Farm to Table

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FARM TO TABLE SPECIAL SECTION “They say, ‘Change or die. Evolve or die.’ We’ve had to make an evolution. The property is so wonderful. It has this amazing capacity for change.” Alisha Taff, Rock Front Ranch

LEN WOOD PHOTOS, STAFF

Alisha Taff holds a rack of bees and honey as her daughter, Ky, works on a hive at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria.

Rock Front Ranch has evolved, and flourished Seasonal honey is available at stores across Central Coast

JENNIFER BEST

Contributing Writer

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iving in the farm-to-table business world is an ever-changing affair. Case in point: Rock Front Ranch. Originally established as a cattle operation, the ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria also produced poultry, grains and other dry-farming crops. Through parcel splits and changes of ownership, the property has been winnowed down to its current 320acre configuration. Since 2003, Alisha Taff and Barney Skelton have worked to make it their own, first under lease, then through purchase in 2007. They ran cattle and trained horses on the property. Then came the drought. “It changed everything. We had to diversify. We made a significant effort to figure out what would live and work with what we have,” Taff said. They raised their daughter, Kayanne Skelton, amidst a maturing orchard of organic jujubes. The ancient Chinese date is popular in Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern European cooking, and has been used medicinally for centuries, according to the California Rare Fruit Growers, most popularly for sore throats. They replaced their traditional cover-crop planting practices with native cover crops that flourish with the natural sea-

WHAT’S INSIDE Kandarian Organic Farms sows seeds of ancient grains 00 1

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Alisha Taff offers a visitor a pear apple at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria. In the background is Taff’s daughter, Ky.

ABOVE: Ripe jujube fruit fills a bowl at Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria. LEFT: Rock Front Ranch off Highway 166 east of Santa Maria sells farm-made honey, sage and dried jujube fruit at area markets. sons. They’re worked back into the ground after the last frost to improve soil conditions. Rock Front Ranch Honey followed in 2013. Kayanne and Taff capitalized on beekeeping classes offered at Hancock College and became involved with the local beekeeping community. A beekeeper who runs his hives on the property for sage honey also

Terravant chef finds fun in new dishes, beautiful produce PAGE A3

Julia’s Juice Bar grew out of healing PAGE A4

proved invaluable in further educating the new beekeepers. “The beekeeping community is an incredibly tight-knit, supportive community,” Taff said. Today, jars of the sweet stuff featuring flavors of buckwheat, sage and other wildflowers can be found at Rutiz Farm, Whole Foods, Natural Food Co-Op, SLO Veg, El Rancho Markets, California Fresh and Albertson’s, among other outlets. Gladden and Sons Produce of Santa Barbara, which uses only pesticide-free, organic products, chooses Rock Front Ranch honey for its turmeric tonic and its kitchen. “I love providing a local, healthful product to people, but getting it out there is challenging. Please see ROCK FRONT, Page A8

Haute Skillet Catering brings fresh taste to you

Innovative Produce focuses on serving Santa Maria Valley

At Avila Valley Barn people know where their food comes from

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