In the heart of the San Joaquin rich farming region at a mere 355 feet elevation, McFarland is deeply rooted in agriculture. Cotton, sugar beets, potatoes, and roses are some of the leading crops. A citrus processing plant, an almond hulling facility, and a winery are also located in the city of around 10,000 people.
Private label wines and cold storage facilities allow vintners from surrounding areas to create products using McFarland as an asset and resource. ASV wines of Delano and McFarland craft wine grapes that grow exceptionally well in many areas of Kern County, starting with a skilled selection of soil profiles, climatic conditions, rootstocks and clonal varietals. With extensive vineyard holdings located in several California appellations, ASV Wines is able to offer a wide-ranging menu of wines. Wine processing styles include tank, barrel and punch down fermentation, oak and sur-lie aging, extended cap maceration, whole cluster pressing and use of oak staves and chips. asvwines.com
McFarland was first homesteaded in the 1860's and in 1874 the Southern Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads extended tracks from Delano to Sumner, east of Bakersfield.
James Boyd McFarland discovered the area in 1907 when it was called Hunt's Siding and it was mostly made up of livestock pens and some families. McFarland came to California from Zanesville, Ohio and liked McFarland's thriving agriculture. He enlisted William Laird, a prominent real estate businessman & banker in Bakersfield, to purchase of the original townsite which was subsequently was named McFarland in 1908. McFarland later served as a member of the Kern County Board of Supervisors and on the Grand Jury.
In 1957 the City of McFarland incorporated and formed its own police department. Within the city is McFarland Community Correctional Facility, reopened as a 200-bed, privately run, low-risk facilities for women in 2010.
Clinton Shick of McFarland, Chairman of the Board, of Blue Diamond Almonds is a life-long farmer, a son and grandson of farmers. He grew up in McFarland, then earned a degree at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in Farm Management, and began work on a master's degree in Agricultural Economics at UC Davis.
The lure of production agriculture drew Shick back to McFarland before he
could finish the master's program at UC Davis. He had no trouble finding work,
and was recruited into farm management. He leased ground, planted cotton and
other row crops, and finally almonds in 1973 on lease land (with an option to
purchase.) His father planted his first almond orchard in 1970 and their success
was stellar.
Clinton was elected to the Blue Diamond Board in 1983 and also serves on the
Board of Central Valley Almond Association, a cooperative Huller/Sheller located
in McFarland, and has served the Kern County Farm Bureau as their president.
Blue Diamond is owned by over half of California's almond growers as a co-op that succeeded in marketing almonds to become California's #1 food export. Almonds rank among the nation's top 10 exports and provide 95 countries throughout the world with over 80% of the global almond supply. The California almond industry is valued at over $3 billion and Blue Diamond celebrated 100 years in 2010.
Among its restaurants are a McDonalds, Subway, Country Burgers and Maria's Pizza. Family owned and operated for 30 years or more, the pizzas are delicious, hand-tossed, and filled with lots of great ingredients, including a hot & spicy taste if you like. Maria's Pizza (661) 792-3863 194 W Kern Ave, McFarland, CA mariaspizza.com
Snow White Drive Inn is another business that has been around for quite some time (over 40 years). Some of the most popular menu items include hamburgers --Texas burger, Cheeseburger, Ortega, Chili and Bacon Cheeseburger are few types of burgers you can relish. Pastrami sandwiches, burritos, and the standard all-American favorites such as hot dogs and corn dogs are served with Milk Shakes, Malts and Freezes. 50 W. Sherwood Ave., McFarland, CA 93250. (661)-792-3123
Fay Yin Restaurant (661) 792-6433 137 Lockwood Ave, McFarland, CA
McDonald's (661) 792-9049 101 W Sherwood Ave, McFarland, CA
Country Burgers (661) 792-3567 657 3rd Pl, McFarland, CA
Little Panda (661) 792-6500 400 W Perkins Ave, McFarland, CA
Taqueria Y Mariscos Mc Farland (661) 792-0119 108 W Sherwood Ave, McFarland, CA
Get
Poker's Pizza (661) 792-6600 308 W Perkins Ave, McFarland, CA
Tacos El Cazador (661) 792-9069 206 W Kern Ave, McFarland, CA G
Subway (661) 792-0060 102 W Sherwood Ave, McFarland, CA