Nearly every aspect of life on Ranch Mission Viejo - past and present -- is centered on lessons learned by family members who worked hard to transform this land into a place of opportunity.

In 1882, Richard O'Neill, Sr. began serving as resident ranch manager in exchange for a share of the land. The next 75 years saw the growth of a successful cattle ranching operation. Texas Shorthorn stock was imported. Feed crops were planted. Cattle were introduced into areas formerly used for sheep grazing. And the Santa Fe Railroad, which traversed the ranch, allowed beef to be shipped quickly to new markets.

Rancho Mission Viejo is still a working cattle ranch. The legacy of the American West is preserved at the Ranch's Cow Camp - the site of the original ranch facilities and headquarters for the family modern ranching operation.

Water, rich soil and a mild climate have always supported productive farming at Rancho Mission Viejo. From the late 1880s through the 1920s, the ranch was home to Orange County's largest wheat and barley fields, as well as rows of black-eyed peas and sugar beets.

Since the 1960s, the family has annually planted grain crops. New citrus groves are cultivated each year. With more than 500 acres in citrus production, Rancho Mission Viejo is the largest producer of lemons in Orange County. Add to that avocados, beans and barley, and it is clear that Rancho Mission Viejo has never strayed far from its agricultural roots.