Bountiful insights: The heart of resilience

Winter 2025 California Bountiful magazine

By Masie Skelton

Resiliency is a trending word in agriculture. Resilience is more than just a trait; it is a way of life. At the heart of this resilient spirit lies Zane Ranch in Paynes Creek.

For my grandparents, Steve and Peggy Zane, the ranch is more than a home—it is a legacy and a livelihood built on decades of hard work. I was fortunate to be raised close to my grandparents and to experience agriculture firsthand, which has wholly defined who I am and the values I hold today.

On July 24, a wildfire ignited in Chico. By 11:48 p.m. the following night, the fire had grown to 145,171 acres. By noon on July 26, the fire was 178,090 acres and continued to rage northward. At approximately 6:30 p.m., it reached Zane Ranch.

Throughout the night, my grandparents, uncles and mother worked side by side with Cal Fire, employing every tool and ounce of energy they had to fight the encroaching flames. They cut fire breaks, cleared brush, extinguished spot fires and watered the pastures and barns, battling relentlessly to protect our cattle, homes and historical structures. The night was long and sleepless, but their determination was unwavering. The flames, though perilously close, were held at bay, and my family was able to secure the ranch from a threat that could have been much worse.

Amid the chaos of that night, a moment of irony highlighted the resilience of life on the ranch. While my family fought to protect the homes, barns and livestock, the cows were in the midst of calving season. That very night, as the fire raged, three new calves were born—a poignant reminder that life in agriculture does not pause for disaster. No matter the obstacles, the cycle of life continues even in the face of devastation.

Editor’s note: Masie Skelton is a junior majoring in horticulture at Purdue University College of Agriculture. A longer version of this piece was first published on the Purdue Sigma Alpha sorority’s Beta Chapter Blogs. Meet her grandparents and learn about their agriculture-themed collectibles and how they came close to losing them in the Park Fire.