Tehachapi News

By: Mark Moore

You’ve got the horses and cattle grazing contentedly when you exit the canyon from Mojave. In the spring, you’ve got the bonus of nuzzling calves and colts kicking up their heels. The lush green meadows of a sometimes Proctor Lake are eye candy after the rocks and sagebrush of the desert.

Climbing up from Bakersfield, you’re surprised by a town you barely see coming. You’ve marveled at the homes built upon the hilltops, but it’s totally a revelation to see Tehachapi for the first time as you finish that last grand climb.

What’s more, while Tehachapi is naturally pleasing to the eye, so much has been done to work hand in hand with Mother Nature.

I’m still struck by the entrances to the city. No other Kern community has created such beautiful gateways to their city. The far eastern entry could still stand to be better, but I’ll take the Benz playing fields at the edge of town as the welcome sign from the east. It sends a warm message to passersby that Tehachapi puts a high premium on its youth.

People tell me Greater Tehachapi encompasses a great number of horticultural zones because of the varying elevations in the region. With four genuine seasons, it’s a sure thing many things that grow in the Central Valley and the Mojave Desert just won’t survive our cold winter nights. On the other hand, it’s equally sure the plants prone to burning up in the hot summers of the rest of Kern County find a much happier home to thrive in here.

Tehachapi has done well to accent its outdoor living friendliness. I particularly love the oversized dining decks at The Bakery/Gifts/Chocolate Factory and the Apple Shed. Let me tell you, you’d think twice about having lunch or dinner in the great outdoors during a Bakersfield or Ridgecrest summer.

The new bike and walking path that will connect Golden Hills and Tehachapi will further encourage getting outside. And I’ve always found Tehachapi’s City Park to be a wonderful oasis from sweltering mid-day heat with its sheltering tall timber. I just saw the schedule for the Sunday Concerts in the Park. If you’ve never been, you don’t know what you’re missing. I’ve often scheduled family get-togethers for Sunday afternoons so we can enjoy both a great picnic and good music.

All those daffodils that announced our spring this year were glorious. I remember the big campaign to plant them. Why not revive the campaign and plant even more? And I couldn’t help but notice all the resplendent lilacs in profusion this year. Warmer towns to the east and west can’t get enough chill during dormant season to grow good lilacs.

Of course, those naturalized California poppies that turn so many hillsides orange are the frosting on the cake.

I really enjoy the nurseries and Mourning Cloak Ranch. They’ve all figured out things grow really well here. I’m particularly taken with Old Town Nursery’s nestled paradise for those afflicted with Green Thumb disease. I love walking around the nursery to discover new species to take home. Trees, bushes, flowers, and vines now adorn my home along with a fountain, planters, wine barrels, and an arbor. These businesses have certainly done more than their fair share to make our neighborhoods even more alive and beautiful.

Recently, I saw a large flatbed truck on the roadside. It had landscape boulders on it with a sign announcing they were for sale. Rocks, oaks, forested mountains, meadows, streams, rolling hills, and four never boring seasons should remind us that Tehachapi is the region’s most interesting place to live.

As well as the most beautiful.

Mark Moore is a Chartered Financial Consultant with Q4 Insurance & Financial Services, Inc. Securities and Advisory Services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member NASD/SIPC. Your feedback is valued. Email Mark at MarkM@Q4Financial.net.