Jack London’s California ranch became more than a country retreat during his final years. After buying Hill Ranch on Sonoma Mountain in 1905, he found land weakened by intensive farming and began studying agriculture seriously. He read farming manuals, explored soil management and tested new ideas across the property. As he acquired neighbouring parcels, the ranch expanded to about 1,400 acres and became known as Beauty Ranch. London planted thousands of trees, raised livestock, experimented with crops and developed systems to reuse farm materials. He even tested spineless cactus as cattle feed with horticulturist Luther Burbank, blending experimentation with his effort to restore the land.
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