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Jacobsen Ranch, Chileno
Valley Nearly one-and-one-half miles of Chileno Creek meander through the thriving pasturelands, making the 987-acre property an important part of the Walker Creek watershed. Because of its picturesque setting and its proximity to Petaluma, the acreage might easily have been targeted by a developer for estate homes or subdivision. Ruthelma’s late husband, Elray Jacobsen, learned about cattle from his father, who immigrated from Denmark and bought ranch property in Petaluma. After high school and a stint in the service, Elray married Ruthelma Peterson in 1941. They raised two daughters and a son while Elray worked in partnership with his father and brother. He struck out on his own in 1968 when he and Ruthelma traded their 105-acre Petaluma ranch for a 987-acre ranch in Chileno Valley. “We went from adobe flats to almost 1,000 beautiful acres,” she recalls. “We just fell in love with this place.” Elray eventually became one of the biggest cattle dealers in northern California, buying steer calves from dairies and reselling them to meat producers. After his death in 1992, Ruthelma wanted to continue the business, but found she had a lot to learn. “After Elray was gone, I was on my own.” With the help of her grandson, she attended sales, bought cattle, and ran the operation for another 13 years until her retirement in 2003. “John’s been helping out here since he was 12 years old. I don’t know what I would have done without him. He’s my right-hand man.” Like his grandfather and his great-grandfather, John is a cattleman through and through. He learned the skill of brokering commercial beef cows from them, and developed a reputation for quality by concentrating on the best of the breed. Today the ranch he manages for his grandmother is known both for its productive pastureland and for his own J.G. Angus purebred bull operation. “I’m taking this ranch to a whole new level,” he says. “I use the best growth bulls in the breed so commercial cattlemen can get bigger and higher quality calves. I use the best cow families so these producers can raise exceptional replacement females out of my herd bulls. This, in turn, will improve their herd’s genetic quality and will command a premium on animals they market. That’s my job as a seed stock producer.” MALT paid the appraised value of $2,100,000 for the easement. The Department of Conservation provided a grant of $1,000,000. The remainder of the funds were raised from MALT members and supporters. “This agreement is another great example of partnerships that help to preserve and protect productive farmland, precious habitat and open space,” said Secretary for Resources Mike Chrisman. “Stewardship in the public trust and a commitment to work together for the good of our farms, families, and communities have allowed us to establish a Jacobsen Ranch legacy that will inspire pride for generations to come.” Thanks to the sale of the easement, Ruthelma and John have begun repairing fences and buildings, upgrading barns, and making other improvements to paddocks and pastures. They’re working with Marin Resource Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to control erosion by fencing the creek and restoring the riparian areas which have the potential of providing more habitat for salmon, steelhead, and migratory birds. John currently runs 200 registered cows and plans to expand to 240 animals next year. “He’s talented as all get-out,” Ruthelma says
of her grandson. “I’m just so lucky that he cares. He’s
going to carry on for his grandfather.” Home | Site Map | Terms of Use |
