Cowboy Culture in CA? If so, where? (Ranching, Equine, Western life) (Los Angeles: crime, neighborhoods)

[PureHapa]

If you don't mind living in the sticks, then check out Bridgeport. It's a couple hours north of Bishop, past Mammoth Lakes, past Mono Lake. Not much there 'cept some ranches, world-class trout fishing and hiking in the eastern Sierra Nevada. Most of the town shuts down for the winter though, and you'd have to drive an hour to Gardnerville, NV for a monthly shopping run. (Or pay Mammoth Lakes grocery prices.)

[DMenscha]

The western half of Calaveras County would do. When the local cows have their bells on, I enjoy hearing them move around in the morning.

Are you looking to actually be a rancher or are you just looking to live where ranching is practiced?

[Hawk J]

I've repaired a lot of fenceline in Prunedale. Locals proudly refer to it as "Prunetucky". hahaha
One of my brothers still lives thar after six lustrum. Prunedale, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nearby Salinas, has a nice Rodeo once a year. Home - California Rodeo Salinas

Sheriff's Posse grounds has many yearly Fun activities.

We have many great memories of funtimes we had in that area years ago.

Smalley's Roundup ..Great BBQ...

[countryway]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties are still cow country. There are some original Spanish Ranchos left, and lots of other places. Cuyama, Creston, Parkfield, Pozo. In the foothills, Oakdale is still cow country.

Some figures I ran across, 249,000 horses in Ca, 145,000 in Colorado. That puts CA in second place behind Texas with 600,000, course there is no place to ride in Texas.


There are 5,000,000 cows in CA. There are 2,600,000 cows in Colorado.

Help you?

Oh and if you hope to be a Californio, you will want to get to know the music of Dave Stamey the balladeer of California Horse and cattle, and mulemen.
kirchtal ranch - YouTube

You will want to get to know Californio Vaquero traditions, as opposed to that Texas stuff they do in Colorado. To start, wear a flat brim hat, not one of those Texas taco hats. and pull your jeans over your boots, don't tuck them in.
The Vaquero Song by Dave Stamey. Photography by David R. Stoecklein - YouTube

Sorry, I did not have any luck getting them to show... good luck on your move!

Pick up this video series, should be required viewing for all vaquero dreamersThe Vaquero Series, documentaries about the American Cowboy

Thanks for your info, indeed! As I mentioned I did grow up in Northern CA and live there my entire adult life up til four years ago and have been involved with the agrarian life there as well as members of my family raises cattle up in the foothills. I am also quite aware of CA's Beef Industry as well as Dairy Industry. So, I know quite a bit of my Home State's rich history and the Californio Vaquero Tradition as well. That said however, I refuse to wear a flat brimmed hat! LOL. In fact all the ranch folks and Rodeo folks I was involved with never wore the Varquero (Buckaroo) hats at all. They are making a comeback back here in CO and definitely in WY and MT, but I don't like 'em. But I don't wear taco style hats either. Mine have a tall crown, flat box style, with a soft roll. OR, I like to wear "Gus" style hats as well. Both with a quarter-horse crease and a gentle, but noticeable roll. Likewise, I have never tucked my jeans into my boots, I have always worn them out and over. I have always wore Wranglers, but since I've been in CO I have really gotten into Cinch Jeans (Made in Denver) and real popular these days especially in the rodeo circuit. But I still have as much Wranglers as I do Cinch.

The rolled edges of a cowboy hat was actually started commercially in Denver by the founder of Rockmount Western Wear. 'Course some folks rolled their hat brims for their own convenience, but from what I understand, he was the first to suggest to Stetson to market that style commercially for convenient fit in automobiles. I heard this from him. Whichever the case, He was definitely the original designer of Snap Button western shirts, made especially for rodeo cowboys.

Thanks for your suggestions about those coastal areas, I will do some research into that. Alot of the ranchers in CA are absentee or commercial farms and many do not carry on the tradition of the Western Lifestyle, so it is important to me to not just live around ranches, but ones that carry on the Western-Cowboy traditions and have a strong Equine community.

[countryway]

Thank you fo all the responses thus far! I am looking into the areas you mentioned. I am not interested in Elko, NV though. Been there many times and don't care for it.

Prunedale is an interesting suggestion for sure. As well is Bridgeport, which I visited to fly-fish and camp before and fondly remember all the cattle grazing in the meadows. However, I was not really aware of a strong or predominant western/cowboy culture around there. That could be because I spent all my time fishing when I was there though. My dad talks about Carson Valley alot in Nevada, and seemed to say years ago there were lots of ranches, but isn't sure if they're still there. I am not interested in living in Nevada though.

Calaveras County is another good one. I spent ALOT of time up there camping and fishing. One of my favorite places in CA. I knew some folks that had a Cattle spread near Angel's Camp. I guess it can be pretty western up there at times. But all the time I spent in CA, I never saw many people wearing weatern wear in the foothills or Sac/Upper S J Valley, besides me. In fact alot of the western wear stores were going out of business or being bought out by Boot Barn from SoCal. I don't care for Boot Barn at all. Unfortunately, they seem to be the most of what you see in CA. Back here, there are alot more western or feed stores than I ever saw in CA. Again, I am only speaking of the area in which I lived and roamed about. The greater Sac area, Upper S J Valley, foothills and Sierra Mountains.

I did get a chance to visit Chico, Oakdale, and Visalia-area earlier this year. The northern Sac Valley around Chico seemed like prime ranching and cowboy culture, however I was not able to visit Red Bluff, Oroville or any other areas in the valley. So maybe I missed the areas that really thrive in that way of life, because I know Chico is a little big and modern. Oakdale seemed nice as well as the Visalia area, but due to limited time to visit I really didn't get a grasp on the smaller communities and whether or not this way of life thrives in some portions of the Valley.

[countryway]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

Pretty much anyplace north of Chico-Orland is cowboy country. Modoc and Lassen counties are nothing but cowboy culture, although the last time this came up I thought you also wanted a music scene, which is probably lacking in those counties. Actually, Susanville has a symphony orchestra so maybe they have some country music as well.

So I'm going to stick with my original suggestion: if you want cowboy culture AND the music that goes with it, it doesn't get any better than Red Bluff. You have cowboy culture on all sides, plus access to the country, western, bluegrass, and folk music communities in Chico and Redding. Actually Shasta and Siskiyou counties are great for music. Bluegrass festival in Etna every year and you'll actually hear bluegrass on the radio up there.

WesternPilgrim, I have enjoyed our talks in the past and your info is greatly appreciated! I wish I had had the chance to visit Red Bluff when we were there. Sad. I appreciate your suggestions of Modoc and Lassen cty.'s and pretty much most of the northern area, I am going to do some research into that. Yes, music is important to me. It is sure hard however, to get all these things in one area. I did see alot of cattle around Chico. Chico is just too big and modern however, so Red Bluff, Oroville and maybe the other areas you mentioned will be just right.

As you probably remember, a big concern for Chico was the rowdy college life. We have plenty of that here and don't like it one bit.

[BeauCharles]

You'll rarely see western wear anywhere in California save for when there's a rodeo going on in a community. Oakdale is a really horsey community and most people don't wear it on a daily basis. My cousins (who never get near a horse) in Oklahoma City are much more inclined to wear it regularly. Oakdale does have a good independent store though:

http://bucksworth.com/

[countryway]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

You'll rarely see western wear anywhere in California save for when there's a rodeo going on in a community. Oakdale is a really horsey community and most people don't wear it on a daily basis. My cousins (who never get near a horse) in Oklahoma City are much more inclined to wear it regularly. Oakdale does have a good independent store though:

BUCKSWORTH WESTERN WEAR

Bucksworth! Yes! Very nice store. Was in there earlier this year! I especially liked their selection of wah-maker and old west style clothing. I saw ALOT of that in AZ but never expected to see that in CA.

I hear what yer saying. That's what I always noticed living there all my life, but I thought maybe its just in my area and not more rural or traditionally western areas of the state? Here in CO, alot of folks where western wear...alot. When I lived in Southern Missouri, the same thing...even more there, than where I am living now. But here its becoming very urban. I see more CA lisence plates than CO! Ha Ha...ok, thats an exaggeration, but I do see a TON!

When I was in Oakdale, I saw a few, maybe 2 or 3, but not that many wearing. I know you said you grew up there right? Was there more of that lifestyle earlier, or is it still pretty much the same. Just wondering if it being influenced by Modesto/Manteca etc? Also, have you frequented the Testicle Festival?

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by countryway

Bucksworth! Yes! Very nice store. Was in there earlier this year! I especially liked their selection of wah-maker and old west style clothing. I saw ALOT of that in AZ but never expected to see that in CA.

I hear what yer saying. That's what I always noticed living there all my life, but I thought maybe its just in my area and not more rural or traditionally western areas of the state? Here in CO, alot of folks where western wear...alot. When I lived in Southern Missouri, the same thing...even more there, than where I am living now. But here its becoming very urban. I see more CA lisence plates than CO! Ha Ha...ok, thats an exaggeration, but I do see a TON!

When I was in Oakdale, I saw a few, maybe 2 or 3, but not that many wearing. I know you said you grew up there right? Was there more of that lifestyle earlier, or is it still pretty much the same. Just wondering if it being influenced by Modesto/Manteca etc? Also, have you frequented the Testicle Festival?

Yeah, I lived there for seven years when I was a kid in the late 60s to mid 70s. There were a few kids who wore it in school, but not many (and those actually lived on a dairy or ranch). I haven't been around Oakdale much since about 2002 (although its high on my list of places to retire in about 13 years ), so I honestly can't comment on its current state of affairs (other than I know the rodeo is still very popular and there are still tons of "ranchettes" in the hills to the north and east). I do know that Oakdale is about twice the size it was back then and has become a bit more upscale than other nearby areas (slightly higher home prices as a result). Its always been a bedroom community for Modesto - its only 20 minutes away. If you happen to go through again I'd pick the brains of the people at the cowboy museum or Bucksworth as to the general mindset and lifestyle of the area now. Maybe try to hit the rodeo and do the same. I hope some things never change and that it keeps its western heritage.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties are still cow country. There are some original Spanish Ranchos left, and lots of other places. Cuyama, Creston, Parkfield, Pozo. In the foothills, Oakdale is still cow country.

Some figures I ran across, 249,000 horses in Ca, 145,000 in Colorado. That puts CA in second place behind Texas with 600,000, course there is no place to ride in Texas.


There are 5,000,000 cows in CA. There are 2,600,000 cows in Colorado.

Help you?

Oh and if you hope to be a Californio, you will want to get to know the music of Dave Stamey the balladeer of California Horse and cattle, and mulemen.
kirchtal ranch - YouTube

You will want to get to know Californio Vaquero traditions, as opposed to that Texas stuff they do in Colorado. To start, wear a flat brim hat, not one of those Texas taco hats. and pull your jeans over your boots, don't tuck them in.
The Vaquero Song by Dave Stamey. Photography by David R. Stoecklein - YouTube

Sorry, I did not have any luck getting them to show... good luck on your move!

Pick up this video series, should be required viewing for all vaquero dreamersThe Vaquero Series, documentaries about the American Cowboy

Thats an issue I have with Texas. My username originates from 2007 when I was considering moving there. I was looking to go to grad school in Austin. I do like Texas, but it has one of the lowest % of public land amongst the 50 states for a state its size.