Family Farmers -History of the Land

The property that Family Farmers Produce resides has deep roots in the history of what is known now as Garner Valley. Early settlers and cattle ranchers maintained the land and their efforts and progress is still seen today.

We owe a lot of what is known in historical context to Margaret Wellman Jaenke, a fifth-generation descendant of Anza Valley pioneers and founder of the Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation. She wrote 3 books and the museum holds a significant collection of early photographs of life on the land.

You can visit and explore much at: https://www.hamiltonmuseum.org/

"This is Jim Wellman's Kenworthy Home that can be seen just off the west side of Highway 74 in what is today Garner Valley. This house was built in the 1930s and featured running water in the kitchen. It also featured a metal bath tub which required heating and carrying the water from the kitchen. Jim Wellman had several homes close to where he grazed his cattle. As the cattle were moved, the family moved." - https://www.hamiltonmuseum.org/site/main?page=be672b99165aba5c1648da83ea764838&r=9a0fe84d2a4f36b57fa45852669ebee0&desc=Jim+Wellman+Kenworthy+Home

Here's a photo of the house today!

Today, we reside in the house with a few upgrades of course. We are happy to share the history and uphold the practices of raising livestock and growing agriculture on the land.

"The windmill still standing there beside the highway is the same one we used to pump water up to the tank for the house and any livestock we happened to have around the house at the time. Usually we kept a milk cow and her calf, a couple of horses, and sometimes a few pigs there." -The Good Ole Days

The windmill, the house, and the land are like going back in time. The old windmill still has the ability to pump water with out electricity! The old out house still remains and there's much work to keep it going.

The historical significance of the site is another reason to visit us at Family Farmers Produce. We hope that if you cherish the past and want to support our ability to restore the buildings properly for future generations to look back on, that you can help by making a donation. We cannot thank you enough for your support!