Hollister Ranch: Sense of Place

Sense of Place
"Wild and windswept, the Ranch is a place out of time, a place where nature's forces still prevail. The sky is real here, the earth hums with life, and one cannot pass through without being aware of the astounding beauty that surrounds us. Jane Hollister Wheelwright referred to this as the land that raised her, and it does have a way of shaping the soul and adjusting priorities. That's the spirit of the Ranch, and it makes us a community. We are grateful to be here; we recognize our responsibility as stewards."

— From a Hollister Ranch Design Committee brochure
For more information and photos, check out our friend Rick Sawyer's real estate site: HollisterRanch.com

The Heritage of the Hollister Ranch

The Heritage of the Hollister Ranch
"The Hollister Ranch is located in a unique part of the world, a 14,600-acre stretch of coastal California that has remained relatively unchanged over the centuries. It comprises 136 parcels, overlaid by a single cattle operation managed by the Hollister Ranch Cooperative. More than 98% of the land is designated to remain as open space.

"The Ranch and adjacent shoreline is a preserve of wildlife, diverse botanical resources, and thriving intertidal sea life, containing flora and fauna from northern and southern bio-regions, in addition to several species found nowhere else.

"It is impossible to be at the Ranch and not be aware of its compelling beauty. Gnarled old oak and sycamore trees living along its creeks and canyons, and a visitor from the distance past would recognize the shadowed faces of the hills. The survival of the Ranch is a miracle of sorts, helped along the way by wise land use decisions, responsible stewardship, cooperative effort, and a good deal of luck. It is a legacy that inspires gratitude and respect, and it is the foundation upon which our diverse community is built."

—From a Hollister Ranch Design Committee brochure.
For more information and photos, check out our friend Rick Sawyer's real estate site: HollisterRanch.com

Gaviota Peak Hike Tomorrow

The Santa Barbara County Trails Events Meetup Group is hiking the Gaviota Peak via the Trespass Trail tomorrow, Saturday September 24, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Hike link here.

Gaviota Peak

Photo of Santa Rosa Island taken from the top of Gaviota Peak. See full slideshow of hike up this (wonderful) trail.

Gaviota Sunrise

Hollister Ranch on Curbed.com

Yesterday, the very popular real estate site Curbed.com posted a home page feature on Gaviota's Hollister Ranch. The post, titled "Bane to Surfers, Hollister Ranch Makes The Outdoors Exclusive" covered a few properties for sale and rent. This is how the author summed up the Hollister Ranch:

The 14,400-acre seaside tract north of Santa Barbara, Calif. known as Hollister Ranch has been a ranch since the tail end of the 18th century, and was acquired by the Hollister family in 1869. In 1971, a developer subdivided the coveted property into 136 parcels, each measuring 100-acres. With 8.5 miles of pristine shared beach, a beach club complex, 24-hour security, a 500-head shared herd of cattle, and strict community guest policy make for a unique blend of celebrity-level privacy and rustic Old West ranching. The focus on limited access has made the gated community a villain to local surfers, who now boat in and anchor off the coast to access Hollister's legendary breaks. And yes, in case you were wondering, the Abercrombie & Fitch spinoff Hollister Co. takes its name from the ranch. That sounds like strike two for, er, real surfers. One way around all the access b.s. is to buy or rent a place, but you'll need to be a millionaire beach bum for that.

Jalama Road Family Farmstand

The September issue of 805 Living covers this amazing little jewel of a farm in the Jalama area of Gaviota. Digital copy here. They use an honor box throughout the week and are present at the stand on the weekends (see their site for hours). This issue also features our friend Dane Uhler who teaches microbeekeeping in the area. Awesome.