Anne Atkins has worn many hats, but her heart has always been in education and agriculture. After earning her teaching credential, she taught Adult Education in Orange County, then middle and high school World Literature and History, and finally within juvenile detention centers in Orange County. The latter was her favorite experience.
Anne and her husband Bob bought their 6 acre farm property in Fallbrook in early 2003, and built a strawbale house on it in 2007. She saw the transformative power of farm visits when she worked at a juvenile drug and alcohol treatment camp for Orange County, arranging field trips to bring teens down to the farm. The students would get a quick lesson on the land’s geological features and then pick lemons for the Orange County food pantry. The boys enjoyed the opportunity of picking food for needy people and then having the freedom to run around like kids on the property for the afternoon. They arrived at the farm as sworn territorial enemies and left as friends with their arms thrown over each other’s shoulders.
The Atkins actively farm 4 acres of citrus and fig orchards, and sell the produce to distributors in Los Angeles and San Diego. Now retired, they continue to volunteer in the local community.