Tom Selleck opened up in a new interview about life on his 63-acre avocado farm ranch in California’s Ventura County, and how he dealt with the property being affected by droughts.
The star, 79, bought the property formerly owned by Dean Martin in 1988, but in recent years, devastating droughts have destroyed almost all of their avocado trees and 25 of their oaks, which had been standing for 100 years.
In a conversation with People, he got candid about the loss, saying: “That just breaks your heart…But with the rain we’ve had, the sick ones are getting better, and they’re all sprouting a lot of healthy growth.”
The actor is currently in the midst of filming the final season of Blue Bloods, in which he has starred as Commissioner Frank Reagan since 2010 over the course of 14 seasons, and will return home every two weeks after shooting in NYC.
He described his favorite activities on the ranch as reading the morning paper and driving around on his ATV to check on the wildflowers. “I’ve planted them for years and they bloom in cycles.”
“When it’s coldest, one of them blooms and then another one comes in. I know it sounds stupid, but I just watch them grow.”
What did Tom say about his wife Jillie Mack?
The Friends star also spoke fondly of his family life, his utmost priority, including his wife of nearly four decades Jillie, 66, their daughter Hannah, 35, and his son Kevin, 57, from his first marriage to Jacqueline Ray.
Tom said that the thing he cherished most about their relationship was “the friendship” between them, adding: “And Jillie’s sense of humor.” He also talked about often reading Blue Bloods scripts with his wife by his side.
“I’m one of the last guys to see it, and I’m a good editor,” he said, and shared that on the days where he had less going on, he chose “a cigar and a glass of whiskey” as “a nice way to end the day.”
“I’ve had a very good life, a very lucky life. I don’t know if it’s what I figured I’d be doing, but it’s with a lot of gratitude.”
What else has the Blue Bloods star said about living on a farm?
In a 2007 Good Housekeeping interview, he spoke about finding fulfillment in life on the farm. “I live on a 63-acre avocado ranch,” he said. “So I like to get outside and work on the farm, from fixing roads to clearing brush.”
“I hate going to the gym, so sweating outdoors sure beats sitting on a stationary bike staring at my navel. And I work cheaper than anyone I could hire to do it.” Although he claimed not to be good at being a diligent housekeeper with his huge home.
“I do try to pick up after myself,” the Magnum P.I. star added. “We live a fairly comfortable lifestyle, though it’s not as formal as some lavish houses are; we’re all OK with a little bit of clutter.”
