The time has come...the Hendersons have found a new place to settle! The ecoregion is the intersection between the Central Valley, Coast Ranges, and the Cascades, the area is northern California, the town is Redding, and the street is Campo Calle (which sounds a bit backwards/anglicized to me). Anyway, we are moving to this Spanish ranch house in the hills west of town. The area actually was part of an early Mexican Land Grant dating back to 1843 - Rancho Buena Ventura. Land was granted to P.B. Reading by Mexican Governor Micheltorena and John Sutter, his alcalde. Our place is located just west of Buenaventura Boulevard. I would call the overall climate "northern Mediterranean" - hot summers, mild but somewhat frosty winters. USDA and Sunset Zone 9.
As a serious farmer concerned about microclimates, this location of the property has much appeal to me. It is in the "thermal belt" of west Redding which lies about 600-800 feet in elevation. This zone is subject to light frosts for a few months in winter, allowing the cultivation of subtropical fruits, along with olives, grapes, figs, and all of the stone fruits and pomes. We chose the lean soils and nighttime warmth of the hills rather than the better soils in the frosty valley bottoms. There are established and fruit-bearing citrus trees on the property among other things.
It was a very tough decision to move, and we literally looked all over California before deciding. The Redding area seems to make the most sense for us. It is beautiful and affordable, and has abundant public land but also has affordable real estate. For the first time ever, we will live in a great school district, and can be in the country but still very close to town and the things that towns tend to offer. The property is covered with native vegetation, including oaks and gray pines, along with lots of other native plants of all shapes and sizes that will be fun to identify in the coming months. Below you can see the lot and our long, long driveway (about 900 feet). Plenty of space I reckon - 18.3 acres. This should be goat heaven.
Working on the water issues here was a most appropriate precursor to my new job as Watershed Coordinator for Cal Fish and Game. I will be looking after the rivers and streams in several of my favorite counties - Lassen, Shasta, Modoc, Tehama, and eastern Trinity.
It is hard to leave Goat Hollow and Bishop, but we are most grateful for the friends we have made and all we have learned about growing food in this climate.
Stay tuned for updates and photos of the property as we explore (no, we did not even walk the entire property before buying it!)
posted by Brad
