My late husband, my five children and I have been farming in the San Joaquin Valley since the mid seventies. My children are now second generation growers.
During this period of time we have seen a very disturbing loss of prime level farm land being covered by houses.
When we bought our Elderwood Heights property it was and still is zoned by the county as suitable for one acre home sites. Eight years ago we began working with the county on a development plan for this property. We complied with every requirement paying qualified experts for each test required. We redesigned and reduced the number of lots as requested and are providing 42 acres of open space for recreational use, and a walking and equestrian trail around the entire perimeter.
We have done exactly what the county development plan considers desirable. Is it not better to have homes on land admittedly difficult to farm than to destroy forever more prime farm land for the same number of homes?
Lilian Roberts Kimble