LA couple bought $925,000 farm, made barn a home, started cider business

David Bailey, 40, and Dana Tiel were advertising professionals in Los Angeles before deciding to trade city life for a different kind of challenge. Their growing interest in gardening got them thinking about farming.

Before they knew it, they had their eyes set on a 16-acre farm in Mariposa, California, with a four-acre apple orchard and an established hard cider business. They purchased the property for $925,000, despite there being no house on the land. They spent another $100,000 converting the barn loft into a home. Their curiosity project has now grown into Sierra Cider, a family destination offering cider tastings, a petting zoo, a seasonal pumpkin patch and a pick-your-own apple orchard.

Where a pastime search ended

The couple started looking for properties as a pastime. For about three months, they sent each other listings during the workday, ruling out anything above 500 acres. Then, on the drive back from visiting Dana’s mother in Oregon, they passed an orange grove. ‘I think what we want is a citrus grove or apple orchard,’ she told her husband, as reported by Realtor.com. She changed the search that afternoon and found the Mariposa listing within minutes.

The property was right next to Yosemite.

"My wife and I had always dreamed of living on a farm someday, so when the pandemic hit and we were cooped up in our house in LA, we decided to make the most insane COVID purchase imaginable. When we found this 800-tree farm with a business attached to it, it was the perfect opportunity to not only learn new skills but also use our experience as advertising creatives to build the brand," David told Collabs.io Mag.The seller was offering a turnkey hard cider business, with the equipment included. The couple wondered what the catch was. It turned out to be the lack of a house.The asking price for the property was $1.25 million. The couple felt it was too high for a property with no living space. They made an offer and eventually settled at $925,000. They skipped a USDA loan and borrowed from an agricultural lender that specialises in small businesses.

The loan carries an adjustable interest rate, a detail they accepted with their eyes open.

Turning a hayloft into a home

Buying the property was only the beginning. The challenge was about to start. The couple, of course, needed a place to live. The barn had a loft that could be converted into a one-bedroom apartment. The previous owners had always intended the space to become living quarters, so gas and plumbing lines already reached it. That saved time, but the renovation still took seven months and cost about $100,000.

Living on site during the work was harder than they expected, however. They stayed in Airbnbs for two months before moving into a camper for another five. All this time, the couple were still working full-time in advertising while learning to run a farm and a small business. It was not easy. Bailey admitted that they questioned the decision almost every day.People around them were also concerned. Bailey’s parents strongly opposed the purchase, and his uncle, who also serves as their accountant, did the same.

This only made things worse for them. They considered backing out several times but decided they would regret not taking the chance more.

A destination farm

Today, the property operates as Sierra Cider. The tasting room is open from Friday to Sunday, and the grounds include a petting zoo, a seasonal pumpkin patch and a pick-your-own orchard that runs from August through October. People can sit and enjoy their cider while their children play in the fenced compound. The farm also hosts summer camps for children.The orchard grows many varieties of apples, mostly cider apples. The harvest season starts in July, and Bailey’s favourite part remains the picking itself. ‘To be on a ladder picking apples, there is nothing better,’ he told the outlet.