Celebrating West Side Agriculture 2020
Special section of the West Side Index & Gustine Press-Standard honoring our local agriculture industry. Special section of the West Side Index & Gustine Press-Standard honoring our local agriculture industry.
2 | HONORING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020Attention to detail,innovation inGroefsema orchardsGUSTINE - A familyfarming operation withsolid roots in the Gustinearea continues to thrivetoday under the directionof a third-generation member.Clay Groefsema, whogrew up in the Lemoorearea, today managesGroefsema Enterprisesorchards in the Gustineand Waterford areas. Healso provides custom farmmanagement for clientsin the Stockton area andoperates a custom spraybusiness.The company’s homeranch on Orchard Roadhas been in the familysince the late 1990s, whenhis father Clay and grandfatherKen purchased theground.“This is the largest of allour ranches. We keep allof the equipment here andmove it around,” Groefsemaexplained.Water was a driving factorin the family’s transitionnorthward.As a child, Groefsemasaid, his family grewmainly row crops such ascotton, corn, garlic andtomatoes, among others.Some walnuts and pistachioswere grown as well.Supporting AgricultureRECEIVE and UP TO Farm Families$6,500Across the GroefsemaIn Energy Upgrade Rebatesalmond orchards.209-826-4807 www.youngsair.com 209-826-4807 209-826-4807 www.youngsair.com www.youngsair.comBut an uncertain watersupply prompted the familyto look elsewhere.“It was some of the bestground in the state, butyou weren’t sure if youhad water day to day. Thefamily left and re-investedup here. We had morewater, cheaper water anda little more certainty,”Groefsema commented.“I can’t imagine farmingwith that uncertainty ofwhat your allocation wouldbasis.A Certified“I chased a footballEnergy Audit will help you learndream after college forwhere you are using and losing energy and ways toyears, but knew I wantedto get back to farmingeventually,” said Groefsema,reducewho keptthosea hand inissues to make your homethe family operation butworked in farm manage-more efficient and save you money.209-826-4807 www.youngsair.comment for other corporationsfor 13 years beforeGetcoming back to manageRECEIVE$5,500RECEIVE UP TOthe localUPorchards.TORECEIVE UP TO$6,500His emphasis, Groefsemashared, is on using the$6,500 $6,500latest practices and technologyto maximize qual-UP TOity and production.In Energy Upgrade See GROEFSEMA | RebatesPAGE 3 In Energy In Upgrade In Energy Rebates Upgrade Young’s Rebates!Air Conditioning is a HERO RHERO is a Government sponsored prA Certified Energy Audit will help youAlearnCertified Energy A Certified Audit will Energy help you Audit learn youwilltohelpfinanceyou learncertain home improvewhere you are using Young’s and losing energy Air Conditioning where and ways you are to using where is and ayou HERO losing are using energy Registered and and losing ways Contractor.providesenergy to lowandfixed-interestways torates andreduce those issues HERO to make is a your Government home reduce those sponsored issues reduce to make those program RECEIVE your issues home to20 which UP makeyears. TO your enables Contacthomeus to learn more.more efficientyouandtosavefinance you money.certain more efficient home improvements. and save you money. HEROWhaprovides low fixed-interest rates and payment terms up to20 years. Contact us to learn more.be every year,” he added.After the family initiallypurchasing land ina district with marginalwater supplies, he added,his grandfather and unclepurchased land in the CentralCalifornia IrrigationDistrict.“It is gold,” he said ofthe more reliable watersupply. “You can’t do anythingwithout good water.”Enterprises operation, rowcrops have given way toGroefsema three yearsago rejoined the familyoperation on a full-timemore efficient and save you money.$6,500Whatever It Takes ®In Energy Upgrade RebatesYoung’s Air Conditioning is a HERO RegisteredYoung’s Contractor. Air Conditioning Young’s is aAir HERO Conditioning Registered is Contractor. a HERO Registered Contractor.HERO is a Government sponsored program which HERO enables is a Government HERO sponsored is a Government programsponsored which enables program which enablesyou to finance certain home improvements. HERO you to finance certain home improvements. HEROprovides low fixed-interest rates and payment terms provides up low to fixed-interest rates and payment terms up to20 years. Contact us to learn more. 20 years. Contact us to learn more.Whatever It Takes ®$6,50In Energy UpgradeA Certified you to finance Energy certainAudit home improvements. will help you HEROlearnprovides low fixed-interest rates and payment terms up towhere you are using and losing energy and ways to20 years. Contact us to learn more.reduce those issues to make Whatever yourIthomeWhatever It Takes ® Takes ®more efficient and save you money.License #461520RECEIVE UP TOA Certified Energy Audit will hewhere you are using and losing enreduce those issues to makemore efficient and save yoClay Groefsema manages family almond orchards in the Gustine area.License #461520License #461520License #461520
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020 HONORING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE | 3GROEFSEMACONTINUED FROM PAGE 2Decisions are madefrom a long-term perspective,he added.“Every year we evolveand try to make thingsbetter,” Groefsema explained.“Being a farmer,you have to learn thatfrom something you do todayyou may not see (benefitsfrom) for the nextyear or two.”Groefsema said he hasimplemented a number ofchanges since rejoiningthe family operation.Many are aimed at improvingwater penetrationand boosting fertility.Groefsema said the almondindustry has seen anumber of fundamentalchanges.Water managementpractices have evolvedsignificantly through theyears, he said, resulting inmuch more precise watering.“All of our systems havesoil moisture probes so wecan see exactly what isgoing on when we applywater,” Groefsema toldMattos Newspapers. “Weknow what our demandshould be, based on theweather, the age of thetrees and the soil.”Irrigation managementpractices are also a componentof the pest controlprogram in the Groefsemaorchards.Materials used in orchardshave also evolved,he noted, creating targetedpest control as opposedto a shotgun approach thatkills everything, he explained.Through such managementpractices, Groefsemasaid, “we can keepbeneficial insects in ourorchards.”Even with more tools todraw from and advancesin the industry, managementtechniques and attentionto detail remainessential to success.“You can spend a lot ofmoney applying fertilizerat the wrong time, and thetree won’t take it up,” hesaid by way of example.The company also regularlysamples soils.“Our pH was a little offbalance when I got here,so we had to build that andbuild our calcium levels,”Groefsema stated.Those steps are investmentsin success thatwould not be possiblethrough cutting corners.“We can always get better.We put in more inputs,and you get out what youput in,” he emphasized.The company’s commitmentto quality includesattention to detail andplacing a premium on takingthe time required to beeffective - without takingtoo much time.Whether it is harvestingalmonds or sprayingorchards, Groefsema remarked,trying to be tooquick results in damage tonuts or a spray applicationthat is not as effective asit could be.He is also an advocatefor the almond industry.“They are high maintenancebut you can onlygrow them in California,”he reflected. “I think wetake a lot of pride in it.A custom spraying business is part of the operation overseen by Clay Groefsema.They are pretty trees, anda healthy product when allis said and done.”Advancements havechanged farming capabilitiesand managementpractices through theyears, but the lessonsof childhood remain asstrongly ingrained as everfor Groefsema as he goesabout his work.“Growing up, my dadwould throw me into pruningcrews for the summer.At the time I wasn’t a fanof it, but you realize howmuch hard work there isin these labor crews andwhat they do day in andday out,” Groefsema said.“My grandfather alwayssaid hard work buildscharacter. You look backand appreciate those hotsummers.”PROUDLY SERVING YOUFOR 70 YEARS!We are proud to have generations in our family furniture businessserving Turlock and the surrounding towns.We appreciate your business!From the entire Woods family to your family we thank you for keepingour doors open for 70 years.Darryl Woods with Grandpa Thurman WoodsOriginal store at 433 E. Main St. (shown with Foster Freeze building)4918 Taylor Court, Turlock(corner of W. Taylor & Hwy 99)www.WoodsFurniture.com • (209) 656-2392Mon. - Fri. 10am - 7pm • Sat. 10am - 6pmMon. Sun. 11am - Sat. 10am - 5pm- 6pm • Sun. Noon - 5pm
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2 | HONORING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
Attention to detail,
innovation in
Groefsema orchards
GUSTINE - A family
farming operation with
solid roots in the Gustine
area continues to thrive
today under the direction
of a third-generation member.
Clay Groefsema, who
grew up in the Lemoore
area, today manages
Groefsema Enterprises
orchards in the Gustine
and Waterford areas. He
also provides custom farm
management for clients
in the Stockton area and
operates a custom spray
business.
The company’s home
ranch on Orchard Road
has been in the family
since the late 1990s, when
his father Clay and grandfather
Ken purchased the
ground.
“This is the largest of all
our ranches. We keep all
of the equipment here and
move it around,” Groefsema
explained.
Water was a driving factor
in the family’s transition
northward.
As a child, Groefsema
said, his family grew
mainly row crops such as
cotton, corn, garlic and
tomatoes, among others.
Some walnuts and pistachios
were grown as well.
Supporting Agriculture
RECEIVE and UP TO Farm Families
$6,500
Across the Groefsema
In Energy Upgrade Rebates
almond orchards.
209-826-4807 www.youngsair.com 209-826-4807 209-826-4807 www.youngsair.com www.youngsair.com
But an uncertain water
supply prompted the family
to look elsewhere.
“It was some of the best
ground in the state, but
you weren’t sure if you
had water day to day. The
family left and re-invested
up here. We had more
water, cheaper water and
a little more certainty,”
Groefsema commented.
“I can’t imagine farming
with that uncertainty of
what your allocation would
basis.
A Certified
“I chased a football
Energy Audit will help you learn
dream after college for
where you are using and losing energy and ways to
years, but knew I wanted
to get back to farming
eventually,” said Groefsema,
reduce
who kept
those
a hand in
issues to make your home
the family operation but
worked in farm manage-
more efficient and save you money.
209-826-4807 www.youngsair.com
ment for other corporations
for 13 years before
Get
coming back to manage
RECEIVE
$
5,500
RECEIVE UP TO
the local
UP
orchards.
TO
RECEIVE UP TO
$6,500
His emphasis, Groefsema
shared, is on using the
$6,500 $6,500
latest practices and technology
to maximize qual-
UP TO
ity and production.
In Energy Upgrade See GROEFSEMA | Rebates
PAGE 3 In Energy In Upgrade In Energy Rebates Upgrade Young’s Rebates!
Air Conditioning is a HERO R
HERO is a Government sponsored pr
A Certified Energy Audit will help youAlearn
Certified Energy A Certified Audit will Energy help you Audit learn you
will
to
help
finance
you learn
certain home improve
where you are using Young’s and losing energy Air Conditioning where and ways you are to using where is and ayou HERO losing are using energy Registered and and losing ways Contractor.
provides
energy to low
and
fixed-interest
ways to
rates and
reduce those issues HERO to make is a your Government home reduce those sponsored issues reduce to make those program RECEIVE your issues home to
20 which UP make
years. TO your enables Contact
home
us to learn more.
more efficient
you
and
to
savefinance you money.
certain more efficient home improvements. and save you money. HERO
Wha
provides low fixed-interest rates and payment terms up to
20 years. Contact us to learn more.
be every year,” he added.
After the family initially
purchasing land in
a district with marginal
water supplies, he added,
his grandfather and uncle
purchased land in the Central
California Irrigation
District.
“It is gold,” he said of
the more reliable water
supply. “You can’t do anything
without good water.”
Enterprises operation, row
crops have given way to
Groefsema three years
ago rejoined the family
operation on a full-time
more efficient and save you money.
$6,500
Whatever It Takes ®
In Energy Upgrade Rebates
Young’s Air Conditioning is a HERO RegisteredYoung’s Contractor. Air Conditioning Young’s is aAir HERO Conditioning Registered is Contractor. a HERO Registered Contractor.
HERO is a Government sponsored program which HERO enables is a Government HERO sponsored is a Government programsponsored which enables program which enables
you to finance certain home improvements. HERO you to finance certain home improvements. HERO
provides low fixed-interest rates and payment terms provides up low to fixed-interest rates and payment terms up to
20 years. Contact us to learn more. 20 years. Contact us to learn more.
Whatever It Takes ®
$6,50
In Energy Upgrade
A Certified you to finance Energy certainAudit home improvements. will help you HEROlearn
provides low fixed-interest rates and payment terms up to
where you are using and losing energy and ways to
20 years. Contact us to learn more.
reduce those issues to make Whatever yourIthome
Whatever It Takes ® Takes ®
more efficient and save you money.
License #461520
RECEIVE UP TO
A Certified Energy Audit will he
where you are using and losing en
reduce those issues to make
more efficient and save yo
Clay Groefsema manages family almond orchards in the Gustine area.
License #461520
License #461520
License #461520
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