In 2013, Linda Todd-Limón and her husband, Ken V. Limón, purchased a retirement home in Julian on approximately 140 acres of property. Little did they know they inherited 25 acres of pears and apple trees that could be harvested.
“We fell into it quite accidentally,” Todd-Limón said. “We saw the trees. It’s three terraced orchards, so clearly the owners before us did a lot of work, because it’s kind of carved into a hillside.”
After they bought the property, Todd-Limón and her husband found all of the previous owners’ documents and notebooks about what, when and how many pear and apple trees were planted and what they yielded over the years.
Now, the couple is running their own farm, Limón Orchards, where they produce a variety of heritage apples, organic pears and crabapples and sell to local markets, restaurants, cideries and bakeries.
Todd-Limón said they sell about 900 pounds of pears and a couple of thousand pounds of apples each year on average.
“We hardly ever break even financially, which is the plight of the farmer, but it’s very rewarding,” she said. “You’re working with trees. You’re working with the elements. You’re out in the orchard as we were today. The grass is blowing beneath your feet, you’re seeing clouds overhead and you’re hearing birds sing. It’s a very nice retirement sort of experience, if you know what I mean. It puts you in the moment, which is really cool.”
Todd-Limón is a retired English and history teacher of 27 years for the Cajon Valley Union School District. The last 17 years of her teaching career were at Hillsdale Middle School in Rancho San Diego.
Besides being a farmer, Todd-Limón is also a professional photographer. She said she has always loved photography and knew she wanted to be more involved in photography during retirement because it allowed her to slow down and practice mindfulness after a busy life as an educator.
“Teaching was rewarding, but also stressful,” Todd-Limón said. “Photography after retirement allowed me to relax and create and live in the moment behind my camera lens.”
She said she enjoys portrait photography because the emotion on a face tells a story.
“I took a photograph, when we were in Kentucky recently, of a worker, and he was working on the street, in a hole in the asphalt, and had his hard hat on,” Todd-Limón said. “It was such a perfect moment because he looked so exhausted, and you can see in his face as if he was saying, ‘do I really have to do this job?’ And so I love that about photography and how you can capture a moment in someone’s life.”
Todd-Limón is also an active member of the Julian community.
From 2021 to 2023, she was the Julian Arts Guild president, where she helped the nonprofit’s goal of exposing the community to more local artists and artwork through workshops, showcases and networking events.
She is a current member of the Julian Chamber Foundation, where she helps to advocate for things residents want for the unincorporated area, such as improvements to its town hall, she said.
Todd-Limón said she got involved in various community groups in Julian because she was new to the area and wanted to meet her new neighbors, and it blossomed into friendships and a deeper appreciation for Julian.
“Ken and I are both nature lovers, so for us Julian is a beautiful place to live,” Todd-Limón said. “We have amazing friends who really enrich our lives. They’re incredibly wonderful people.”
Here are Todd-Limón’s recommendations when visiting in and around Julian.
Linda Todd-Limón and her husband Kenneth V. Limón
are the owners of Limón Orchards in Julian. (Todd-Limón)
Q: Where is your favorite dining option?
A: My favorite place for breakfast or lunch is Soups & Such Cafe. The owners take great pride in delivering quality food that is fresh and flavorful. It is Julian’s only cafe and full-service flower shop in one. The menu features a full line of homemade soups, fresh sandwiches and salads at lunch. Breakfast includes an array of organic egg dishes, organic apple pancakes, French press coffee and homemade desserts.
Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?
A: My favorite vendor is Coyote Jack Art Studio. Local artists Vicki Hoff and Teresa Hernandez create artwork that is whimsical with an ethereal charm marked by a lively palette. They are welcoming and friendly, which adds to the loveliness of the space.
Q: Where is your favorite open space?
A: My favorite hiking place is the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, which is just outside Julian. It is a mostly uphill hike and moderately strenuous, but worth the trek because you are rewarded at the top with a beautiful 360-degree view of the backcountry.
Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?
A: There are stained glass and iron doors in the Julian Library that were created by James Hubbell. They’re just absolutely gorgeous. I mean, his work is, honestly, a dynamic fusion of color, structure and illumination.
A picture of the original owners, Margeret and Albert Robinson, is displayed in the parlor at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. The hotel is now owned by Steve and Gig Ballinger, who are the fourth owners. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A historic photo of Julian Gold Rush Hotel, then called Hotel Robinson, on display in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The lobby of the Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The entrance to one of the rooms offered at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The parlor at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian, as seen on Friday, May 8, 2026. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The patio cottage room at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. There are 16 total rooms at the hotel. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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A picture of the original owners, Margeret and Albert Robinson, is displayed in the parlor at the Julian Gold Rush Hotel in Julian on Friday, May 8, 2026. The hotel is now owned by Steve and Gig Ballinger, who are the fourth owners. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?
A: My favorite historical building in Julian is the Julian Gold Rush Hotel. Its rich history has always captivated me. It is one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in Southern California, established in 1897 by former slave Albert Robinson and his wife Margaret.