Brothers Ranch

Situated on California’s central coast between Santa Cruz and Monterey, The Brothers Ranch has a rich and storied history. Originally inhabited by the Native American Ohlone tribe, the land served as a sacred site for their spiritual ceremonies. In 1824, 14 square miles were designated as part of a Mexican land grant, becoming Rancho Bolsa de Cayetano, or the “pocket of Saint Cayetano,” named for the surrounding Elkhorn Slough. Ignacio Vicente Ferrer Vallejo, a sergeant in the Spanish Army of New Spain, resided on the property with his wife and 13 children. Following the Mexican-American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ensured that these land grants were honored, leaving the property to family heirs or for sale.

In 1969, the Brothers family purchased the ranch from J.B. Sprague Johnson, co-founder of MJB Coffee Company. From the 1980s through the 1990s, the family cultivated cut flowers on the property, with Brothers Brothers Inc. growing into one of the largest cut flower operations in the United States. Today, the ranch stands as a testament to its rich heritage and agricultural legacy.