put up solar panels and a little shed. The structures are not built well. Scott put some temporary supports in areas that were falling apart. We will rebuild, but for now we’re focusing on the land.
We are hooked up to city water for irrigation, but one of the first things we invested in was a well. They had to drill twice because the first hole collapsed. The well is 490 feet deep and we get about 35 gallons per minute.
Most of the property has been left undisturbed and is covered with natives. It’s completely overgrown and there’s lots of dead underbrush and old trees that need pruning and lots of love. We have to clear trails to access the property and there’s a lot of poison oak.
There is a seasonal creek that flows for half the year and when the rainy season starts in the fall, the property comes to life. When we first visited the property in early May, we could hear the creek flowing from the top of the hill. There wasn’t any access to see it, but it was one of the main reasons we decided to buy it that day.
For those not familiar with the climate in Southern California, we usually don’t get any rain from late spring until the fall around November. That’s the biggest challenge to farming here. The natives have adapted and go dormant during the summer months, so the property seems so dry especially after the creek dries up around the beginning of July.
Our goal is to develop our farm using concepts of agroecology and utilize rainwater harvesting techniques to try and be as efficient with water as possible. We are working to restore the native ecosystem, grow a diversity of food, and co-create a beautiful farm with nature.
Janet
