Beyond Walnuts: The California Orchard Diversifying for the Future

Sierra Orchards Craig and Emily McNamara credit Nick Roach, USSA

Sierra Orchards, a family farm located along the Putah Creek in Winters, California, has a long history of producing organic walnuts. However, as we learned when we met Craig McNamara and his daughter Emily on our recent USSA press trip, the farm is currently in transition. Facing market uncertainty and competition, the orchard is expanding into almonds, which it will grow conventionally at first, along with other crops.

History of Walnuts

For 47 years, walnuts have been the backbone of Sierra Orchards’ 450-acre operation, which has been certified organic since the mid-1990s. Over the past three years, however, the farm’s profile has changed: about 215 acres are still dedicated to walnuts, but 80 acres now grow almonds, and the farm is transitioning additional land to row crops and potentially olives.

Case for Change

Several factors prompted the decision to move away from a focus on walnuts. Emily and Craig explain that the main reason is that walnuts cannot be replanted after walnuts without major intervention. A phenomenon called allelopathy, a chemical reaction in the walnut tree’s roots and in the soil, makes it very difficult to plant a new walnut orchard after an old one. Diversification was also top of mind, they say. The rising cost of doing business, unpredictable markets, and a changing climate have made monoculture farming increasingly challenging.

Choosing Almonds

When planning a new direction, the orchard considered several alternatives, including pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, and olives. Ultimately, almonds proved the best fit. The region’s Mediterranean climate is ideal for almond production; there are processors nearby, and the similarities between walnuts and almonds mean Sierra Orchards can use much of its existing harvest equipment. The almond industry’s excellent marketing support also added to the appeal.

Managing Almonds and Water

Craig highlighted that, just a few years ago, “almonds were the poster child for bad water consumption.” However, he points out that many crops require applied water during the growing season. Ultimately, what matters is how an orchard manages its water resources. Emily says that at Sierra Orchards, that means figuring out what each tree needs. The farm uses soil moisture sensors and pressure bombs, which measure the ‘blood pressure’ of trees from their leaves, to determine exactly how much water the trees need. A high-tech irrigation system collects field-level data, which the team reviews weekly to guide watering decisions. Sierra Orchards also relies on a buried drip irrigation system, delivering water directly to the roots while minimizing evaporation.

Transitioning the Orchard

Establishing the new 80-acre almond block called for careful planning. The orchard initially chose conventional methods over organic production, as the family was advised that growing almonds organically from day one would make it hard to manage the weeds and disease common in young orchards and the nutrients required.

They did not take this decision lightly. “Organic is our soul, it’s our blood,” concedes Emily. However, she says it reflects the reality of farming. “It’s a million-dollar investment for these 80 acres, and we had to be sure that we were planting the best trees that would take us through the next few decades of their lifespan and carry our farm as we transition other orchards.”

The farm has already started the three-year transition to organic, underscoring its continued commitment to organic practices.

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