I’ve known Candace and her family for years. They are wonderful people who have a passion for what they do. I was so delighted to know Candace was back on their family farm working alongside her parents. Kimmelshue Orchards is located in Northern California, they grow walnuts, almonds, dry edible beans, and also raise sheep. Walnuts are a favorite nut of mine because it is so versatile. I kept it simple in this recipe by finishing off green beans with walnuts and some blue cheese. Nuts plus cheese is my favorite way to top cooked veggies like asparagus and green beans.
Candace Gallion
Durham, CA
- When did you start farming? What brought you into farming?
I suppose I have technically been farming my whole life, but I didn’t really start taking an interest in the crops until I finished my undergraduate college degree. I studied Animal Science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and went into the Soil Science masters program with the plan to focus on rangeland management, but soon changed course to focus on soil fertility. I moved back to Durham and worked as a Field Nutritionist for a large walnut and almond grower for a year and a half, then was able move on to work with my family at Kimmelshue Orchards.
- Who farms with you and what are their roles?
The vast majority of my family is involved in agriculture in one way or another. All of my uncles and aunts on my dad’s side own orchards, and my dad (Dax) brother (Dustin), two employees and I manage them. My dad is the head of the farming operation and makes most of the management decisions, but is slowly shifting many of those to me. I do a little of everything: make and execute our fertility program, operate equipment, file pesticide use reports, etc. My brother and dad do all of our mechanic work, and my mom (Karen) is in charge of the bookkeeping. My husband (Chris) manages orchards for another grower in the area.
- What has been the hardest part of farming for you?
The hardest part of farming has been trying not to get frustrated that I don’t know everything there is to know about everything. I’m a very type-A person, so I have to remind myself that there is A LOT to know when farming—fertilizers, sprays, weeds, insects and diseases, tree varieties, pieces of equipment and how to run them, what to do when they break this way, and what to do when they break this other way, how to manage employees, the right time to start harvest, etc., etc., etc. It gets easier and easier as time goes on, but there are days that I wish I could borrow my dad’s brain for a few hours.
- What crops/animals do you grow and why?
We grow walnuts, almonds, dry edible beans, and also raise sheep. The walnuts are our major crop and they are very well suited to the area where we live. Our soil is very deep and loamy, which walnuts love and produce very well in. The almonds do pretty well also, and we like to have them for crop diversity. We raise the dry beans primarily between the rows of trees in young (1-3 year old) orchards. The irrigation timing lines up well with young trees and beans, and the beans are a way to get some cash off the land while the trees are still too young to produce. The sheep are more of a labor of love than a money-maker; we raise Hampshire crossbred lambs to sell to 4-H and FFA students for fairs and jackpot shows.
- What advice would you give to anyone interested in getting into farming?
Farming isn’t like other jobs or careers, it’s a 24/7/365 lifestyle. Be prepared, farming totally consumes you and your life. But, I can’t think of any work that is more satisfying. What more important calling is there on this earth than to feed the people in it?
To find more from Candace, you can visit their Club Lamb website, tweet with her on Twitter, or check out her beautiful photos on Instagram.
The secret to this recipe is finishing off these beans in the pan with a flavored balsamic vinegar. I used peach white balsamic. It is fantastic and gives the perfect flavor to the beans.
PrintGreen Beans with Walnuts and Blue Cheese
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic (I used peach flavor)
- 1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large skillet or pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the green beans. Saute green beans for several minutes or until tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Right before green beans are done, turn heat down and add the balsamic vinegar.
- Transfer the beans to a large plate and toss with blue cheese until well coated. Sprinkle with walnuts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
This post is part of my Thirty Days of Food series where I am writing about food and farming for the entire month of November, to find out more about it all or how to follow along, visit my Thirty Days of Food page or click the photo below to find more great recipes with farmer features!
