The Dairies of Bonita

Holstein milk cows

Operating in conjunction with the lemon orchards was the dairy industry. The dairies, with mostly Holstein and Jersey milk cows, not only produced milk but also produced a ready source of fertilizer for the orchards.

There were at least 30 separate dairies between the years 1916 and 1950. A majority of the dairies were small operations where 20 to 30 cows were milked.

A notable exception was the Samuel Williams Dairy in the eastern end of the valley. Several hundred cows were milked on a ranch of approximately 3,000 acres in size.

In addition to having ample land for pasture, the owner was able to grow his own feed. For several years—beginning in 1917—approximately 500 acres were devoted to growing lima beans.

In 1945, the Williams Ranch was sold to Union Oil Company of California.

Two additional noteworthy dairies were those operated by William Dolan (from 1910 to 1930) and the Levi Kincaid Dairy (1912 to 1931). They were located between the present sites of Sweetwater Manor and Bonita Woods subdivisions.

Another large dairy operation was the Burris Ranch, which began operations in 1922 on two tracks totaling more than 500 acres. The Burris Dairy discontinued operations in 1945.

Other dairies were the Eaton Dairy at the intersection of Bonita Road and Otay Lakes Road and the Rollin Dairy at the east end of the valley. These are the only two that survived into the 1970s.

Today, the lemon orchards and dairies are a memory of the past.

Source: Bonita Museum and Cultural Center

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