Niche farming replaces cattle and horse ranching.

By Cheryl Scott, HDBJ Contributing Writer

Ranching, once a big part of the economic scene in the High Desert, has changed a lot in the last decades.  Once a robust hub of horse and cattle operations, the High Desert also supported many small but vigorous farms producing sheep and goats for export.

Times change, and with water prices and taxation soaring, and land becoming ever more valuable to developers, many farmers and ranchers have simply sold their land. The ranching industry has downsized considerably.

According to Sandy Claymore, agricultural standards officer for the Department of Agriculture, “Even with the poor economy there is still a thriving horse ranching community, but the big ranches are gone.”

Despite this, there remains a robust horse ranching community in the High Desert, offering breeding and boarding services, training and rentals. There are also a handful of successful niche ranchers, and they each cater to a unique clientele.

Barstow Koi Farm

In 1991, Mr. T. K, Liu and his family established their 40 acre Barstow Koi Farm in Newberry Springs, 15 miles east of Barstow, and it is one of the largest domestic Koi breeders in California.  Mr. Liu bred and showed Koi nationally and internationally for over 45 years, starting the farm after retiring as a professor of Chinese Literature in Taiwan.  The farm is now run by his sons, Ken and Mu, and Mu’s wife Pauline, formerly an attorney.

The Koi are raised with the greatest of care, and the family is careful to carry on with the quality their father would be proud of.  The site was originally selected for the water quality.  The first five ponds were built over a period of ten years.  Because of the sandy soil, clay was imported to line each pond.  The four foot clay lining regulates the water temperature keeping the water cool in hot summers, and warm in cold winters.  The clay also absorbs ammonia and prevents certain algae, and aids in the Kois’ digestion.

A healthy environment is important, because the family does not use drugs or antibiotics on their fish.  They breed their fish naturally, using soft fir branches to create a nest for the Koi to lay eggs on. They also start before 6 am each morning, hand mixing 350 pounds of paste food per day to feed the fish.  Ken believes that Koi are bottom feeders and that floating pellets are not good for them.

Ken credits his brother Mu with the talent that has made the farm successful – culling. Profitable culling is the most important part of any Koi farm, and takes place sixteen hours a day in the hot sun.  Of 400,000 eggs that are produced in a single mating, only 300 to 3000 Koi are actually sold.  Mu can pick a good Koi fish when it is only an inch long.

Ken says it takes a lot of sweat and devotion to create really beautiful Koi.  “Only honest people with a real love of Koi can survive in this business,” says Ken.  He feels that Koi fulfill a spiritual need for beauty, and he often feels his father’s pride in the excellent Koi they raise.

The farm now boasts fifteen mud ponds. “We are one of the largest domestic Koi breeders in California,” says Ken. “Annually, we produce over a million healthy Koi in non-stress environments.”

Ken explains that the economy has been a rough ride.  “The Koi business was good, but after a couple of years economic tsunami, many people lost their houses. You need a house and a place for a Koi pond.  So that means we lose the customer too.”  Their type of business is difficult to finance as well.  “In our business, it’s difficult to borrow, but I strongly believe business will come back soon.  When people have houses there should be no problem.”

The family opened the farm up to the public on Saturdays and Sundays after they were featured on the PBS show, Huell Howser’s California’s Gold.  “His office called a couple of times and I turned them down.  I didn’t know who they were. Finally Huell called and said, “Don’t you know who I am?”  We finally agreed, and they did a show on us about nine or ten years ago.  After that, people wanted to come and look, so we opened, no charge.”

The Barstow Koi Farm ships their products across the nation, to Koi dealers, and to direct customers.  The fish range in price from $10 to $600 depending upon size.

Barstow Koi Farm:
42072 Silver Valley Road  Newberry Springs, CA 92365-9450
(760) 254-3399

ABOUT KOI:

Koi descends from the common carp, specifically the Magoi.  The Magoi date back 2500 years, and between 1804 – 1830, color mutations were noticed.  The fish were bred to enhance various color varieties.  Keeping Koi became popular in the US after WWII.

KOI FARM FOUNDER

In 1991, Mr. T. K, Liu and his family established their 40 acre Barstow Koi Farm in Newberry Springs, 15 miles east of Barstow, and it is one of the largest domestic Koi breeders in California.  Mr. Liu bred and showed Koi nationally and internationally for over 45 years, starting the farm after retiring as a professor of Chinese Literature in Taiwan.  The farm is now run by his sons, Ken and Mu, and Mu’s wife Pauline, a former attorney.