Law runs deep in the family of California attorney who doubles as an olive farmer
Under a brilliant sun and an expansive blue sky, the landscape of green-and-brown hills tiered with olive trees resembles the Tuscan foothills of Italy.
Attorney Scott Toothacre could call the spectacular vista his backyard, but instead he has christened the 10-plus acres of rolling hills at his home in Ramona, Calif., “ToothAcre Ranch.”
“It is beautiful,” says Toothacre. “That’s how I unwind. I like to go out and walk in the grove and check on my trees.”
The grove features more than 750 olive trees that he and his wife, Sharon, have planted on six acres of their property since 2018. They handpick and mill the olives to process and bottle specialty olive oils that they market in the area and online. Toothacre hopes to harvest nearly three tons of olives this year.
When the couple first moved to Ramona, a burgeoning wine and olive region 35 miles northeast of San Diego, they had no intention at all of becoming olive farmers. The venture started as a simple landscaping request.
“My wife said she would like a few olive trees along the driveway,” says Toothacre with a laugh. “She’ll never make that mistake again.”
Instead of a line of trees along the driveway, Toothacre planted more than 100 Tuscan variety olive trees that were three to five years old and sourced from clones of an 800-year-old grove in Lucca, Italy.
The couple took classes at the UC Davis Olive Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, which seeks to foster the fledgling olive industry in California. Toothacre earned his Master Olive Miller certificate. Their first crop in 2019 produced 32 bottles of olive oil.
Attorney Scott Toothacre could call the spectacular vista his backyard, but instead he has christened the 10-plus acres of rolling hills at his home in Ramona, Calif., “ToothAcre Ranch.”
“It is beautiful,” says Toothacre. “That’s how I unwind. I like to go out and walk in the grove and check on my trees.”
The grove features more than 750 olive trees that he and his wife, Sharon, have planted on six acres of their property since 2018. They handpick and mill the olives to process and bottle specialty olive oils that they market in the area and online. Toothacre hopes to harvest nearly three tons of olives this year.
When the couple first moved to Ramona, a burgeoning wine and olive region 35 miles northeast of San Diego, they had no intention at all of becoming olive farmers. The venture started as a simple landscaping request.
“My wife said she would like a few olive trees along the driveway,” says Toothacre with a laugh. “She’ll never make that mistake again.”
Instead of a line of trees along the driveway, Toothacre planted more than 100 Tuscan variety olive trees that were three to five years old and sourced from clones of an 800-year-old grove in Lucca, Italy.
The couple took classes at the UC Davis Olive Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, which seeks to foster the fledgling olive industry in California. Toothacre earned his Master Olive Miller certificate. Their first crop in 2019 produced 32 bottles of olive oil.
David Villadolid
Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A., Phoenix, Arizona
Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A., Phoenix, Arizona
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
"After telling Tom that I had taken the bar in Arizona and was planning to move there, I said that I was having trouble deciding between two job offers. Both were reputable firms and did excellent legal work. I told Tom that one was offering a little more money, but I liked the people in the other firm more. Tom’s immediate response was, “You idiot! It’s the people!” I’ve now been with Burch & Cracchiolo for over 35 years."
"After telling Tom that I had taken the bar in Arizona and was planning to move there, I said that I was having trouble deciding between two job offers. Both were reputable firms and did excellent legal work. I told Tom that one was offering a little more money, but I liked the people in the other firm more. Tom’s immediate response was, “You idiot! It’s the people!” I’ve now been with Burch & Cracchiolo for over 35 years."
Coffee & Conversation
January 30th at 10:00 am EST
Looking Forward to 2023 with Primerus™
Robin Lewis
Primerus™, Ada, Michigan
January 30th at 10:00 am EST
Looking Forward to 2023 with Primerus™
Robin Lewis
Primerus™, Ada, Michigan
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus™ Weekly, please contact Katie Bundyra at kbundyra@primerus.com.
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Changing the World in the Nick of Time
‘Integrity’ appears to be up for sale in current Congress
As perhaps the greatest homespun philosopher that this country has ever produced, the late Will Rogers once said, “I never lack material for my humor column when Congress is in session.”
The profound nature of that quote is a timeless political expression that has been in full view since the most recent version of Congress convened for business earlier this month.
Or as Rogers would later surmise: “Politics is the best show in America. I love animals and I love politicians and I love to watch both of ‘em play, either back home in their native state or after they have been captured and sent to the zoo or to Washington.
The profound nature of that quote is a timeless political expression that has been in full view since the most recent version of Congress convened for business earlier this month.
Or as Rogers would later surmise: “Politics is the best show in America. I love animals and I love politicians and I love to watch both of ‘em play, either back home in their native state or after they have been captured and sent to the zoo or to Washington.
Primerus™ Weekly invites different points of view
The Primerus™ Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed columns on timely topics or items of general interest.
Submissions should be limited to 800 words and must be timely, well written, and reflect a relevant point of view that will enlighten our readers. All submissions will be edited for clarity, grammar, and style. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, nor will those that contain falsehoods or potentially libelous information.
For those interested in contributing a letter to the editor or an op-ed column, please include a short bio (20-30 words) along with your contact information. Submissions should be sent to Robin Lewis at rlewis@primerus.com.
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