Erick Nielsen Enterprises: Sisters Leading with Legacy and Vision

In the heart of California’s Central Valley, where rows of orchards stretch out under golden sun, you’ll find Erick Nielsen Enterprises, a family-run business with deep roots and a modern approach to farming. Sisters Hilary Porter, CEO, and Heather Nielsen Reed, Hospitality and Social Media Manager, represent the latest generation stewarding their family’s legacy in agriculture, and their leadership plays a key role in California’s status as world-renowned in the prune industry.

Founded with a commitment to quality and efficiency, Erick Nielsen Enterprises (ENE) is more than just a farming operation, it’s a full-service agricultural partner. Based in the Central Valley, ENE specializes in custom orchard services tailored to the needs of today’s growers. Whether it’s mechanical pruning, harvesting, brush shredding, or orchard floor prep, the ENE team brings decades of experience, top-tier equipment, and a grower-first mindset to every job. Their ability to serve both their own acreage and farms across California allows them to stay closely connected to the pulse of the industry, understanding what growers need, when they need it, and how to deliver results that help orchards thrive season after season.

From harvesting services to family stories passed down through generations, Hilary and Heather offer a unique perspective on what it means to grow prunes in today’s evolving landscape.

What Are Orchard Services, Really?

For those unfamiliar with the term “orchard services,” Hilary Porter breaks it down simply:

“Erick Nielsen Enterprises provides custom orchard services throughout the state, mostly the Central Valley. That includes prune and pistachio harvesting, almond harvesting, brush shredding, brush raking, mechanical pruning… It’s more specialty equipment and service for the grower.”

Their team doesn’t just operate on their own land, they work with growers across California, providing essential services that allow other farming operations to thrive without the financial burden of owning expensive equipment year-round.

People Power: Skilled Teams & Family Ties

Behind every perfectly harvested California prune, almond, pistachio, or walnut is a team of experienced, dedicated people — and at Erick Nielsen Enterprises, it’s that human element that sets the operation apart. From longtime employees to second- and third-generation family members, the company thrives on trust, accountability, and collaboration in the field.

“To do the kind of work we’re doing, and to have the kind of trust we need to work together seamlessly and that doesn’t happen without great people. We’re not micromanaging. Everyone is responsible and accountable, and it takes a lot of effort from different folks to make this all work,” Hilary says.

What makes ENE unique is not just the scale of their work, but the culture that supports it. Many employees are related, working alongside a dad, an uncle, or a cousin, and the same is often true for the multi-generational families they serve across the Central Valley. That sense of continuity and shared purpose gives the operation a grounded, almost neighborly feel — even as they lead industry innovation.

“We love seeing family members want to join our company and work with someone they know and trust. We want to foster that. It’s part of who we are, and we see that same dynamic with our customers too,” shares Hilary.

Pushing the Prune Industry Forward

That tight-knit team has also helped push the prune industry forward. Hilary credits ENE team members with being instrumental in developing sizers and improving harvest techniques to deliver only the highest-quality fruit to processors ensuring California Prunes meet the increasingly high standards of the global market.

“Some of the folks on our team were part of real advancements in the industry…figuring out how to sort out undersized fruit, how to deliver the most desirable prunes to the processor. Their work made a huge difference,” she proudly explains.

At ENE, innovation isn’t top-down. It’s from the ground up. It’s powered by people who’ve spent years in the orchard, evolving with the land, the tools, and the fruit itself.

Growing Prunes—and Generations

While Hilary handles the operations side, Heather brings a big-picture perspective rooted in community and continuity. For her, prune growing isn’t just a job, it’s a connection to past and future generations.

“Some of the guys we work with remember me as a little girl. Now, I’m seeing their sons and nephews step in. It’s an amazing changing of the guard,” shares Heather.

Heather recalls a particularly moving moment when her own teenage son worked a summer job in the orchards as one of several young men from multi-generational farming families.

“He wasn’t even the furthest generation back. We had fourth and fifth generation kids out there. That was a cool moment.”

It’s that shared sense of purpose, passed down through family lines and farming communities, that fuels their passion for the industry and makes California Prunes a product with meaning far beyond the fruit itself.

A Year-Round Commitment: The Pace and Passion of Prune Farming

Farming is often romanticized as a seasonal occupation — planting in spring, harvesting in fall. But the reality, especially for prune growers like the team at Erick Nielsen Enterprises, is far more demanding. The work never really stops. From winter prep to summer pruning to the high-stakes pressure of harvest, it’s a year-round operation.

“There’s always something happening,” says Heather. “We’ve got prune thinning in early spring, making sure we get just the right amount off the trees. That’s such a process.”

That process is part of the magic. Mechanical pruning continues through summer, while crews constantly prep and maintain equipment to stay one step ahead. Harvest, the high-stakes peak of it all, arrives like a freight train, with orchards that require precision, timing, and teamwork.

“We’re out there harvesting, moving crews around, hitting different fields and different crops in a very short amount of time. It’s a lot of coordination,” explains Heather.

And even after the fruit is off the trees, the work continues. Orchard sanitation, like brush shredding, can happen in early summer, fall, or winter, depending on the grower’s needs. At ENE, flexibility is key, and the crews stay ready for whatever comes next.

This kind of nonstop farming life requires not just skill and stamina, but a deep love for the land and a willingness to make tough calls in conditions that are not predictable. Heather sums it up best: “It’s a gamble. But it’s beautiful to watch. And it’s brave.”

Modern Agriculture, Family Values

Running a family business isn’t without its challenges, but for Heather and Hilary, respect and collaboration keep things running smoothly.

“Working with family is a tightrope act at times… but I have the utmost respect for my sister. I definitely don’t want her job,” jokes Heather.

With humor, humbleness, and a whole lot of horsepower, these two are helping push the prune industry forward while staying grounded in tradition.

Why It Matters

California produces 99% of the domestically produced prune supply. This includes about 40% of the world’s supply prunes, and that kind of global leadership requires local dedication. Families like the Nielsens play a pivotal role not only in producing high-quality fruit but also in modeling sustainable, scalable, and community-oriented farming.

Through both custom orchard services and their own farm operations, Hilary and Heather embody the spirit of California agriculture. They are deeply rooted, seriously innovative, and always looking ahead.

Want to learn more about how prunes go from orchard to table? Explore the process here →

Article written for Alison Needham (@agirl_defloured) for California Prunes, images and video by James Collier, Paprika Studios.