It was 2015 and, as far as John Konda knew, farming still had a viable future in the San Joaquin Valley.
So he expanded.
The Tulare County grower planted 75 acres of pistachios, adding to a farm he’s owned since 2003. Two years later, in order to augment his water supply, he drilled two new groundwater wells.
Now he wonders whether the investments, totaling more than $1.5 million, will turn out to be a costly mistake.