Russ Lester died peacefully on Sept. 22, 2025, surrounded by family and on the farm that he loved and stewarded since 1976. Russ was an influential farmer, including during CalCAN’s formative years, where he served as one of our farmer advisors for almost 17 years.

Russ was a trailblazer in many ways. He operated an organic walnut operation, Dixon Ridge Farms, near Winters, which for many years was also the country’s largest organic walnut processor. He integrated sustainability principles into every aspect of the farm operations, from irrigation efficiency and scheduling to reduced tillage, cover crop, and compost application as an alternative to fossil fuel-based fertilizers, and mulching with walnut shells. He was always generous with his time, giving hundreds of farm tours to students, policymakers, media, and others.

Russ pioneered a technology that transformed walnut shell waste into clean, renewable energy. With a grant from the California Energy Commission in 2010, he installed a biomass-powered generator to convert walnut shells into heat and gas to dry the walnuts, as well as electricity to power the processor’s large freezers. Russ was the force behind CalCAN’s first successful bill, which established a Net Energy Metering Aggregation tariff to make it cheaper for farmers to optimize their renewable energy production.

Russ was active in the farmland conservation community, serving on the board of the Solano Land Trust and hosting annual fundraising dinners. He received many awards for sustainability over the years, including one from CalCAN in 2013, recognizing him as a Farmer Climate Leader.

Our thoughts are with his wife, Kathy, and his five daughters during this time. We will miss his boundless innovative spirit, his sharp mind, and his passionate commitment to sustainable and organic agriculture and the rural way of life.

Russ’ obituary can be found here in the Winters Express. As it states, in lieu of flowers, Russ would want you to support the causes he believed in (and we are so honored and touched that CalCAN is included). Donations in his memory may be made to:

• CAFF – Community Alliance with Family Farmers
• CalCAN – California Climate and Agriculture Network
• Solano Land Trust
• Winters Education Foundation
• Yosemite Conservancy

A celebration of Russ’s life will be held on October 18 from 2-4 pm at Dixon Ridge Farms. All are welcome.

 

 Quotes from Our Network

“Russ Lester was brilliant and ahead of his time. He had a wonderful spark of creativity and energy. He took on big projects and made them successful. When I started working on agricultural responses to climate change 20 years ago, he enthusiastically provided many ideas and examples to pursue. Russ was one of the few people who effectively bridged agroecology with technological solutions. His competence, dynamic nature and warmth will be missed.”

– Louise Jackson, emerita professor, UC Davis

 

“Russ has been a sincere and deep personal inspiration for me to develop our research agenda. He has engaged many generations of students with his vision, magnifying impacts and planting seeds which have been blossoming in so many inspiring ways. He was a gifted and honest communicator who dedicated his life and energy to show the possible, he paved the way with grace, humility and true love for nature. He was exceptional and generous with his time, I am forever grateful and he will be dearly missed.” 

–   Amélie Gaudin, Endowed Chair in Agroecology, UC Davis

 

“We have lost a remarkable pioneer of the regenerative organic movement. Russ was an early adopter implementing practices on his family farm that significantly advanced the acceptance of cover crops, hedgerows, biochar, and on-farm alternative energy production. He was a mentor to many and his legacy will be lived and remembered for generations to come.”

–   Craig McNamara, Sierra Orchards