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A HOME SERVICES AND RELOCATION DIRECTORY
Sharing the Farm
By Paula C. Collins
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Brennan not only teaches his foreign
visitors, but also learns from them. “I can’t
go anywhere, so it is nice to hear about
where they live and about their culture.”
KATY HIGHT
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took place in a covered wagon as his parents
made their way to California and Nevada
County’s Pleasant Valley.
Nevada Hartung raised pears and apples
on 220 acres, and in 1880 built a farm
house that is now recognized as an historical
landmark, as is the original barn. Today, Oak
Tree Farms is a horse boarding facility which
offers riding lessons and training services.
Owner Pete Brennan (see below) discovered the area in 1968 fresh out of Cal Poly
with a degree in agricultural and animal
science. When he saw men on horseback
driving a herd of cattle down Grass Valley’s
Mill Street, he said, “This is for me.”
Brennan got a teaching job at a middle
school and taught for about 10 years. In
1971, he bought his first 10 acres in Penn
Valley and currently has almost 45.
At first, he bred quarter horses, but as
the years went by he got into cattle and
still raises some grass fed steers. Today, the
farm is home to about 55 horses, most are
boarded. Besides barns, paddocks with
shelters and arenas, there is access to miles
of riding trails.
An interesting aspect of life on the farm
is that it is shared with visitors from Europe
looking for a farm experience with an
equestrian twist. Many are young people
who ride and have an interest in horses. He
also has connected with a French postsecondary school. Students will intern on
the farm as part of their education.
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KATY HIGHT
KATY HIGHT
EVADA COUNTY’S AGRICULTURAL
history dates back to the early settlers
and can be as interesting as that of
our towns. A case in point is Oak Tree Farms
off Pleasant Valley Road i n Penn Valley.
The farm was originally owned by Nevada
August Hartung, so named because he was
born in August of 1853 in Nevada. His birth
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