A Letter from Jack, February 1999
Recently we were deeply honored to be recognized as one of Holistic Management International’s 40 Leaders in Regenerative Agriculture. Their work has been vital to our conservation journey so it truly means a lot to all of us here on the ranch. To mark this honor, we wanted to share a letter Jack wrote about the V6 in 1999 when we had just started the process of securing our Conservation Easement, another essential aspect of our conservation journey.
February 22, 1999
I always have trouble when discussing the Diablo Mountains and more particularly the Parkfield portion of them, in a strictly factual manner as my zeal for their preservation always surfaces leaving the facts to be plucked from my sensibilities about this very special place.
The Diablo Range, I believe is probably the largest tract of private lands between Los Angeles and San Francisco that still resides in a very similar condition as it was fifty or even a hundred years ago. Because of a lack of infrastructure except what has been necessary for cattle ranching and dry land farming and a harsher climate compared to other parts of California the Diablo Range has lolled in the backwaters of California's phenomenal growth since the 1849 gold rush. It seemed like each time some economic spoil might come it's way, like oil that was never discovered, or quick silver that yielded a few bursts of localized wealth or the short lived homesteader who found they couldn't make a living from 160 acres of Diablo Range soils. So every time after one or another venture failed the Diablos went back to doing what it does best and that is to raise the most beautiful scenery in the state.
Our oak woodlands are second to none. The complexity of our grass and chaparral lands is very good. And because of the evolution over the years toward larger ranches in order to form economic units open space has been preserved in the process, thus providing plenty of food, cover and space to sustain the critters that live here. These animals that call the Diablos their home are a who's who of California wildlife, from the kangaroo rat to the mountain lion and everything in between.
This land has a rich history of different Indian tribes that lived part of their time in the Salinas and San Joaquin Valleys, then traveled to these mountains to hunt and gather acorns from one of the best and still vigorous oak woodlands.
But what about this beautiful forgotten corner of California. I'm fearful that as California's pell-mell rush to become the most crowded state in the union continues, Camelot will be discovered. And if our history is our future it will be pillaged as much of the rest of our state has been.
This does not have to be our destiny, for there is now, at this moment, a window of opportunity that may have as long as ten years before the added millions push their way into this last frontier of what California once was.
The answer lies with the conservation easement. This option can be our salvation, for it does the most important thing first and that is:
) It guarantees open space in perpetuity removed from the political whims of zoning.
) The now protected surface rights owner, who understand the land better than anybody is still in place. To those of you who say he might have abused his stewardship I say to you that we ranchers and farmers are changing. As leaders in our agricultural community explore new ways to preserve our way of life and succeed, then the others will surely follow. A preview of what is to come will be based on holistic management. For when we consider the basic practice of harvesting sunlight through green plants we find that there accrues to this concept almost unlimited opportunities, such as recreation, and all it's sub-headings like, bird watching, cattle drives, trail rides and bike rides, hunting and fishing, contemplating and rejuvenating, they all depend on growing things.
) Grazing our livestock in a manner that restores the symbiotic relationship with the green things that demand proper grazing in order to survive.
) Riparian areas when restored provide a solid economic return and loveliness to feed our spirit.
) The Spaniards that first settled this area left a fine tradition of training horses for the job of tending their livestock. This tradition is perpetuated today through our present day reined cow horse, using the same techniques in an unbroken fashion for more than two hundred years.
) I am aware of a variety of endangered species in this area like the Kit fox, but one on the list that is rarely recognized, yet most important, are the cowboys, cowgirls, and cow dogs that have graced this land. The whole world needs them for the standards they set. There are precious few occupations today that pay so little and demand so much that only those with a passion for their work survive. But from those that do, there is much to be learned about character, tenacity, good humor, and that wonderful ability of entertaining oneself with the beauty that surrounds them and never tiring of the work ahead.
I rest my pen now and hope that open space easements will move from concept to reality.
Signed,
John O. (Jack) Varian
Looking North from Mustang Trail, April 2021 - The year our Conservation Easement was put into place.