Betsy Blanchard Chess Book Signing at Bank of Books:

July 24^th 1-3 pm

Bank of Books

748 E. Main St.

Daughter of the Land is the story of a free-spirited child of privilege sheltered amongst the lemon and orange groves of the Santa Clara Valley. This tale weaves both family legacy and how the author fits into the story of her pioneering ancestors.

Betsy Chess presents captivating vignettes of her many rela­tives and their impact on Santa Paula and the verdant Santa Clara Valley of Ventura County. She provides insight into marginalized communities that for 125 years have constitut­ed the majority of the workforce for the citrus capital of the world. Daughter of the Land sweeps readers through almost 200 years of a family’s history, yet is grounded in hard work and delight of life on the ranch. It presents a unique view, in words and pictures, of a way of living that no longer exists.

Daughter of the Land captivates readers and draws them into life in a small agricultural town and the Blanchard fam­ily, where pioneering methods of raising oranges and lem­ons gave rise to the great Limoneira Company, that for many years was considered “The world’s largest citrus ranch,” and today produces citrus fruit in both American hemispheres to ensure worldwide and year-round market access.

About the Author:

Born in Santa Paula, CA, Bet­sy attended high school at the Bishop’s School for Girls in La Jolla, CA, then did gradu­ate and post-graduate work at USC, earning a Master of Arts degree in Modern Euro­pean History. She engaged in dual careers as an agricultur­al journalist and a non-profit arts manager. She worked in top executive positions for the New West Symphony, the Rubicon Theater Company, the Museum of Ventura County, while editing and publishing the Central Coast Farm & Ranch magazine. Betsy has received recogni­tion and awards numerous times for her work. Today she resides in Ventura, CA.