The stately oak tree that shades the Adobe is a Valley Oak (Quercus lobata), a deciduous white oak tree found throughout California. They can reach 60 feet in height. According to an arborist, our tree is approximately 293 years old as of 2023.
The acorn is the nut of the oak tree. Acorns were an important food staple for California Native Americans for over 4,000 years. To prepare for consumption, acorns were ground into coarse flour then leached to remove the bitter tannic acid. The acorn meal would be made into gruel, small cakes, and bread.
