| abstract | - Garrod Farms Located in Saratoga California Garrod Farms Riding Stables is also the home of Cooper Garrod Vineyards. This wonderful facility also offers many benefits to the community including childrens horse summer camps, horse riding lessons and a great volunteer program. They are also home to a world renound vaulting team. History David Garrod, his wife Sofia, and children-Harold, RV and Maisie immigrated to America from Southern England in 1892, establishing Garrod Farms with the purchase of 65 acres. They made a living by working for neighbors, cutting wood and selling it in San Jose, and finally planting apricots and prunes. When RV was 42, he married Emma, the daughter of a German sea captain immigrant. Emma was born in San Francisco. RV and his wife added acreage until they had 240 acres of apricots, prunes, and hay fields. RV and Emma had three children, Louise, Vince and Richard. In 1941 when George Cooper married Louise Garrod. Vince Garrod is the father of Jan, Vicky, Emma and Christina, who work for Garrod Stables.. Two other of Vince's sons live elsewhere. Louise, is the mother of Bill and Barbara who work with the Cooper-Garrod Vineyards. In 1962, the Stables were opened for business with the purchase of 10 horses. The barns and arena were built in 1964 and the first vineyards were planted in 1974. In the early 1980s, Mid Peninsula Open Space Preserve purchased 120 acres from the Garrod operation. Currently Garrod Farms has 120 acres of family homes, stables, pastures, and vineyards with access to 23 miles of riding trails on the Fremont Older Open Space Preserve. The ranch has remained in family ownership and operation since 1893, and celebrated it's centennial in 1993.
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