David Fiddyment brings pistachios to area

David Fiddyment, fourth generation of Elizabeth Jane Crawford Fiddyment Hill Atkinson, turned the nearby Fiddyment Ranch into the Fiddyment Pistachio Ranch. He began to develop pistachios as the main crop of the Fiddyment Ranch in 1968. It was the last large crop on the Fiddyment Ranch in Roseville before acreage was sold in 2004 to the Roseville Del Web senior living enterprise. David and his two brothers were the fourth generation running the ranch. David took on the responsibility while his brothers were in the service. Farmers and ranchers need to diversify their crops and know when to make changes. It often becomes a gamble and sometimes they find themselves at a low spot, which happened earlier with David's father, Russell. Raising and selling turkeys was big here during the first half of the 20th-century but the turkey business eventually left Placer County, partly because of new stricter rules and regulations. The loss of turkey farming affected both the Fiddyment and Hill lineage of Elizabeth Jean Crawford Fiddyment Hill Atkinson. With the loss of the turkey business, David mulled over two choices, kiwi and pistachios, according to his wife, Dolly Fiddyment, and he chose the pistachio nut as a new crop. Dolly Fiddyment said that her husband made a good choice. Not knowing how to plant or raise this nut, though, David took classes and learned about soil, propagation, planting and everything else about pistachios. He was committed to growing pistachios. However, David was unable to buy seedlings, so he intensified his studies to learn how to grow his own seedlings. David studied the art of raising the small shelled nut and taking care that it be harvested at the right time and speedily dried. In a recent interview, Dolly Fiddyment stated that the family would together sew red, yellow and green burlap bags when the pistachios began producing. (The colorful burlap-like bags continue to be used today.) She said that getting the pistachios to market was a family affair. David perfected the growing of pistachios and also developed machinery to make the job easier and more efficient. Today, David and Dolly Fiddyment are retired, being 98 and 96 respectively. Their daughter, Deborah Fiddyment, is secretary for the Fiddyment Ranch that grows, harvests, packages and sells pistachios. Her sister, Susan, is president of the company. Deborah Fiddyment followed her father in learning about growing pistachios. She earned an agriculture degree to better understand the care of crops, especially pistachios, and a Spanish degree to better converse with Spanish-speaking workers on the ranch. In 2004, the process of growing Fiddyment pistachios moved to Kern County where established trees were already producing. At that time, the business office moved to Lincoln to a rented house. The office is presently at 563 Second St. This site was once the home of Peter Vasion and his wife and family. Later, it was the home of Dan and Dorothy Vasion and their daughters. Fiddyment pistachios can be found in shops in Lincoln, Roseville and elsewhere and can be ordered online. The delicious and healthy nuts come in plain, lemon, chili lime, garlic onion, sea salt, and pepper and barbeque flavors. Pistachio butter and pistachio paste is just as tempting. The healthy green nut makes delightful gifts. The Lincoln Area Archives Museum will be closed this week for Thanksgiving but reopens next week. The museum at 640 5th St. is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.