A famous historic ranch is in danger of being torn down for new commercial construction in the West Valley. At one time, the Tal’-Wi-Wi Ranch was famous for dates, grapes, citrus, and cattle, and Col. Dale Bumstead had an international reputation for farming success in a desert climate.
Families growing up in Waddell, Litchfield Park, and the West Valley knew about the farming operation – that is still in use today – and can be seen on both sides of Litchfield Road, between Olive Road and Peoria Avenue. The Bumstead home, housekeeper’s house, and guest house, designed by one of Arizona’s most famous architects, were in a lush park on the west side of the road. This land has been continuously farmed for almost 100 years with only three owners.
Col. Dale Bumstead – a water and soil conservationist – brought scientific farming to Arizona in the 1920s. At his death in 1952, he was described as a “Self-Taught Farming Scientist”. Bumstead spent four years researching the 1120 acres of what would become Tal’-Wi-Wi ranch before planting his first crops. Scores of temperature readings were taken over hundreds of acres. Specialists were brought in to test water drainage and soil quality. Water sources and water quality were researched, and planting began in 1927.
Grapes were a major crop at Tal’-Wi-Wi. Thompson Seedless grapes were the favored variety at first. A water and soil conservationist, Col. Bumstead chose to grow grapes due to their suitability to our climate and the lower water requirements.
Cardinal grapes, a new table grape variety, were made available to growers in 1944 and Col. Bumstead made a large commitment to grow these in Arizona. Bumstead’s Cardinal grapes commanded unheard of prices when they arrived on the East Coast.
The grapes, citrus, dates, and cattle raised at Tal’-Wi-Wi were selected to provide diversified agriculture. This distributed labor over the year. Housing on the ranch for the permanent work force at one time included 23 homes.
Col. Bumstead led agricultural development in many ways, including designing and building a cooling tunnel. With an ice pit and fans to blow air over the ice, produce could be pre-cooled before being loaded onto refrigerated rail cars for shipment.
Col. Bumstead gained a national reputation for modern farming methods. In 1949 the Shah of Iran was a guest of Col. Bumstead to see how his scientific farming methods were used to transform the desert. The U.S. State Department also brought His Royal Highness Saud Al Saud, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, to Tal’-Wi-Wi to view his methods. Some of the date palms that remain on the ranch are the descendants of a palm gifted to Col. Bumstead by the Shah of Iran.
Col. Dale Bumstead died in the summer of 1952. Management continued under the direction of the long-time General Manager, Kenneth T. McGeorge, who was followed by longtime manager Wilbur Bushong, Sr. Subsequently owned by son, Dale Bumstead Jr., the farm would continue in operation until sold in 1977 to Robert Harley McKee of Pasco Petroleum, who continued farm operations. The City of Phoenix Aviation Division acquired the property in 2000 for the purpose of protecting the land near Luke Air Force Base from development. Phoenix has leased the land to local farmers since acquiring it. Almost 100 years of farming may be coming to an end within months, when the City of Phoenix intends to sell the land to interested commercial developers.