Blossom Hill Ranch

Hands down one of the prettiest ranches on the Mendocino Coast. 1.9 mi from the Pacific Ocean, but out of the coastal zone. 181 pristine acres. Possible uses: Self-sufficient homestead, with amazing grasslands for rotational grazing of multiple species, Conference Center, Wedding Venue, Camp, Campground or RV park. Large and Lovely custom main home, and a charming and very separate 2nd home, currently rented. Amazing water, with two ponds, 3 year-round creeks, and a good spring. Two very large barns, one newer with great character, and one old with amazing character, as well as other ranch structures. Tiny county road and electricity traverses the property and allows easy access for commercial uses. Fantastic meadows for grazing, bring your animals. Beautiful redwood timber with potential for periodic income. A third old home provides potential for fix up. Do you have big plans? This gentle rolling ranch looking over the Pacific Ocean can accommodate your plans. Make an appointment to see.

$3,750,000

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The Main Home Compound:

The main home was originally constructed in the 1980’s. In 2008 a new partner in the ranch demolished most of the original house and built in its place the current two-story structure, but the economic downturn of 2008 caused him to lose a great deal of his assets, and he could not complete the construction. This left the home as a very large shell. The current owners purchased the ranch in 2013, and in 2014, with significant changes to floor plan, etc. finished the home to its current state. This involved engineering changes, structural changes, mostly new plumbing, mostly new electrical, and a completely new interior, including drywall, all fixtures, and all doors and flooring. Outside the existing siding was removed and new fiber cement siding and trim were added. It was a major overhaul and remodel of this structure. This also applied to the detached shop/garage and the crafts room and guest quarters above.

The current home is 3100 square feet and includes a large open beam great room with soaring windows on the south side to take in the view. Across the upper middle of the great room is a catwalk that provides access to a large game room/guest bedroom. The kitchen includes high end cabinetry and a large center island. Appliances include a convection oven, gas cooktop, dishwasher and stainless refrigerator. This well-equipped and quality kitchen is really set off by its lovely granite countertops. Off the dining room is a “butler’s pantry” matching the kitchen in quality and beauty.

The primary suite is on ground level, and includes a spacious room with a large bay window nook, and lots of windows to bring the outside in. The primary bathroom features, a large jetted tub, heated tile floors, a lovely tiled shower, and granite countertops. Off the bath is a large walk in closet. Outside of the primary suite is a small deck for morning coffee, and a hot tub. Other rooms on the ground floor, include a small “TV room” a full mud room bath with lovely shower, a large open mud room/hallway, and a huge laundry room with lots of cabinetry for storage.

On the second floor is the secondary suite with soaring ceilings, a full tiled bath with heated floor, the catwalk, and the game room. The main home is heated by a propane central heat furnace, and a gas fireplace in the living room. Small touches, like an motion detecting kitchen sink faucet, a pop up electrical plug in the island, and circulating hot water, for immediate hot water, are some of the features that make the home comfortable.

Attached to the main home is a sizeable single car garage, and detached from it, is a large 1 car garage and/or shop with an upstairs studio with full bath. In front of the house is a large composite deck, and behind the home is a small deck and large paver patio. Landscaping is extensive, consisting of hydrangeas, fuchsias, princess flowers, pelargoniums, echiums, and many other lovely flowers.

Above the main house is a newer barn that was finished in 2016, that includes a 2700 sq. ft. shop on cement slab, and a 2700 sq. ft. unfinished upper floor currently used as storage space. There is a large lean to style covered area as well. A 35 panel, grid tie, wholly owned solar system on the barn roof has supplied the power for these improvements for several years now. There are around 4 acres that are deer fenced around this main home area.

The Farmhouse Compound:

The farmhouse compound includes quite a number of buildings. There is “the farmhouse” which is a two-bedroom, one bath home of around 1400 sq. ft. in size. Built in 1936, it is a lovely old farmhouse, located in a setting to maximize the pastoral and ocean views, and to receive protection from the prevailing winds. It has a warm bright and cozy coastal feel to it and is very well built and maintained. Heat is provided from a fireplace, with a wood burning insert and monitor kerosene heater.

Just in back of the farmhouse is “the cabin” a small structure with two rooms and a bath, that needs updating for any meaningful use, but is generally a solid structure, as well as a one car garage and a large woodshed.

Even further back is a third “old farmhouse”. Built in the 1890’s, this house still stands tall, but would take significant upgrading, remodeling, and repair to make it a useful home. It is a third home on the ranch and if it were removed another cannot be rebuilt. Behind the “old farmhouse” is a large metal shed, used for storage of ranch materials, and a concrete block shed, that needs significant roof work to make it useable.

Last but by no means least, is the “old redwood barn” that lies just east of the farmhouse. This barn is one of a dying breed as one after another, our old barns disintegrate and fall down, but not this one, it has been well maintained, repaired as necessary, and is one of the best “old barns” in the county. Originally built as a dairy barn, currently the barn can be used for animals, for equipment storage, for hay storage, or if you want it has the potential to be used for weddings or other events. Two family weddings have taken place there in the past few years. It is a structure, with an abundance of character, and history, and includes things like hand hewn beams, and peg joints. Outside of the barn there are corrals, pens, and runs to work cattle or other animals in. The old rail fences, a small pond, the white corral fences, and abundant landscaping all help to make the “old farmhouse compound”, one of the most picturesque areas on the coast.

Potential Uses:

The Blossom Hill ranch is a beautiful, peaceful, property in a beautiful stretch of the California coast. It enjoys great weather, seldom above 70 degrees in the summer time and seldom below the 40’s in the winter time. The pacific ocean is a great temperature moderator. There are around 35 inches of average annual rainfall, and there is very little all day long fog. Typically the fog is gone by 10:00 am. There an amazing number of days of sunshine. The area is very rural with very few people living nearby, but it is only about a mile from a small village with a great grocery/hardware store, and a fire department, that serves the area from Elk to Gualala.

For many people the desired use is to enjoy a ranch in such an environment, but there is potential for much more. This ranch is very unique in that it is only 1.9 miles from the pacific ocean, and out of the coastal zone. Unfortunately property that is located in the coastal zone in California and in Mendocino County has almost no commercial potential, unless it had historically had a commercial use, and the regulation for doing anything, even building a barn, is greatly increased in the coastal zone. We have had clients who want a retreat center, or campground, or wedding venue etc. on the mendocino coast and it is virtually impossible to find a location for such endeavors, but the Blossom Hill ranch is the exception.

The zoning is Rangeland (RL) 160 acre minimum, and being outside of the coastal zone, with a major use permit, one can have uses that fall under the category of Transient Habitation – Resort and Recreational. This includes all types of retreat centers, wedding venues and many other potential uses. Also possible is Transient Habitation- Campground, which includes campgrounds, RV parks, and camp programs. I refer you to the attached links to the Mendocino County Zoning Code.

Other uses include a place to develop into a self-sufficient homestead, if one of the many potential problems in the world, caused a major disruption of our society. There is potential to grow your own food, thorough livestock, and chickens, and fruits and vegetables, to be off the grid, to be self sufficient for water, and most everything we are so dependent on in our society. A place for the family to come to if things get bad. A few additions would enhance this use, batteries for the solar system at the main house, a second solar system for the “farmhouse compound”, a high tunnel greenhouse to grow vegies in, and a wood furnace for the main house.

Looking for money making endeavors from a small ranch, a combination of uses may be the ticket. The property would be ideal for making into a wedding/event venue, growing a couple acres of lavender for on site lavender products, raising animals for meat and selling direct to consumer and having a few RV sites and camp sites to augment product sales and event rentals.

Zoning Code - Rangeland

Transient Habitation Definition

The Water:

The blossom hill ranch is blessed with good water. There are two year-round ponds, a seasonal pond, and three year-round streams, as well as a spring that is located just above the property that has been a water source since the 1800’s.

The larger of the two ponds is around 1/2 acre of surface area and fills naturally in the winter from winter runoff. The pond is a haven for wildlife, it has abundant numbers of Bluegill fish, some small trout that were recently stocked, and it teams with frogs, polliwogs, and bug life. In addition, during the winter there are usually several Bufflehead ducks that live on the pond, and often there are mallard hens that raise their ducklings there. Blue herons, king fishers, and hawks hang around for a frog or fish dinner as well. All of the local wildlife is attracted to the pond as well for a nearby drink of water.

The smaller pond is just below “the farmhouse” on the property. It too fills in the winter and has some water in it year round. Again, there are bluegill and some small trout in this pond.

The third pond is located on the upper end of the main meadow, and it is a natural depression in the land that fills when substantial rain falls and drains quickly after the rains stop. This is also a stopping place for ducks in the winter.

The main creek on the ranch is Brush Creek. This is a strong lovely year-round stream, that has a small but very decent flow in the late summer, and at times during heavy rains can be a torrent in the winter. Brush creek flows through the lower end of the ranch. It is lined by large Alder trees, and lots of other coastal riparian vegetation. There is a riparian water right that has been utilized in the past to irrigate some of the lower, flatter pastures. Like all coastal streams it is a magnet to wildlife, and there are runs of steelhead, and salmon that come up in winter, and there are small steelhead trout growing in it’s waters the rest of the year. Brush Creek has it’s headwaters several miles inland, off of Mountain View road, and runs through pristine forest and meadow lands and one very steep rugged canyon, before coming onto the alluvial plain at Manchester.

The other two creeks are located in steeper, more heavily timbered draws, and are very small but year-round. One is called Spanish Creek, the other is unnamed. They come together just off the property, and then come into Brush creek on the west side of the property. These creeks also carry small steelhead trout at times.

The spring is located around 100 feet above the upper property line on the neighbors property. It is developed with a large pipe in the ground, and from there it gravity flows to water tanks below on the property. From those two tanks, it gravity flows to the main home compound, and the 2nd home compound. Irrigation water for the main home is pumped from a shallow well on Spanish creek below the home.

The Meadows:

There are around 110 acres of good grazing meadows on the Blossom Hill Ranch. These include 4 small essentially flat meadows along both sides of Brush Creek, the largest of which is about 6.5 acres. The remainder of the meadows range from very gently rolling to moderately steep meadows. The current owner has mowed up to around 90 acres of the meadows with a 4-wheel drive tractor for the past few years. All this mowing is not essential, but it is done for pasture improvement, and reducing potential fire fuel. The past mowing has greatly reduced the number of undesirable weeds in the meadows, including California Blackberry, wild cucumber, bracken fern, wild iris, coyote brush, various thistles, and other weeds, and has enhanced the local grasses that livestock depend on. There are about 10 acres in the meadows just south of the old redwood barn that were tilled and seeded with a mix of clovers, perineal ryegrass, and orchard grass, to rejuvenate an area where the grass was weaker. Last winter those grasses grew in strong, and they are ready for grazing now. The property has been leased to a neighbor for grazing purposes for many years, and the owners are working on a new grazing lease, that can be cancelled upon sale if a new buyer desires. Traditionally the property carries 25 to 30 cow calf pairs, with supplemental hay in the winter/early spring. It is estimated that around 40 acres of the property could be bailed into grass hay if desired.

The best way to continue to improve the meadows, and to maximize meat production on the property would be to set up a program of rotational grazing, using traditional fencing, electric fencing or virtual fencing. Many progressive ranchers run both cattle and goats as they eat different plants, and the goats tend to improve the quality of the meadows as well, by eating what we consider weeds. Rotational grazing promotes the health of the meadows by never overgrazing areas, and the health of the animals that graze them by reducing parasite loads.

Most of the ranch is in the Williamson Act, (Ag. Preserve) which provides significantly lower property taxes for the undeveloped areas of the ranch, but requires that the ranch be grazed, and produce some income. If it is not used for agricultural grazing purposes, the county can cancel the ag preserve.

The area that is not in the Ag. Preserve, is zoned TP (Timber Production) and it also enjoys a reduced property tax bill.

The meadows are not irrigated, but there is the potential of irrigating some of the flat meadows down by brush creek, by pumping directly from the creek. This has been done in the past and there is still an active water right for this purpose. We suggest a buyer research water rights and fish and game requirements to satisfy themselves regarding potential for pasture irrigation.

The Wildlife:

Blossom Hill ranch has a huge assortment of wildlife to appreciate and locate. In day-to-day activities on the ranch several species are commonly seen. They include Bobcats hunting the meadows for their breakfast and dinner, wild turkeys roaming the meadows and forests for seeds, bugs and small creatures, and Pacific Blacktail Deer moving here and there to graze and browse. On a more occasional basis common sightings include grey foxes, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, and river otters. There are always an abundance of hawks circling overhead or perched on a pole waiting to catch lunch. Owls are very common at night, great horned owls sitting on the wire in front of the main home at dusk, barn owls screeching overhead, and hanging out in the old barn. Ducks, blue herons, and even occasionally migrating geese hang out by the ponds, and occasionally sea birds like cormorants and osprey visit as well.

Meadow mice and gophers are abundant and provide prey for many of the small predators. There are large predators as well, that include an occasional mountain lion, or black bear. While mountain lions and bears are rarely seen, they can be caught on trail cams. Having trail cams out, brings into your living room a host of fun wildlife video clips.

We have compiled a few trail cam video clips below for your enjoyment.

Mushrooms:

Hunting mushrooms is like an easter egg hunt for adults, and this lovely ranch has a lot of fungi to hunt and identify. Fungi is a living organism under the ground, and its fruit are mushrooms that push up from under the ground. Because it is a living organism, the many different kinds of mushrooms tend to come up from the ground in the same general areas, year after year. The Blossom Hill ranch is blessed with great numbers of mushrooms, and many varieties of them. As one gets to know the ranch, you get to know the locations where they reoccur. Eating wild mushrooms can reward the taste buds with many great tastes, but it can come with substantial risks as well, even death. We recommend getting very educated in identifying mushrooms, before eating any mushrooms, and remember there are good mushrooms with not so good look alikes. That being said, if you like to hunt mushrooms the Blossom Hill ranch will reward your efforts.

There are probably literally hundreds of different mushrooms on the ranch, but some of our favorite for eating, and identifying are:

1. The Prince

2. King Boletes

3. Hedge Hogs

4. Bluettes

5. Corals

6. Candy Caps

7. Club mushrooms

8. Slippery Jacks

9. Satan’s Bolete

10. Coccora

11. Very occasional chanterelles