Grown with Care
From tree to table, growing California walnuts is a true labor of love. With over 3,700 mostly multi-generational farms and approximately 70 trusted handlers, every step, from planting to packaging, is done with care.
Meet Some of Our Growers
Melissa Machado Cheney,
Machado Family Farms
Melissa Machado Cheney blends farming with fitness, as a fourth-generation walnut farmer in Linden, CA. After leaving a healthcare career, she and her husband took over her family’s century-old farm, adding regenerative practices and launching a gym on-site. She’s building a healthier, more sustainable future on and off the farm.
Mollie Sitkin,
Old Dog Ranch Family Farm
Old Dog Ranch is a fifth-generation family farm in San Joaquin County that has been growing walnuts since 1918. Run by Mollie Sitkin, the farm is now the first Regenerative Organic Certified® walnut farm. Today, they focus on small-batch, organic walnut products (think butters, snacks, and fresh walnuts) made with local ingredients. Their goal: keep it sustainable and in the family for generations to come.
Jason and Jay Colombini,
Colombini Family Ranch
Jason Colombini and his father, Jay, run their family’s fourth-generation walnut and olive farm, which has grown from 60 to 275 acres since Jay began farming in 1990. Together, they’ve modernized the farm with sustainable practices like no-till farming, solar energy and advanced irrigation, ensuring the farm's legacy for future generations.
From Tree to Plate: The Walnut Journey
Ever wonder how walnuts go from orchard to your local grocery store? Spoiler: it's not overnight. Before you get that perfect crunch, it takes a walnut tree around 5-7 years to mature. Yep, patience is part of the process.
Growing and processing walnuts is a serious labor of love, backed by generations of expertise, constant innovation, a focus on product quality and a deep respect for the land.
California walnut growers and processors support research and innovation in water quality and conservation, soil health, energy use and air quality. We constantly seek out and incorporate new methods of growing and handling walnuts that minimize waste, enhance productivity and preserve and protect natural resources at every step of the process:
Harvesting
Late August through November is go-time. Mechanical shakers (yes, that’s a real thing) shake thousands of walnuts from trees. They’re then swept into neat rows and scooped up for cleaning.
Processing
After they are harvested, the green outer husk is taken off and walnuts are carefully dried to preserve freshness and flavor, and in preparation for packing.
Packing
Once walnuts are dried and ready, they head to the packing plant. Here, they’re sorted into two main categories:
Inshell
These walnuts are categorized as jumbo, large, medium and baby walnuts, and need to be cracked open before being eaten.
Shelled
These walnuts are cracked by machines and screened and sorted by size, before being machine scanned for color and imperfections. Lastly, they are hand checked for quality by carefully trained experts.
From orchard to package, every walnut’s journey is rooted in care. So, whether you're enjoying them as a snack, adding them to a recipe or topping a meal, savor the result of years of dedication in every bite.