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November 5, 2006
Down on the Ranch
The Juniper Ridge crew at the Varian Family's V6 ranch
For the past two summers, we’ve harvested Juniper at Jack and Zee Varian’s stunningly gorgeous, 25,000 acre ranch in central California. But I can never figure out why Jack wants anything to do with us. Whenever we show up, he spends half his time helping us with our various car-related troubles, digging us out of the sand, opening gate locks we can’t figure out how to open etc.… In short, while we may we look nice people, we’re clueless big city types, and Jack probably cringes and buries his head in his hands every time we cross the county line. On our last trip, I drove our harvesting truck into a sandy wash and got stuck. While I was spinning my tires, Jack walked up, looked at the sickly, plaintive smile on my face, and said, without a hint of irritation as if it was in his plans all along, “I’ll go get my tractor.†When I asked him later if he was sick of us yet, he laughed and told me about a San Francisco friend who comes down to hunt on his ranch, and how he used to always get his car stuck, but eventually learned how to drive around the ranch. We’ll get it down, too, Jack, really we will!
Me and my rancher hero, Jack Varian
In his spare time when he’s not busy bailing us out, Jack runs the big V6 Ranch, taking care of sick livestock, managing rangeland, buying cattle and generally doing the million and one things it takes to run a ranch. Jack has so many skills and interests, I can’t begin to fit them all in here—he is an architect and carpenter (he built his own house and half the buildings in the neighboring town of Parkfield), an incredibly talented iron sculptor (check out Parkfield’s amazing antique boiler fountains), an activist in preserving local range land from L.A.’s creeping sprawl (he sold the development rights to his ranch to an open land trust and was instrumental in getting the neighboring 80,000-acre Hearst Ranch to do the same) and ecological steward who likes to quote Aldo Leopold and prioritizes the long-term health of his land over short-term profits. He has a gentle, engaging way about him that has thoroughly charmed all of us so much so that we cultishly talk about him all the time (“Remember when Jack was telling us about how to spot a sick cow?â€). He’s also 72 years old and not only harvests Juniper with us for fun, but when we start fading in the heat of the day, he just seems to get stronger. He’s such a great worker, I wish I could hire him, but I guess he’s already got a full-time job—one that he’s very, very good at. Thanks for the great times Jack, and keep up the good work!
For more information on the V6 Ranch, Parkfield and the various Varian family enterprises such as the Parkfield Bluegrass Festival and Rodeo, go to www.parkfield.com. If you make it down to Parkfield for the Bluegrass Festival, look for the Juniper Ridge crew as we are planning our annual trip to coincide with it.
Jane harvesting Juniper Boughs - note that she is trimming around the outside of the tree. The tree itself in unharmed and responds well to the pruning by putting on new growth the following year.
Here's how we get the juniper boughs to the harvesting truck - we clip onto the tarps and drag it to the truck. Juniper harvesting must be really boring because for some reason it always seems like fun when we get to drag a full tarp back to the truck.
Once we've dragged the Juniper boughs to the truck, we throw the Juniper into the back of the truck.
Vicki demonstrating an alternate technique for getting the boughs into the truck
Hall stares moodily into the eyes of his lover, Juniper
Speaking of lovers, Reese and Jane glowing for the camera
Celebrating at the end of the harvest - we've got a full truck of Juniper, and we're heading home! Thanks to Vicki, Jane and Reese for a great harvesting trip - I had so much fun with all of you!
Posted by juniperridge in Wildcrafting
Comments
I'm addicted to all of your products... they all remind me of my childhood, growing up in the high desert, cutting firewood with my Dad. And now, even my days at the Oregon coast. Thank-you for what you do. I envy the simplicity of working in the wilderness and with the land.
Posted by: Myrya at December 10, 2006 6:13 PM
