Over 100 family, friends, community leaders and business associates were present for the celebration event

RIO OSO, CA (MPG) - On June 19, 2021, the Conant Family celebrated the 100^th Year Anniversary of Conant Orchards in Rio Oso, California. Started in 1921 by Ernest Leslie and Gertrude Conant, the farm is located in south Sutter County, at the intersection of Bear River Drive and Pleasant Grove Road. 

Over 100 family, friends, community leaders and business associates were present for the celebration event hosted by Mat and Lorene Conant, who reside on the farm today. The dinner was aptly held under the shade of walnut trees and included speeches by Mat and Ernest Conant and a video with highlights of the 100-year legacy. The evening included Mat’s signature lemon drop cocktail, made with Conant farm grown lemons, and ended with the guests receiving a package of Lorene Conant’s signature recipe candied walnuts, made with Conant Orchards grown walnuts.

The Conants have farmed for four generations in Rio Oso, six generations in California, and were actually one of the first settling families in America to begin farming nearly 400 years ago!

Roger Conant immigrated to the New World, arriving in Plymouth Colony in 1624. He has been called the first Governor of the Massachusetts, having been appointed by the Crown. Roger is credited with establishing the communities of Salem, Peabody, Beverly and Danvers, Massachusetts. He built the first Salem house on what is now Essex Street, opposite the Town Market. In 1630 he was chosen as a voting stockholder of the Massachusetts Bay Company. He was one of the first two Salem representatives to the colony’s general court and was repeatedly elected a selectman by the people of Salem.

Numerous generations later, in 1873 after serving in the Civil War, Timothy Conant III moved from farming in the Midwest to California and began farming in the Santa Clara Valley. His son, Ernest W., continued farming and served as Santa Clara County Treasurer form 1902 until his death in 1934.

Ernest L., Ernest W.’s eldest son, graduated from Davis, married Gertrude and bought the original 60 acres in Rio Oso in 1921 from the Natomas Company for $50/acre. 50 plus years of hydraulic mining near the land had left it overgrown but deposited with soils ideal for orchards. Mules and back power cleared the land for the first crop of peaches and the original four room home. Over time, oak root fungus took its toll, and walnuts replaced the peaches.

Ernest L. and Gertrude had two children, Ernest Roger, nicknamed “Bud”, and Joy. Unfortunately, Joy was killed in an automobile accident during the great flood of 1955. Bud attended Annapolis Naval Academy and served in WWII and Korea. Bud met fellow naval officer, Ann, in an officer’s club in Japan during the Korean war. Bud ended his service with the rank of Commander and Ann as a 1^st Lieutenant.

Bud and Ann had five children, all of whom attended the 100-year celebration event, Ernest A. of Folsom, Joe of Wheatland, Tim of Hidden Valley Lake, Mat of Rio Oso, and Lisa of Folsom.  Mat now continues the operation along with his wife Lorene and son Matthew, rounding out the 6^th generation farming in California.

The original home built by Ernest L. and Gertrude in 1921 still remains, having undergone major renovations in 1938 and again by Mat and Lorene in 1991.

Conant Orchards now owns or operates approximately 600 acres of walnuts in the Rio Oso area, and includes a walnut huller and dryer facility, and a custom harvesting, hulling and drying operation for various customers.

For decades, Conant Orchards has partnered with the University of California Cooperative Extension on research and rootstock trials, with the goal to help other farmers implement more-efficient growing methods.

In the 1990’s, a far superior performing walnut tree was discovered in a very challenging replant site at Conant Orchards. This original “mother” tree, now branded the Grizzly Clonal Walnut Rootstock, is currently being laboratory cloned and field planted. The Grizzly rootstock has become the first ever walnut rootstock cloned due to superior performance in a commercial orchard, and the first walnut rootstock observed with a variety on it for 20 years.

Mat Conant served on the Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau board for over 30 years, the California Farm Bureau board, and numerous school and water boards. Mat is currently serving his second term as Sutter County’s elected 5^th District Supervisor, and continuing the tradition of farming and public service that original colonist, Roger Conant, started in America nearly 400 years ago.

To learn more about the original colonist, Roger Conant, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Conant_(colonist).

To view the 100-year Conant Orchards video presentation, visit https://www.facebook.com/matconant/videos/328834238683098.