Profit From Your Property

The traditional economic uses of property in California, like almost everywhere, began with hunting and gardening and later moved to ranching and agriculture. 

More recently, housing tracts have become the most lucrative (although last) option for landowners. 

But of course this pretty much takes the land out of circulation as far as near-future prospects of productivity are concerned. 

One other option you may have, if you don’t already, is timber. Redwood trees are valuable and almost perpetually self-renewing.

But there are many other valuable fast-growing woods also. One of the best is walnut. Black walnut (Juglans nigra) grows amazingly fast and has one of the most valuable woods you can grow in our climate. 

The old-fashioned woodlot in the back 40. 

Plant a grove ASAP, space the trees fairly close so they grow tall and straight without many lateral branches (quite the opposite from the goal in gardening/landscaping). 

Many other trees are good for this purpose.

Also, try popular but seldom-grown specialty plants for sale:

• nursery stock for specialty collectors (e.g. bamboos, palms, edibles)
• cherimoya
• passionfruit
• figs
• muscat grapes 
• macadamia
• avocado?

Or rent out plots for gardeners without land of their own.