Me and Dylan are venturing on a father and son camping trip for 5 days. The first leg of our trip is driving from Los Angeles to Sacramento, a 384-mile journey. With a population of just over 1500, the town of Button Willow is named after its lone button bush which served as a landmark back in the 1800s. Button Willow is also home to a giant fiberglass steer, a common sight throughout the US, usually near steak houses. The button willow land & cattle company is a partnership made up of three families: the Frey’s Selvedges and Tracy’s.

Our second stop was Bravo Farm’s in Kettleman city. It was opened in 2014 to cater to visitors seeking farm fresh items and souvenirs. They serve Tex-Mex cuisine, delicious ice cream and have a giant gift shop. Bravo Farm has been around since 1979 as a dairy farm and then a cheese factory. They have various other locations but the one in Kettleman city is the largest.

The city of Los Banos, which means “The Baths” in Spanish, has approximately 35,000 people according to a 2010 survey. The centerpiece of downtown is Henry Miller Plaza, who was an early Californian rancher and keystone figure of the city. The 10-acre plaza features a monumental scale bronze arrangement of Miller with cattle. At one point Miller was the largest landowner in the United States monopolizing the agricultural industry. He transformed San Joaquin Valley into what can be considered a precursor to corporate farming, turning independent farmers into wage workers.

Button Willow Fiberglass Streer
Address: 30517 Hwy 58, Buttonwillow, CA
Website: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/33229

Bravo Farms
Address: 33341 Bernard Dr, Kettleman City, CA 93239
Website: https://bravofarms.com/

Henry Miller Plaza
Address: 600 H St, Los Banos, CA 93635
Website: https://losbanos.org/news-events/1-henry-miller-plaza-community-center-copyright-wakely/