About

Our founder, Ralph Gorrill, came from an engineering background when he started farming rice in 1918.

Gorrill Ranch (‘Gorrill’ sounds like ‘coral’ or ‘floral’) was founded in 1918 by our great grandfather, Ralph Gorrill, who was an engineer by trade. In 1918, the Stanford University began selling parts of its “Durham Ranch” and Ralph purchased a portion of that land to begin his farm. Ralph quickly established a reputation as an innovative farmer and pioneer in the rice industry. Many of Ralph’s original engineering projects are still in operation on the ranch today. Throughout his life, Ralph Gorrill was a passionate sportsman and conservationist—values that continue to thrive in the Gorrill Family. Upon his passing in 1964, his three daughters, Sally, Anne, and Jane guided the farm for many years. With three women at the helm for several decades, they expanded the rice operations to include tree crops which laid the foundation for our current diversified ag business.

Today, the business is still lead by the family, with 3rd and 4th generations in leadership positions.