Harris Ranch facts for kids
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| Industry | Beef producer |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1937 |
| Founder | Jack Harris |
| Headquarters | Selma, California, United States |
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Area served
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United States |
| Products | Beef |
| Owner | John C. Harris |
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Number of employees
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400 |
| Parent | Harris Farms |
Harris Ranch is a very large farm in California. It's known for raising a lot of cattle and producing beef. In 2010, it made about 150 million pounds of beef! You can find it in central California, right next to Interstate 5, near a town called Coalinga. Harris Farms owns this big ranch.
Contents
The Story of Harris Ranch
How It Started
Harris Ranch started way back in 1937. A man named Jack Harris began it as a farm growing cotton and grain. Later, his son John took over. In the 1970s, they opened a small burger stand next to Interstate 5.
Today, Harris Ranch is much more than just a cattle farm. It also has an inn and a restaurant. They grow many different fruits and vegetables too. Plus, they breed special thoroughbred horses. The whole operation employs over 400 people. About 14,000 acres of land are used to grow things like garlic, broccoli, pomegranates, and tomatoes. They grow about 35 different kinds of produce!
In January 2012, some trucks at the ranch were damaged by fire.
Getting Beef to Your Table
Harris Ranch is one of the biggest ranches on the West Coast. It has over 100,000 cattle on more than 800 acres of land. Hundreds of cattle are processed every day. The ranch handles everything itself. It has its own trucks to pick up cattle from other farms. Then, it prepares, slaughters, and packages the beef.
The ranch provides the hamburger meat for the popular In-N-Out Burger chain. You can also find Harris Ranch beef and prepared meals in grocery stores and restaurants across the country. Harris Ranch was one of the first companies to create a special brand for its beef. This helped other companies like Niman Ranch and Dakota Beef do the same.
The Restaurant and Inn
The Harris Ranch restaurant first opened in 1977. It was popular with local farmers. Soon, it became a famous stop for travelers driving between San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1987, a fancy 153-room inn was added. It was built in a beautiful Spanish-style design.
In the late 2000s, the restaurant started focusing on a "farm to fork" idea. This means they use fresh ingredients from their own farm. They serve not only their famous beef but also wine and other local products. In 2008, the restaurant was one of the busiest in the United States.
The ranch is also a modern spot for cars. It has a fuel station for hydrogen vehicles. It was one of the first places to have battery swapping stations for Tesla stations. Later, 18 superchargers were added for electric cars. In 2021, plans were made to add 80 more superchargers. This would make it the world's largest supercharger location by 2022.
What People Think
Travelers often notice the strong smell of the cattle when they pass by the ranch. Some people describe it as a "horrible stench." Others call it a "good, honest, American smell."
See also
- Harris Ranch Airport
Images for kids
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The Harris Ranch Inn, a popular stop for travelers.
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Many travelers see (and smell) the large cattle feedlot from Interstate 5.
