Encinitas

Christmas would not be as merry if it were not for Encinitas, California, as that is where more than 50 percent of the world’s beautiful poinsettias are grown. One of the largest of these producers is the new Leichtag Foundation, which sells its products under the Ecke Ranch label, has more than 850,000 square feet of greenhouse space. Another source of these Christmas flowers is Rocket Farms. Several smaller farms also nurture beautiful flowers in this flower city.The beautiful city that is 95 miles south of bustling Los Angeles and 25 miles north of scenic San Diego is also home to Saint Katherine College. This small liberal arts college is home to around a hundred students studying 13 different traditional majors. The city is also home to the small California Institute of Human Science, a graduate research program committed to the social sciences. This model city, one of four in the United States, is also home to the Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy, which are training students in the ancient arts of massage and natural healing.