Our Vision

In 2016, we began our quest to find the perfect piece of land.  We wanted to stay within the Moorpark/Somis areas of Ventura County to ensure we had an afternoon onshore cool ocean breeze to keep summer temperatures down for both the trees and the horses.  We wanted to find a large enough parcel that we could both plant an income producing orchard and ultimately build a small, private dressage performance center.   And last but not least, we needed to have great water rights and a topography that suited both an orchard and a future horse facility.  It seemed like a lot to ask for...

But in September of 2016, we found the perfect 20 acres in Moorpark, California.  The triangular parcel contained two hills, down both the east and west sides, with its own private valley in the middle, perfectly situated to capitalize on the afternoon onshore breeze.  The parcel was nearly hidden from the main road, tucked away behind a third hill offering near complete privacy.  The topography was perfect: 12 acres were hillside terrain ideal for avocados and 8 acres, terraced but flat, were recessed down the middle that seemed preordained for horse facilities.  In all honesty, this property could not have been more perfect.   Carronada Farms had found its future home.

The only utility to the parcel was water.  There was no power, no sewer, no gas.  We rolled up our sleeves and got ready for work.  And in January of 2017, we closed escrow and our adventure began.  

And while we still have years to go, we have achieved quite a lot over the past four plus years.  Below are some photo galleries, posted by year, to showcase some milestones.  Please click on the "Show More" button at the bottom of each album to load more photos.

In 2017 

• we closed escrow and the adventure began!
• built a 400 sq. ft. enclosed garden w/ eating area, affectionately named 'Wit's End Garden'
• built a 24,000 sq. ft. arena, lined with 254 boxwoods
• framed in the arena hedge with bricks
• installed a repeater up on the hill and, hooray, we had internet!
• built two 3000 sq. ft. sand paddocks with 16 x 16 stalls
• built a round pen

In 2018 

• we set back and fenced our entrance
• set two giant posts for a future gate (Olly and I nearly winning a Darwin award)
• built two 3000 sq. ft. pastures
• graded (removed and recompacted) the future cottage pad
• graded (removed and recompacted) the future stable pad
• installed two septic tanks, and two leach fields (one for future cottage and one for future horse stable)
• trenched, installed a transformer pad and (after one year!) finally got Edison to swap out a power pole, install a transformer and hooray, give us power!
• then immediately installed a Jacuzzi, and plugged it into our Edison power
• shredded!  Nine pepper trees that we removed to make room for future avocados
• spent countless hours getting rid of cactus
• installed a 5000 gallon water tank and two drafting hydrants for fire suppression 
• installed an irrigation system, with booster pump and filter station to irrigate the orchard 
• installed sprinklers to the arena and the the future horse pastures
• planted 2,998 avocados and 610 mandarins!!
• we rescued Tino, an 18 year old (?) Haflinger, from a kill pen in Louisiana... it was a either a slaughterhouse in Mexico or Carronada Farms...
• we found Tino a friend, and rescued Nacho, a mini Sicilian donkey, from a busted grow operation in Nipomo
• finally (this also took one year!) got our permit to build a 1191 square foot cottage
• put roofs on the paddock stalls
• removed weeds, and removed more weeds and still, removed more weeds, and of course, more cactus
• ended the year with Diesel moving home in December!

In 2019

• we built a 2400 square foot workshop, split into three spaces, two of which are are named 'The Workshop' and 'The Vault'
• built a 240 square foot tack room, with cross ties, aptly named 'Diesel's Closet'
• seeded two pastures, which made Diesel and the bambinos happy
• installed a custom shipping container to store hay and grain 
• fertilized and weeded and repeated 
• sheet rocked and painted 'The Vault'
• had our first fruit set on all three varieties of avocados!
• poured a slab for the cottage
• built a roof for the booster pump station
• built an accent roof for the VFD
• Diesel received a lifetime breeding license with GOV!!!
• Diesel received a lifetime breeding license with ISR/Oldenburg NA!!!
• poured the porches for the cottage
• framed the cottage
• Diesel received a lifetime breeding license with the American Hanoverian Society!!!
• Diesel received a lifetime breeding license with Westfalen!!!

In 2020

• Diesel and I competed at our first CDI Small Tour and broke the 70% mark!
• we finished the cottage!
• sold our first crop of avocados direct to the consumer
• picked our Gems for the packing house
• offered Diesel fresh for April, May and June and hooray!!!!  Foals are on the way!!! 
• prepped the back two acres for planting
• finished our entrance, and hooray, we finally have an automated gate
• Diesel and I qualified 6th for the National Intermediare I Championships!

In 2021

• Diesel and I start working with Jo Hinnemann
• Diesel's first foal, Dynamite CF, arrived on April 14th, in Jackson, SC
• sold our first crop of Tango mandarins
• sold out of our second crop of Hass and Gem avocados
• Diesel and I spend 60 days in Germany with Helen Langehanenberg!!  See our Germany 2021 page for a full recap! 

In 2022

• Diesel and I debut at Intermediate II
• Run-In shelter plans are submitted to the county
• Barn plans are submitted to the county

In 2023

• Diesel and I debut at Grand Prix!
• Run-In shelters are completed
• Upper pastures are completed
• Loft space is completed

We would like to extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation to 

• Janis Bundschu for believing in us and helping to make this dream become a reality.  We could not have done this without you and not a day goes by that we don't thank our lucky starts to have you in our life and on this adventure with us, every step of the way!
• Derek and Sandra Hutchinson for your unconditional love and support and help in nearly every single project!  Derek you have been here from the start!  From setting up our solar panels, to digging holes, moving dirt, shredding trees, building the garden, the arena, the paddocks, trenching the utilities, building stairs, setting up the shop to countless other bits and pieces.  There isn't' a spot on this property that you haven't helped us with and every part of this property reminds us of you.  And Sandra, thank you a million times over, for sharing your husband with us, from across the pond, for sometimes months at a time.  
• Chris Cannon for being the best brother ever!  For helping us whenever we need a third or fourth person.  To taking the best aerial shots of the properties and the flybys of course.  And for always being available on the other end of the line to help solve sometimes weekly problems and offer sound and sought after advice.
• Jeff and Anne Cannon for being so supportive of the black sheep in the family!  I promise you, very soon, a lifetime supply of avocados and mandarins.
• Bob and Betty Cannon, Larry and Francis Beidleman and Pat Yendes for being here with us, in spirit, every step of the way.  For giving us confidence, the dare to dream, and the resources to figure out how to turn those dreams into reality.  Carronada Farms is dedicated to you.  
• Tino, Nacho, Kato, Cricket and Gizmo for bringing life to this farm and putting up with endless construction and for always being happy... whinnying, hee-hawing, meowing, barking and wagging tails.
• And last, but certainly not least, to Diesel for being our 'why'.   This property is because of you.  Thank you for giving us a reason, for making our wildest dreams come true and of course, for always greeting us hello and putting smiles on our faces every single day.  Carronada Farms will forever be your forever home.