Tour Host Profile
| Beard Ranch Auburn Owner: Patti Beard |
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Patti Beard's parents, Joseph & Edna Beard, bought this 134-acre ranch from the Berg family in 1955. The Beards had previously owned a ranch in Citrus Heights where they raised dairy cattle and oranges. Once development began to surround them in Citrus Height, they began looking for a ranch further up the hill. This property was appealing because it has water at the top of the ranch, allowing gravity-fed irrigation. The spring on the property, named “Cold Spring” was an ancient Indian camp, and has never dried up even in the driest years.
The newly named 7B Ranch, for Joseph, Edna and their five children, became a dairy ranch. Holsteins were raised for their high milk volume and Guernseys for butterfat. Placer County was once home to over 60 dairies. By the 1960s the dairy business was waning, with just three dairies remaining. Patti Beard’s brother Joseph, Jr and his wife Barbara owned the Lonestar Dairy at Highway 49 near Lonestar Road. Lonestar Dairy and Anderson Dairy, which was located at Highway 49 and Dry Creek Road, no longer exist. In 1969 the Beards quit the dairy business and converted to a cow-calf operation.
Patti Beard purchased the ranch from her family in 1982. Today she has 60 “mama cows”, each giving birth to a calf in the spring or the fall. She has 40 acres of irrigated pasture on the Beard Ranch and leases another 400 acres of pasture in Auburn and Lincoln. It is a typical small cow-calf ranch, with the calves sold from the ranch. Many of the facilities used to process the cattle will be demonstrated on tour day.
Farm & Barn Tour Activities
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The ranch will offer many animal activities including sheepdog and cattle working demonstrations and livestock identification. You may also hear about local history from some old timers at 10 AM and 2 PM. While waiting for the history talk, take a walk to “Cold Spring” pond, which was an ancient Indian camp, or take a pasture walk to learn about different types of vegetation, trees, rock formations and even see the old Bobcat Quartz Mine. Enjoy a wagon ride or walk among the scarecrows while eating a piece of blackberry pie. You may purchase lunch served up cattle ranch style with hamburgers and beans. Watch Plein Air artists at work, see Kurt Barton’s award-wining scarecrows and talk to 4-H members about their projects while listening to country music. Come share a fun-filled day at the Beard Ranch. |
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For information: (530)885-5670 |
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