Our history
The Bates family has been taking care of Mountain Home Ranch for five generations since 1922. Earl Bates bought the ranch and founded Mountain Home Dairy, supplying milk, beef, and produce to communities across the Hot Springs Valley and beyond. His son, Merrill, expanded the family business to build roads and campgrounds all along the Sierras.
Today, Dan and Debbie care for the ranch as a labor of love in their retirement. The current herd of cows grew from a few orphaned calves their children bottle fed more than twenty years ago.
Exceptional biodiversity
Our ranch is nestled in the foothills of the Sierras, just below the snow line, and teeming with biodiversity. Tyler Creek and Deer Creek flow together on our ranch, and the oak woodlands habitat provides living space and food for a wide range of species.
We have seen countless song birds, and our yard is full of turkeys and deer. The quail scurry away as we walk by, and occasionally we see predators including hawks, coyotes, black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, and rattle snakes.
Keeping our calves safe here takes extra care, but our two guard donkeys and our guard llama are very protective of the new calves and do their part to keep the coyotes and mountain lions away.
Sustainability
For three decades, we provided sustainable green energy for more than 150 homes on the mountain during the winter rainy season with our small hydroelectric power plant.
The Bates family was an early pioneer in green energy. In 1936, Earl Bates innovated with sustainable energy by building a small hydroelectric power plant to power Mountain Home Dairy and cool the milk. At the time, no grid electricity reached California Hot Springs. The cold storage freezer the Bates family operated was shared with the community. This lasted until the grid reached the community in 1946.
In the 1980s, Merrill and Dan continued the tradition by installing a modern small hydroelectric system. It fed green energy into the grid for use by the local community and beyond for three decades.
The Hot Springs Valley
The small mountain community of California Hot Springs brings together ranchers, artists, and all who love being surrounded by nature.
Hike the Trail of 100 Giants in the nearby Sequoia National Forest.
Swim in the community pool which is fed by natural hot springs and has long been visited by those wanting to soak in the natural minerals. (Currently closed for renovations.)
See why we think our cows enjoy one of the most beautiful and relaxing places on earth.
Your family deserves healthy, grass-fed beef.
Contact us to see if we have any cows ready for purchase.