Sunday, September 28, 2008

Farming in Torrance and the South Bay


The other night I attended a book talk and signing by fellow South Bay blogger, LA Farm Girl, Judith Gerber. Judi's passion is small and family farms and she just published a book, Farming in Torrance and the South Bay.
I always knew that this area had a rich farming history, even into the 1960's and 70's, but I never realized just how BIG it was. Gardena was the strawberry capital, Redondo Beach was known for carnations, Lomita for celery. The area was dotted with dairies. Torrance even had a rodeo!
The book is loaded with great photos of times past and provides an interesting narration of what the "rural" South Bay was like. From pioneer families to still-operating urban farms--it's all there.
Check out Judi's blog for the latest information on California family farms, farmers' markets, and other farming topics. If you are interested in picking up the book, she's provided a link on the blog.

3 comments:

LA Farm Woman said...

Thanks for talking about our family farmers and our history and thanks for the support, I really appreciate it!

MaryRuth said...

Judi--thanks to you for making me more aware of why we need to support family farms.

MaryRuth said...
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