Orchards and orchard-ready ground

An orchard is priced on what is planted, how old it is, and how it is watered. The County Road 28 almond orchard near Woodland was planted in 2019, had a well and two district outlets, and was custom farmed by a local grower under an annual agreement. The North Eddy Road property near College City had trees planted between 1997 and 2013 and an orchard development lease running to 2037. The Larkin Road walnut orchard near Gridley was full-bearing with solid-set sprinklers and good groundwater.

Open ground that is ready to plant is a separate category. The 190 acres on Road 90 near Dunnigan were sold alongside 148 acres of 2014 almonds, and the 40 acres on County Road 96 near Davis were described as ready for trees or a home.

When you evaluate an orchard, we look at the water first: surface water, wells, or both, and what the groundwater rules in that basin may mean for pumping over the life of the trees. Then variety and planting age, then who is farming it and on what terms.