Help Revive Christmas Tree Farm After Park Fire

Andres and Emma Bobadilla purchased a humble tree farm located in Paynes Creek, California in November of 2022, with hopes to restore and reopen the tree farm to the public. Unfortunately, on July 26th, 2024, the Park Fire burned through the rural town of Paynes Creek, destroying the farm- including the small home, other structures, and many acres of trees.

Happy Christmas trees under a blanket of fresh snow, at the Rainbow Ranch, winter 2023/24.

The Rainbow Ranch Tree Farm, known by many as George’s Christmas Tree Farm, was started by George Perkins and his family in 1964. Over the next nearly 60 years, George’s Christmas Tree Farm became a holiday staple for many families. Locals from all over Northern California would bundle up their children and set out on the farm to find the perfect Christmas tree for their family as soon as Thanksgiving had officially ended. However, these traditions were abruptly halted when the Perkins family announced the tree farm was closing and the property being sold in 2022.

Before and after the Park Fire.

Andres and Emma are lifetime residents of the Corning area. They always hoped to find rural property out of town to enjoy and to pursue agricultural endeavors, and knew that they had found their future when they came across the realtor listing for the Rainbow Ranch. Purchasing this property was a culmination of many years of hard work and saving. Andres worked at and helped manage the family business, Firehouse Pizza Restaurant, in Red Bluff with his brothers for over a decade. Emma worked hard to put herself through college and became an elementary school teacher in Corning. After a decade of hard work, the couple was finally able to put their savings to work by purchasing the Rainbow Ranch Tree Farm.

Andres and Emma on their wedding day at the Rainbow Ranch.

The ranch became their home away from home, and peaceful sanctuary for their foster children. They took each of their foster children there to experience the healing serenity of nature and to find peace amongst the trees.

Emma dressed up as Mrs. Claus, in front of the Christmas tree they donated to the elementary school she works at.

They were working to complete the never ending maintenance, management, and looking into suppliers of evergreen seedlings in order to make progress towards restoring the tree farm and turning the ranch into their home before the Park Fire swiftly halted their plans.

Roadside view of the Rainbow Ranch, left view is winter 2023, right is August 2024 (after the fire)

Andres and Emma hope to replant the farm, including Christmas trees and a variety of native trees and plants. They would like to rebuild the small home and continue to take the steps to move towards making the ranch their full time home. With your help and contributions their hopes and the beloved Christmas tree farm will once again be thriving. Thank you for your time. Any support and contributions you make will be greatly appreciated by the family, and eventually by all who will come to make the future tree farm part of their family holiday traditions.

Thank you.