Remembering Paul Moessner

Jon Hammond.

Paul Moessner in his kitchen at Moessner Farm.

For more than 40 years, the Moessner family has operated a farm on property just outside the gate to Bear Valley Springs. The family has sold fresh vegetables and fruit, as well as a variety of jams, pickles and preserves.

The family has also operated a café for many years, though it is not currently open. Moessner Farm still does catering, however, and participates in the weekly Tehachapi Farmers Market, which is open on Thursdays throughout the summer. Mike Moessner is assisted by his partner, Kerstin Bassler, and other helpers.

Moessner Farms was started in 1980 by Paul Moessner and his wife Ursala, who still lives on the Tehachapi farm. Paul was a skilled chef who turned his hand to small-scale farming and created Tehachapi's first farm-to-table restaurant. Moessner Farm and Cafe became an oasis of good food, baked goods, fresh produce and a wide variety of preserves and condiments.

Paul was a German immigrant who was born in Ihringen on August 14, 1930. His father owned a small vineyard, and the family raised and preserved lots of their own food. When he reached adulthood, Paul met Ursala Diete and the two of them emigrated to Peace River in Alberta, Canada in 1953 and got married there. Starting a food service partnership that would last the rest of their lives, Paul got a job as a cook and Ursala worked as a server.

In 1958, they moved to Stowe, Vermont so they could work at a ski resort – again with Paul as a cook and Ursala as a server. The winters weren't to their taste, however, so they decided to look for opportunity in a warmer climate. They headed for Florida, but their arrival happened to coincide with a big hotel strike, so they kept going and ended up in Santa Monica, where they would spend the next few decades.

In Santa Monica, the Moessners continued working in the food industry. Paul was a well-regarded chef who worked at a variety of locations, including the Bonaventure Hotel, L.A. Country Club and MGM Studios. Paul and Ursala also opened their own restaurants, including the Black Forest Inn and Le Boulevard.

Provided by Moessner family.

Four generations of Moessner men: Paul, Mike, Eric and Andrew.

The Moessners eventually tired of city life and wanted to live in a more rural locale so that Paul could get back to his farming roots. They bought a 10-acre apple orchard in Cummings Valley in 1980, and began farming it with the help of their sons Mike and Art. They later expanded through several land purchases to own 52 acres.

For more than 40 years, thousands of Tehachapi area residents and visitors have enjoyed eating meals at the cafe and taking home food baked, canned or pickled at Moessner Farms. The Moessners' son Mike has run the operation for many years, helped at times over the years by his sons Grant and Eric.

Paul thoroughly enjoyed being in the kitchen and cooking was his passion. He also liked growing the crops that he would turn into delicious meals. Paul made many friends and acquaintances among his customers over the years, and he liked talking to the diverse group of visitors who would stop by the farm.

I have been friends of the Moessners since they first opened, back in the days when my Uncle Hank and I would go eat dinner there on a weekly basis. Back then you had your choice among six or eight entrees, all of which included soup and salad, bread, a couple of sides like red cabbage and potato croquettes, fresh-pressed apple cider and strudel for dessert – all for a grand total of $6.

After a period of declining health, Paul Moessner passed away at the age of 88 in 2018. He loved living on his farm in Cummings Valley and running his own business in his own way. His farm has provided great produce and food for more than four decades, and Paul left a remarkable legacy in the Tehachapi Mountains. He is remembered fondly by many, many people in this area.

Keep enjoying the beauty of life in the Tehachapi Mountains.

Jon Hammond is a fourth generation Kern County resident who has photographed and written about the Tehachapi Mountains for 38 years. He lives on a farm his family started in 1921, and is a speaker of Nuwä, the Tehachapi Indian language. He can be reached at [email protected].

Provided by Moessner family.

Paul and Ursala, his wife of 65 years. Contributed by Moessner family.