Meet Sacramento Born, Roseville Raised, Deborah Fiddyment, Daughter of Fiddyment Farms Founders David and Dolly Fiddyment
February 13th, 2019 by Fiddyment Farms
Pistachios… Joy, longevity, opportunity, and legacy. Not typical words you think of when you hear the word pistachios, but to Deborah Fiddyment, pistachios are more than just nuts. Born in Sacramento, California and raised in Roseville, California, Deborah says “I grew up with one of the best childhoods anyone could ever have. I was following Dad around the moment I could walk.” She enjoyed being outside and exploring the acres of land her family owned in Roseville, where her parents, David and Dolly Fiddyment, started growing pistachios.
Growing up Deborah learned the ways of pistachios and growing trees first hand from her father. “I would climb the trees and my Dad would put tarps down, then I would shake the branches and the seeds would rain down,” she explained, thinking about her younger work days. The rhythm of her day would start with getting up in the morning and simply going outside. Pruning trees on a warm winter day with headphones on and sheers in hand was the type of day Deborah looked forward to. She enjoyed driving the tractor and working the forklift, any piece of equipment fascinated her. Every aspect of pistachio farming from growing and harvesting is something she absolutely loved. “I always loved growing things, Dad says I’m the better farmer,” she said having grown over 360,000 seedlings. Everything kept her intellectually and physically challenged. Above all, she loved working with her Father. “It’s absolutely my passion – it’s in my blood.”
Deborah graduated from California State University, Chico with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, then went on to pursue her master’s degree in Ag Business at California State University, Fresno. On her weekends during school, she would drive home to take things over at the ranch for two days so her father could have a break and recharge. Those days would consist of climbing up on the dryers, checking temperatures and making sure loads were going in correctly. She spent a lot of time helping her father run the business and keeping things going. Through all the years of work, one special memory that sticks out to her is sitting on the floor of her living room, watching tv and tying bows on burlap bags with her mom Dolly and younger sister Diane. Each one of the signature green burlap bags was hand sewn and tied, a tradition Fiddyment Farms continues to this day.
“Pistachios have a specific smell – when I would come back from college and see an orchard, sometimes there would be extra growth at the base of the trees that had been neglected. You can break those bits off, so I’d break one off and the smell of that was just – I’m home.”
– Deborah Fiddyment
Along with Deborah’s life long passion for pistachios and farming, she currently attends weekly Rotary meetings with her father, David, who has never missed a Rotary meeting in his seventy-two plus years of attending. Deborah gained a passion for these meetings and was sponsored by a fellow Rotarian to become one herself. She is serious in her devotion to being a Rotarian and feels pride in continuing the tradition alongside her Father.
The company her parents built has gone through many changes over the last fifty years since it was started in 1968. Today she feels the company is invigorating and that the possibilities are endless. Deborah expresses that her pride in the company lies with the loyalty of its employees and that she is thankful for the sacrifices and tenacity her parents had in getting them through good times and tough. Today, she and her sister are the next generation of leaders in the business, Deborah stated it is an honor working with her sister, Diane, and carrying on their fathers’ company for years to come.
“We have integrity, appreciation towards our customers and supporters, and deep family pride. We’re the best.”
– Deborah Fiddyment.
