OMAHA (DTN) -- Something resonated with Dr. Bill Releford as he stepped onto the Bloom Ranch of Acton, California, and relished the beauty of the old peach, apple and pear trees surrounding him one year ago.

Bloom Ranch, nestled in the fertile heartland of California in Los Angeles County, spans nearly 250 acres, rooted in the pioneering spirit of the Blum family, George Blum and Magdalena Greutman, who immigrated from Switzerland in the 1880s.

The two married in 1889 in Chicago and traveled west by train, settling in Los Angeles. Together, they homesteaded 160 acres, thus beginning Blum Ranch and its legacy of orchards and beekeeping. Over a century, the ranch has expanded, and honey, fruits and lilac defined the ranch for generations.

After five generations in the family, Blum Ranch was sold in 2018 to the Ziegler family, who renamed it "Bloom" Ranch to honor its origins. After a breath of new life and more sustainable practices, the Ziegler family sold the ranch to Releford in 2023.

This November, Releford is celebrating one-year ownership of the ranch -- the largest Black-owned ranch in Los Angeles County -- inviting the community to "Bloom's Giving Fall Festival" on Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST. The festival will be anchored with an official ribbon-cutting led by Releford, marking this festival an annual tradition for the ranch.

"We're thrilled to invite everyone to Bloom's Giving," Dr. Releford said. "Bloom Ranch has always been about more than farming -- it's about creating a space where the community can come together and make memories. This festival is our way of giving back to a place that means so much to us, and we can't wait to celebrate with all of you."

FOOD IS MEDICINE

Releford grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and pursued medicine in college. He graduated from Philadelphia's Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in 1988 and completed his podiatric surgery and medicine residency at Southwest Detroit Hospital in Detroit.

He's the founder and CEO of the Releford Foot and Ankle Institute in Inglewood, California, where he specializes in diabetic limb preservation, amputation prevention and wound care. He's also the founder of The Wound Pros, a wound management company and medical supplier for long-term care facilities.

At the heart of his medical background and entrepreneurship, Releford believes wholeheartedly that food is medicine. For underserved communities, he believes it's important to have access to healthcare, as well as nutritious foods that can help prevent illness and keep individuals healthier.

In his decades-long practice, Releford said vegetables have been a part of his wound care and diabetic limb preservation care for years. So much so that he wrote a book, called "5 Colors A Day to Better Health."

"As a healthcare provider, I've always asked what my patients have had to eat, what colors did they have today. The average person does not have a scale or measuring cup at home. Life shouldn't be that complex. Five colors a day is an easier dialogue to have," Releford said.

Now, Releford has the opportunity to grow the colors that he's been talking about for the last few decades. "I'm the doctor and the farmer," he said.

While Releford's patients enjoy his medical expertise and treatment, they are also treated to some of his fresh fruits and vegetables grown on Bloom Ranch, an intersection of his career and his venture into farming. Although still in pilot, Releford hopes that fresh foods are the answer to wounds that don't respond to medicine, dressing or pills.

"Wounds are difficult and stubborn to heal, but I believe with the right diet, and colorful vegetables, we can begin to close those wounds," Releford said. "If a patient's wounds are not responding to medicine, dressings or pills, we encourage them to change their diet. We also want to make it easier for them to change their diet."

Releford said he wants to ensure that Bloom Ranch remains a pillar of community well-being and environmental stewardship, driving forward a legacy of health, inclusivity and prosperity for generations to come.

Growing up on the farm, and now returning to his roots, Releford said food is foundational for him. Chickens, eggs, yams, apples, "That was all we knew. So, this is a full circle moment for me."

Susan Payne can be reached at Susan.Payne@dtn.com

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