The Bar 3J Ranch was founded in 1963 by Dr. and Mrs. John Caufield. The 3J brand is from the names of the family members, John, wife June, and son John jr.. From the early 1960's through the mid 1970s, the Bar 3J raised pure-bred Hereford cattle. Restarting operations on the ranch in 2006, much of the ranch property and infrastructure was restored along with restarting the hay operation. Herefords returned to the Bar 3J in 2020 with the first set of calves shipped out in 2021.

Originally homesteaded by the Richardson and Heath families in 1887, the ranch and the Richardson family served the Cuyama Valley in a number of ways. What is the ranch headquarters was the post office for the area until 1934 (Wasioja Station). Marion Richardson (original homesteader) was the postmistress, operated a library from her home, and taught school in a one-room school house on the ranch.

Image and additional information about original homesteader can be found at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50448987/margaret-barrett-richardson