By California Business Journal Editorial Staff – California Business Journal
Published April 22, 2025
Graydon ‘Nic’ Nichols planted his first almond and pistachio trees in 1981, 20 years after the purchase of his land, where he farmed row crops with cotton being the main staple. He was one of California’s first farmers to transition his land to orchards. Four generations later, Nic’s family — sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren — have taken the company, Nichols Farm, to a new level with a spectacular array of organic pistachios and almonds. The orchards and processing plant are located in in Hanford, the heart of Central California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley.
“Our interdependence with the land is something we greatly value and never take for granted. We understand the importance of keeping land nutrient and mineral dense for each generation to come. We use our natural resources sparingly and try to continuously do more with less. Currently, we hone the power of solar energy, and turn our organic waste into natural fertilizer. We also recycle our water and use drip irrigation because it is the most efficient watering method.”
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