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Saturday, August 27, 2011 – Daily News 5A Agriculture & farm 80th birthday celebration We were invited to help celebrate Jacqueline McKenzie Leininger's 80 birthday at Mineral Ball Park hosted by her daugh- ter Janet Lancaster, Grass Valley, Nevada and son Tod Leininger, Vina and Mineral last Saturday. Jacqueline and I are cousins, since her grand- father Chester Willard and my grandfather Hill- man Willard were broth- ers. Her parents Jack and Evelyn McKenzie were asked to drive with my parents, Lyman Willard and Anne Stone, when they married in Reno, Dec. 10, 1929. She used to visit her grandparents, Chester and Edna, each summer at Willard Creek in Lassen County while in grammar school, and we both remember playing in the creek and building dams. The three families, Chester, Orie and my family had summer cab- ins on Willard Creek while the sheep grazed in the mountains from May to September on different ranges. Jacqueline and Wesley Leininger were married nearly 50 years before his passing in May 1999. Wesley was a progressive cattleman that was cross- breeding before it became mainstream. Their cowherd was originally Hereford and he used Shorthorns to get more milk, then along came Brangus, and Angus bulls for more size. Their winter headquarters was her grandparents ranch on Hogs- back road and they leased addi- tional land in Tehama and Butte counties. They leased the Long Ranch for 20 years, and the Pentz Ranch for 20 years. They had a ranch in Greenville for summer feed, that was sold for the Cobb Ranch in Vina in 1984. The Leininger cattle have grazed on Battle Creek Meadows since 1943. Wesley, Jacqueline and family spent their summers at the Home Ranch near Westwood, after her uncle Earl McKenzie retired. The Home Ranch was the farming, dairy, slaughter house and garden head- quarters for the Red River Lumber Co. of West- wood. They had cattle drives between the Long Ranch and Mineral, making Tip- pywells the first night, and then up the A Line road to the meadows. Donna and John McIn- Beef 'N Brew Sept. 17, 2011 Downtown Red Bluff Microbrew, vendors Beef appetizers Tickets @ Sparrow Antiques Main St. COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. If you bought REMOTE CONTROL PLANES or equipment of Bob Muir's from Jim Hand, call Bob's wife at 384-1805 LIC #808524 Call For Free Information Toll-Free (800) 464-1403 or (530) 365-1403 6183 MEISTER WAY ANDERSON, CA 96007 (530) 365-1403 • (800) 464-1403 ranch Tehama County CattleWomen has announced that the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Class- room, in conjunction with the San Francisco Unified School District, is planning a Farm Day for Oct.r 20. It will recreate the Farm Day event that jump-started the creation of California Foundation for Ag in the Class- room 25 years ago. Farm Day scheduled in SF Courtesy photo Jacqueline McKenzie Leininger with her family on the occasion of her 80th birthday. Back row: Luke and Jessica Lancaster with baby Logan; Mattie and Nathan Bunting, Jacqueline Leininger, Janet and Jerry Lancaster,Tod, Grant, Elizabeth,Wesley Leininger. tosh were neighbors dur- ing the Long Ranch years. John would help at the brandings and the cattle drives. The other cattle drive was from the permit they had on the Fish & Game Wildlife area, before Ishi Conservation Camp was established in the Paynes Creek area. The cattle were allowed in after March 15, and had to be moved by May 30. It would take a day to gath- er, and then a two day drive to Mineral. Their brand Jean Barton was Lazy E J, on the left hip. I thought of the Cheryl Haase book "Too Many Irons In the Fire" when I saw all the brands that Linda Rosser had painted on a denim vest. Son Tod and Elizabeth now have the Lazy E J, and grandsons Grant has the 101 on left rib, Wesley the Flying Heart, the twins Ethan has Bar over EL, and Logan has a Half Circle over LL. Granddaughter Amber has the Lightning A. She was unable to be present since she is a fishing guide in Alaska in the far north. Daughter Janet and husband Jerry have the Walking U at Grass Val- ley, Nev. Grandson Luke and wife Jessica have the L Arrow at their ranch in Grass Valley. Their chil- dren are Amelia, Eli and baby Logan, the great grands. Granddaughter Mattie and Nathan Bunting have the Lazy Y Spade, his family brand. Greatgrand- son Cole's brand is Bar Cross Bar and Hank has the Flying H. Greatgrand- daughter Miley's brand is the Bar Cross. Cheryl Conard Haase would help riding and dri- ving the cattle to Mineral, remembering when she with Tod and Janet would laugh over funny things. Making cookies for the crew was another memo- ry. Jane and John Spencer with daughter Kathy Farster would help on the cattle drives to Mineral. One year Kathy and Jacqueline decided they would quench their thirst on the hot, dusty trip by pouring Gatorade into their metal canteens. When they were thirsty, it was a vile black, and they had nothing to quench their thirst. Another memory was the trip that John and Jane Spencer made with Jacque- line and Wesley to the ZX Ranch in Eastern Oregon, to visit Bob and Waynette deBraga. After touring the ZX, they visited the Peter French country. The McKenzie cousins, Bobi Lynn Met- calf, Bert McKenzie, Hazel Brown and Scottie Ulch were present. Jacqueline remembered how they had helped, rid- ing horseback and moving cattle since they were at the 101 Ranch, and the Leiningers were at the Home Ranch during the summer. Another cousin, Becky White, Taylorsville, would visit at the Home Ranch and ride her horse during the summers. Becky is the daughter of Thelma McKenzie Ford Smith. Lynn Fargo and hus- band Bill came from Sacramento. Every year Bobi Lynn and Jacqueline would visit her mother, Auntie Beryl McKenzie Rucker. A summer tradition was the baseball game and picnic at Home Ranch when the McKen- zie cousins and their fam- ilies, plus the Dye Creek Crew including Bob and Waynette deBraga and family, plus friends Ellington and Betty Peek, Faye and Arlo Stroing came. "Uncle Abner" was the umpire, and always made sure that his team won. Wesley Leininger would shoot the block of ice in a burlap sack for the hand cranked, homemade ice cream. Mickey Williams came from her summer home at Warner Valley. Another long time tradition was the New Year's Eve celebration with Hugh and Barbara Weston, Chet and Elsie Brockman, Lee and Mickey and daughters, with the Leininger family. Each year they rotated who would host the party. Caroline Owens Vann and Jacqueline became good friends when Caro- line's aunt Helen Owens became elderly. Helen was a cousin because her father was Earl McKenzie, and she had married Carroll Owens. A memory of Jacqueline and Linda Rosser was wearing wool soxes to pol- ish the waxed wooden floors at Chester. They delighted in riding their horses at a gallop on the Stover Ranch meadow, and falling off, so that "Aunt Bertha" Stover would come to see if they were OK. It was a fun party with old friends on a lovely day in the mountains. Happy Birthday Jacqueline. Jean Barton can be reached at jbarton@theskybeam.com. Gardens, goats, bees and trees are just a few seg- ments of California agriculture that will make for a diverse experience for thousands of San Francisco stu- dents on Farm Day. "Cattlewomen and cattlemen from all over the state will be on hand to help with the live animals as well as assist in the programs being planned for the children," said TCCW President Danielle Zane. "We hope San Francisco Farm Day will allow thou- sands of students to experience and appreciate an important industry that is far from the city, that they rely on every day," said Judy Culbertson, executive director of California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. "Given the importance of agriculture to the economy of California, and to maintaining a healthy food supply, this information is as important as any- thing else students are learning in the classroom." The goal of Farm Day 2011 is to increase public awareness about the role of agriculture in California. There will be visits from farm animals, school garden demonstrations, school-wide assemblies and classroom presentations about agriculture at 10-25 school sites within the district. Farmers and ranchers are responsi- ble for providing the necessities of everyday life, including food, fiber, clothing and even fuel. This is the message that more than 100 volunteer farmers, ranchers, producers, gardeners, agricultural and educational associations and educators will share with students this fall. The day will provide an oppor- tunity to show urban students what real farmers do every day of the year and will introduce the value and abundance provided by agriculture. "We know many urban students think milk comes from a carton and meat from a supermarket refrigera- tor; they have never stopped to think about what jeans or shoes are made of. We hope that students will come away with a clearer understanding of the people and the processes that create the things we use every day," Cul- bertson said. For those interested in participating or for more information on this effort to promote California agri- culture, visit www.LearnAboutAg.org/farmday.