The Business of Running a Farm

The Business of Running a Farm. Forest Home Farms Historic Park. A farm is a complicated endeavor to run. Equipment must be maintained, repaired and stored; crops must be planted, harvested, and kept dry until needed; and farm animals must be fed and sheltered. Specialized buildings are needed, serving many functions., Forest Home Farms has 14 outbuildings ranging from large barns to outhouses. In front of you are a few of the structures used to help keep the farm running., Inset Image 1 , As gas powered vehicles became common, this shop/garage, built around 1890, became a place to work on machinery. One end was a garage for Travis Boone’s 1915 Pierce Arrow car., Inset Image 2 , Notice the Granary (on the right in this 1959 photograph) is built with boards that fit tightly together which helped keep rodents out. It was built around 1875, and was made to store grain such as barley to feed the farm animals., Inset Image 3 , The gas shed, built around 1930, was used to store fuel for the farm equipment. The shed has metal siding for safety., Inset Image 4 , The 1850s barn probably originally housed animals, their feed and horse-drawn equipment. It is built with hand-hewn beams and wooden pegs. It was already about 50 years old in the early 1900s when this picture of Eleanor and Travis Boone was taken. This barn is one of the oldest structures in the San Ramon Valley., Inset Image 5 , These building were equipped with machinery to hull and dry walnuts that were grown throughout the valley and beyond. , Inset Image 6 , This warehouse dates from the 1930s. It now houses the tractor collection and farm exhibits. , Forest Home Farm Historic Park is on the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historical Resources, The City of San Ramon encourages our residents to enjoy this beautiful park in celebration of our historic past. By acquiring, protecting and maintaining this valuable parkland, the City of San Ramon is preserving for current and future generations natural places where people and other living things can thrive.