March 11, 2016, Santa Paula, California
Marcia Edwards hosted a gathering at her historic ranch.
Joan Hutchins reports, "The day began before brunch with Harold Edwards, the President, and Marcia's son, describing to us the history of the ranch, (largest producer in US of both lemons and avocados), the difficulties of dealing with Wall Street whose focus is on quarterly, rather than longer term results required by agriculture, and interesting issues of protecting the company's water rights, separated now in CA from land values. After a tour of the lemon packing plant, while pouring rain outside, we then were taken in vans, to tour the property including the solar panel fields that provide 35% of the ranch's needs.' Joan adds, "The event officially ended at 4, but most of us proceeded to Marcia's lovely ranch home built in the 1920s. After a Chinese takeout dinner, very expertly ordered by Tom Bartlett and served on the formal dining room table, the evening ended in front of a roaring fire at about 10 p.m." The Radcliffe class members treated the gathering to a rendition of "Radcliffe, Now We Rise to Great Thee."
Above, left: Marcia Edwards welcomed the group. Below: Top row, left to right, those who attended the brunch and tour: Jeannette Atkinson, Kay and David Bisno, Anne and Al Briggs, Marcia Edwards, Joan Hutchins, Tom Bartlett, Minda Wetzel, Ted Holdahl, Jennifer Frum. Top right: Marcia and some of the group, including Barnard housemates who arrived for a visit a few days earlier. Middle: viewing the grounds and attending the tour. Bottom: dinner after the event and the chocolate cake bearing the Radcliffe seal.
