Launch....that's the theme this month.  Launch means to open, introduce, present, dispatch, and take-off.  This month, we introduce to you our new Member Directory, present to you new businesses in Buellton, and share with you the Rocket launch from Vandenberg. 

We will be distributing the new directories in the next week or so and are happy to share with you this premier edition.  Inside you will find a list of our business members, important phone numbers, demographics, history of Buellton, lifestyle, schools, and the list goes on.  We owe a special thanks to all of our business advertisers who made this directory possible.  We hope you enjoy your copy and look forward to your feedback.

We welcomed new businesses to Buellton with a Ribbon cutting and we would like to wish them much success here in our City. 

Our final launch was that from our neighbors to the west.  Hopefully you were able to sneak outside during the Rocket launch from Vandenberg last week and watch it as it disappeared into space.  What a beautiful sight and a part of history we witnessed. 

We encourage you to launch into September with determination, clear focus, and a burst of energy. 

Ever wonder what those giant birds on the side of the road are doing here?  Zoo?  Sort of...  Hatchery?  Sometimes...  Retail feather shop?  Kind of... Slaughterhouse?  No way, Jose... Daily fun for everyone?  Always!!!  Who, what, and how is Ostrich Land?

            Ostrich Land is one of the premier go-to stops in the Santa Ynez Valley for visitors from afar.  We have been around since the early 1990s.  The current location just outside of Buellton on Hwy 246 is the last remaining ostrich farm from original owner Colin Cooper.  His purpose for ostriches back then was selling breeding pairs.  Once Colin decided to move on from the ostrich business, he sold it to current owner, Trudy Brown, around 2004.  Trudy, having years of experience in retail sales, antiques, boutiques, and so on, worked her magic at Ostrich Land to turn it into one of the must-see stops in the valley.  Trudy saw major potential in these ostriches and emus, as well as this thriving area of tourism.  Why turn these lovely exotic animals into meat and leather when you can simply enjoy their quirky, goofy, and laughable company?  That was Trudy's philosophy.  Soon after getting the tourist business up and running, she called in help from her nephew Blake Fowler and family friend Nikole Sanchez.  Currently the three of them, with the help of valley locals Kane Ramirez, Annalyse Farmer, Steve Hillock and Alaska-native Nick Jurkowski, are keeping this ostrich ranch running smoothly.

            To find out what really goes on here we recommend that locals who have not been here in 20 years stop by and check us out.  Ostrich Land is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, all year long.  We offer ostrich viewing, ostrich feeding, and laughter.  The same goes for the emus, except we'll let you pet those gentle creatures.  This stop is fun for everybody: children, teenagers, seniors, moms and dads.  Check out our wonderful gift shop too.  Trudy has implemented a boutique-like feel with an ostrich theme to it.  We sell fresh ostrich and emu eggs (seasonal), blown egg shells, meat and jerky (imported), feathered earrings, fans, necklaces, boas, dusters, stuffed animals, T-shirts, and much, much more.  We are fully loaded with ostrich apparel.  

            We hope to see some local faces coming out to the farm soon. We would also like to thank the Buellton Chamber of Commerce and all of the wonderful people working to make it successful.  Hope to see you soon!!!