Los Rios Rancho

I took a day trip with a group from two local junior college extension courses plus the Pasadena Senior Center to a hoe down Los Rios Rancho in Oak Glen, California. Oak Glen is in the San Bernardino Mountains about 1 1/2 hours from my home in Pasadena and is a major apple–growing area. To get there, you go through Yucaipa and then drive up a mountain to a little over 5,000 feet. I had not been in this area before, so it was a new place in Southern California to explore. I’ve also never been to a hoe down before.

The Wildlands Conservancy

The Wildlands Conservancy, a non–profit agency devoted to land preservation––that is,  preventing housing developments in wildland areas, purchased 2169 acres in Oak Glen. It leases the land back to the descendants of the original apple grove owners––the first apple orchard dates back to 1876. This area was almost subdivided into housing lots. However, the land in the foothills below the apple orchards has been developed but not with housing tracts. Instead, I was amazed to see country estates––very large houses with large properties.  This area is far enough from the city of Los Angeles that you can buy a houses of 4,00o to more than 5,000 square feet on over two acres for about the same price as a moderately priced small house on a city lot in LA.  But it snows in Oak Glen during the winter and I didn’t see any palm trees.

Los Rios Rancho

We didn’t walk around the ranch much as it was raining. It hardly ever rains this time of year and this was disappointing. The photo shows part of the apple orchard and I believe that is a peach tree at the front of the photo. Other fruit is also grown on this ranch besides 25 varieties of apples. At Los Rios Rancho, the apples are grown organically, one thing of more and more of importance to us Californians. Most of their apples are sold to the people who come to visit the ranch, with very few sold in stores.

At many of the orchards, you can pick your own apples. Apple season is from September to the end of October. Besides from the usual apples: delicious, pippin, etc., some unusual ones are also grown such as Ben Davis and Pink Pearl.

Los Rancho Rios

Another view of the orchard.

Los Rancho Rios

And one more.

The Hoe Down at Los Rancho Rios

A “hoe down” has a number of meanings. The hoe down at Los Rancho Rios was a barbecue and country music. Because of the rain, it was held inside. Not the best place for a hoe down atmosphere but fun anyway. The photo is of the barbecue lunch. This was not my plate but the one of the person sitting next to me as he put all the food offered on it (I didn’t have the beans or the barbecue sauce). We had a choice of either chicken or tri tip. I had the tri tip and it was delicious. The potato salad and biscuit also were delectable.  We had ice tea, coffee, and both hot and cold cider to drink. Here, apple cider is non–alcoholic. For desert, of course, was apple pie. I liked it as the apples in it still had some hardness in them (the way I make apple pie), but other people thought they should have been mushy.

Country Music-1: Movie

I have put four movies on of the hoe down country music show. This one is “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” I don’t know the names of the other three songs. The last name of  man on the right is  Riley, one of the descendants of the Riley family who started the apple farm. The man on his left is his son.

Some rude people on our tour were trying to talk over the music rather than listening to it. Those are the people you hear on the movie.

Country Music-2: Movie

The female in the movie is Riley’s wife.

Country Music-3: Movie

Country Music-4: Movie

Oak Glen Village

After leaving Los Ranchos Rios, we spent an hour at the Oak Glen Village, a complex of shops, restaurants, and bakeries plus a large amusement center for children. The amusement center had no activity because of the rain and also because we were there on a weekday.

I put more of the photos I took at the ranch and at the village on a slide show. Go to Slide Shows, United States, California, Oak Glen or directly to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/oak–glen–california/