“I love being in that barn; it's just such a cool space,” says Steven Schmidt, founder of Barnyard Theatre. He is referring to the historic Schmeiser barn west of Davis, which every summer for the past four years is transformed into a stage where young Davisites perform their craft to sold-out crowds.

One of Yolo County's original homesteads, the 160 acre ranch is a working farm throughout the year. Founded in 1868, the property is now owned by Charlie and Carla Hunt.

Carla recalls its original owner, Gottfried Schmeiser. “He was a bachelor, and then he married Sophie Oeste from across the creek.” She made special note of the similarities between their family and her own. “They had six kids, same as us. Two sons and four daughters, same as us.”

Carla recalls that the iconoclastic nature of the Schmeiser farm and its residents is not a new phenomenon. “Of their six kids, the only one who wanted to continue farming here was one of the girls, Elmine. But, you know, girls didn't farm in those days. But she did. She was a tough old thing.”