Regenerative to our Roots
The Sitkin family has been farming at Old Dog Ranch since 1918. In 2015, they became a certified organic farm by CCOF. And, in 2021 Old Dog Ranch became the first Regenerative Organic Certified® walnut farm. At Old Dog Ranch, we believe that regenerative starts with organic. Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) has strict guidelines that start with USDA Organic as the baseline. At Old Dog Ranch, we try to go above and beyond these certifications whenever possible and have achieved a silver Regenerative Organic Status.
“The best fertilizer is a farmer’s shadow. We know the trees, the orchards, what’s happening, and that works to our advantage.” — Roger Sitkin
Our Commitment to Regenerative Organic Farming
At Old Dog Ranch we use Regenerative Organic Certified® farming practices that aim to restore soil health, enhance biodiversity and improve ecosystem resilience while producing the most nutritious food!
At Old Dog Ranch we use multiple methods for creating healthy carbon rich soil. We use cover crops to prevent erosion, add nitrogen, and improve soil organic matter. We have also been mulching our walnut pruning for decades. This boosts microbial activity and helps to retain moisture leading to reductions in water use. We also are a no-till operation. Reducing soil disturbance preserves soil structure and prevents carbon loss.
At Old Dog Ranch water conservation means more than just reducing our water usage. We use drip irrigation for young trees and monitor moisture to be sure we’re the most efficient we can be with water. Having our orchards near the banks of the Calaveras River and the estuary means we benefit from all of the native insects coming from the immense natural habitat right in the middle of our farm. It also means we have a vital responsibility to protect the river ecosystem for biodiversity and clean water. One of the ways we do this is with riparian buffer zones with native trees and grasses along the river ways. By safeguarding the riverbed that we are enhancing, we ensure clean water and thriving ecosystems for future generations.
At Old Dog Ranch we were an early adopter of pheromone mating disruption. The conventional method of using pesticides destroys the beneficial insect population. Instead, we use a scent which confuses the male coddling moth and husk fly so they cannot find the females to reproduce. Although walnuts are wind pollinated (fun fact) we love bees and have some of our own hives which thrive on our farm along with many types of native local bees as well!
At Old Dog Ranch we maintain perennial ground cover which helps our trees absorb nutrients, this creates more nutrient dense food. We also maintain large areas of natural habitat between smaller orchards (10 and 17 acres) which supports ecosystem balance. iBird does an annual bird count on our ranch and have found it to have the most diverse population of birds in the county, spotting more than 70 different species annually. We also are home to mountain lions, bobcats, deer, beavers, otters and large flocks of wild turkey.
Our Evolution to Quality Organic Walnuts
The Sitkin family has been farming this land for over a century. The farm has grown and evolved over the years, making it one of the most progressive farms in the area and the first walnut farm to become Regenerative Organic Certified. When you’ve been growing walnuts for as long as the Sitkin’s have, you become an expert in your craft. Quality control doesn’t end just because they’re grown organically and regeneratively. At Old Dog Ranch quality control continues throughout the entire process from our trees to your door!
After harvest we have the highest standards for quality and care. It starts with a low temperature dehydration to remove the hulls. Our raw walnuts are truly raw — never chemically pasteurized. We use climate controlled storage to ensure our walnuts are fresh all year. And, we also test our soil and walnuts to be sure only the best walnuts make it to our customers!
We sell walnut halves instead of mixing in pieces (which is common practice) because when the walnut pellicle is intact the walnuts stay fresh and tasty for longer and have higher nutritional values. Our walnuts are packaged in bisphenol free, phthalates free, PVC free, polystyrene free, PFA free, recyclable pouches. And, we package our walnut butters in glass jars with easy to remove labels for re-using and recycling.
Our commitment to quality and sustainability go hand in hand. From our orchards to your home, we believe the standard of farming and food quality are directly related.