Tour Host Profile
| Highland Orchard Penryn Owners: Tony and Noreen Aguilar |
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The land now known as Highland Orchard was originally part of Penryn’s Citrus Colony, and was at one time owned by Harry Butler, son of Penryn founding father P.W. Butler. After the Great Depression Butler was forced into bankruptcy and the orchard passed through several hands before the Aguilar family acquired it in 1947. The Aguilars, along with dozens of Spanish farmers, came to the Rocklin area starting in 1912, after having been lured to Hawaii to harvest sugar cane and pineapples. Once their contracts were up, they were drawn to California by rumors of fertile land, plenty of water and the Mediterranean-type climate which is so similar to southern Spain. Today Tony and Noreen Aguilar and their son Tony, Jr. farm 40 acres. They started planting mandarins in 1990, with a five-year plan to plant 200 trees per year. Today they have 12 acres planted in mandarins, and Noreen Aguilar says “it’s not your father’s farming, where they took their fruit to the fruit sheds, saw it off on trains to who knows where, and they maybe earned some money at the end of the season.” Today they embrace direct marketing, with 60% of their mandarins sold on the farm and 40% to wholesalers. The mandarin harvest starts in mid-November and continues through mid-January. The Aguilar family, with the help of 4 pickers and 2 packers, sells their crop from the farm for two months each year. They enjoy the interaction with their customers, who can experience the whole process from orchard to table. Their customers know they can expect top quality at Highland Orchard, and return year after year for this great tasting winter treat.
Farm & Barn Tour Activities
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Take a guided walk of the orchard, attend a tree planting demonstration, or learn how mandarins are budded and about the origin of mandarins from local growers. Attend a talk on the history of the Penryn area at 11 AM or 1 PM or stroll displays of antique cars and tractors. Frisbee, the Farm & Barn poster mule, will be demonstrating mule farming techniques at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, and 2:30. Frisbee will also be available for pictures. Sheep dog demonstrations, tastings, music, and plein air painters are a few of the other attractions. Enjoy a picnic with a catered lunch of grilled chicken or a vegetarian option under the shade of the mandarins. |
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For information: (530)885-5670 |
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