Water, Wind, Wood, Work

The rain has been coming down in torrents. The wind has been gusting as much as 60 miles per hour! Last night the National Weather Service said 2-4 inches of snow would still be on the ground Thursday morning. I skeedaddled down to the Bay Area when I heard that. (I wasn't driving to work in awful weather this morning.) Another tree fell across Perry Creek in this storm. (PGE does no one a favor when they top those pine trees. They inevitably die.) Between the heavy snow in December, the rain this winter and these high winds, any weak trees still standing are coming down!

My oldest daughter, Alanna, and her boyfriend, Patrick, have been at the ranch the last few weekends. They worked hard to cut the downed trees and limbs, just the right size for a fireplace. Some were walnut trees that had to come out, others were oak trees that had to be removed to make way for the road and power to the new house. The orchard is looking downright cared for! Mom and Dad were up this past weekend, too. Dad sharpened chainsaws, Mom cooked great tasting meals. We even did some re-organizing in the barn!

It's so nice to have a warm and comfy house to retreat to after a days work. Still have lots to do.... but that's how it goes on a ranch. I'm looking forward to being together with family again this weekend. Never an empty to do list 'round here!

108 Years Later - The Work Continues

30 years ago this summer, my father built a little cabin on the southwestern-most corner of the original ranch. 6 acres of Franquette walnut trees were put in by my parents, Paul and Alice Clary, shortly after. Each year, after we harvested the BIG orchard, we would harvest "our" orchard. Over the years, as more and more of our spare time was required on the BIG orchard, "our" little orchard was a bit neglected. What would we do? Read more about how a dream to keep the ranch for another hundred years led us to green walnut harvests on our website: www.claryridgeranch.com

We are busy fertilizing and tending to the trees that aren't so little anymore. They yielded a small but healthy green harvest this past June. We sold them locally and via LocalHarvest. There is a market for these green walnuts, throughout the United States and even Canada. You can make your own with our green walnuts, but we believe you'll love Clary Ridge Ranch Vin de Noix, made in collaboration with my brother, Paul Clary, Owner and Winemaker of Clary Ranch Wines.