November/December 2022 - 7

COVER STORY
N
icNut Farms, formerly known as Nicolaus Nut, is
going all-in with climate-smart practices on the
mid-sized farm just south of Chico, California.
While this almond and walnut farm is part of a lineage of
six generations of farmers, it's also paving the way for a
new type of farming at a time when growers are at the crux
of the farm of the future.
George Nicolaus, owner of NicNut, moved out to
California from the Midwest and planted walnuts in the
late 1980s, and has farmed anywhere from about 150 acres
to 800 acres at any given time. Currently, the farm is under
300 acres, and has hit a sweet spot for the family in terms
of management.
" We're on the smaller side, but we actually like it like
that because it feels a lot more manageable, and we can
think a little more strategically about what we have, " said
owner Cassi (Nicolaus) Crowley, who manages the farm's
daily operations.
Thinking strategically has led this conventional farm
into a strong regenerative space that focuses very heavily
on climate-smart practices, including implementing
tested and proven practices, ongoing trials with university
researchers, new revenue, and looking to the local area to
strengthen community food security.
Cover Crops
One of the research studies in which NicNut
participated included helping researchers determine
that summer cash crop water budgets do not need to be
amended to winter cover crops, " which was an amazing
statement at the time because no one had known this
until this point, " said Rory Crowley, director of habitat
programs at Project Apis m.
Like all farms, NicNut had its on-farm challenges and
suffered from sheet flooding, which resulted in annual soil
erosion. Rory realized that the easiest way to address the
farm's soil and pollinator problems was to implement a
cover cropping program. That year, the daikons were large
and the cover crop towered over him.
Also, there was no erosion.
" It was amazing, " he said.
Both Cassi and Rory have advanced degrees with
research backgrounds. This allowed the couple to continue
their involvement in research activities - to " scratch
that research itch " - while simultaneously improving the
quality of both soil and yield in the orchard.
" It's an inroad and the backbone to climate-smart
practices, " said Rory about cover crops. " It really gives you
an understanding, and it does a lot of things for your soil,
NATIONALNUTGROWER.COM 7
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November/December 2022

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