The setting is beautiful and therapeutic.
The DENT HOUSE, FARM HOUSE and GUEST BARNS, are located within the private and historically significant 560-acre Matilija Canyon Ranch & Wildlife Refuge. Surrounded by three million acres of the Los Padres National Forest, it is set against the magnificent transverse Santa Ynez Mountains just outside Ojai, California.
At 1500-foot elevation, the property, crossed by three perennial trout streams, offers glorious mountain air, a sense of true isolation, and the feel and look of a 19th century ranch brought lovingly into the 21st century. The land varies from cactus and yucca growing on the south facing slopes to clearings enclosed by Oak and Sycamore trees. There are lush fern dells to discover, cascading down from sunny plateaus to hidden swimming holes, edged by graceful willows, cottonwoods, and cattails. This was a spiritually revered place used by the ancient Chumash as a retreat. That sense of peace and remove from the chaos and noise of everyday life still affects today’s visitor as strongly as it did centuries ago.
HISTORY
Before any construction began on the property, there were a couple of years devoted to understanding the history of the land, its great strength, the natural events that threatened it, and the needs of the native flora and fauna. There were consultations with archeologists, geologists, horticulturists, hydrologists, wildlife and wild-lands experts. Then, an elderly Chumash medicine woman, whose ancestors had held this land to be sacred, visited it at the owner’s request. She walked up canyon, and was gone for quite a while. When she returned, she said she had spoken to the trees. They told her that the work that was being done was good and they were very happy.
The ancient Chumash considered this confluence of three canyons and three streambeds to be a sacred place for spiritual retreats. Then, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the land was used as a summertime grazing area for local ranchers. Ramon Ortega, famed cowboy and bear fighter of the late 1800s had a ranch here. These rare transverse mountains lie on an east/west axis, as does Matilija Canyon. The three creeks of the Matilija, Murietta, and Upper North Fork canyons converge on the property. Matilija Canyon was named after Chief Matilija of the Chumash, and Murietta Canyon was named after Joachim Murietta, notorious bandito, who is said to have used it as a hideaway. These perennial trout streams join to form Matilija Creek, which then runs down canyon to Matilija Lake, and on to the sea.
Planted throughout the property are several hundred citrus and deciduous fruit trees in organic family style orchards, all for the use of the Dent House kitchen and tables.
As you wander the property, you will come across an aviary with attached bird barn. There, and on the grounds, you will meet the resident animals: two dozen peafowl, three Toulouse geese, Khaki Campbell and Pekin ducks, Barred Rock, Araucana and Rhode Island Red chickens.
A flop eared German Shepherd, Golden Retriever-German Shepherd cross, Black Lab mix, Poodle/Yorkie mix (Benjie type), “Sadie” the Junkyard dog, plus the occasional barn and house cat, two rescued wild burros, Bumper & Savannah, and a wild horse named Lady comprise the domestic menagerie.
The Land Management plan for the Ranch is as a wildlife refuge to benefit the indigenous wildlife. This includes coyotes, deer, California Black Bear, bobcats, raccoons, mountain lions, rabbits, rainbow trout, venomous and harmless snakes, as well as a variety of insects, bats and birds. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the resident, shy Blue Heron, White Egrets or some visiting Mallards.
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