Hall Of Fame Inductees

 

The individuals nominated should have made a significant impact or positive influence that assures the future of our industry in the lives of generations to come.

 

Once nominated, an individual’s biography and photo are updated on the site, and he or she is placed in the polls for voting. At the end of the year the committee takes into consideration the votes and decides which candidates are inducted.

 

Those with a star (*) next to their name below were either inducted posthumously or have passed away since being inducted.

 

Nomination Qualifications

  • Person with integrity and passion
  • Minimum 20 years in industry
  • Someone who has developed  or invented  new technology
  • Has made contributions that resulted in change
  • Contributed to mankind’s needs in his field
  • Provided education and encouragement  with self-sacrifice
  • Changed the industry

Bill Burchell 

The Burchell Nursery was established in Modesto by Bill’s father, Irvin Burchell in 1942.  Bill was 8 years old at the time.  The nursery specialized in growing deciduous fruit and nut trees for the commercial grower. 


Agriculture became a way of life for Bill.  He was in 4-H, FFA, Scouts and worked in all phases of the nursery and the family farm.

Bill attended Modesto Junior College, Fresno State, and UC Davis.  In 1956 he was drafted and served two years in the army in Germany.  Returning home he graduated from UC Davis in Pomology, married Edith Kellogg and put down roots in Modesto where he started his family. Bill has seen the nursery grow and develop to 800 acres in Oakdale and extended to Fresno with a branch office on 100 acres. They have cooperated with the fruit and nut industries in Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and France. Bill’s son, Tom, is now taking the nursery into the next generation of quality fruit and nut trees along with his son Jake.


Throughout his career Bill has been involved with many Ag related activities including:

* Modesto City Schools and Modesto Junior College Ag Advisory Committees

* MJC Honorary Young Farmer

* State CDFA Industry Advisory Board

* UCD Foundation Plant Materials Service chairman

* Methodist Church committees and boards

 

He has been extensively involved with the California Association of Nurserymen (now CANGC):

* Deciduous Growers Committee chairman

* Yosemite Chapter president 1971

           * CANGC Representative at the South Africa Nursery congress 1985

* CANGC State President, 1986

           * CANGC Lead for South America tour 1986

           * Agricultural trip participant with People to People to China 2002

            * Orinda Hiking Club leader and participant on trips in the Sierras, Ireland and Switzerland

 
Bill always wanted to share the best of what his nursery grew.  Being one of the top fruit and nut tree nurseries in the state growing over 2 million trees annually and introducing 4 of the top 8 commercial almond varieties, Bill liked to take packets of almonds to share at CANGC activities. He enjoyed sharing the many introductions the nursery has made in the fruit and nut industry. He liked sharing with his family the different varieties of fruit being served at the table.

 

Through the years Bill has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the green industry.

            * The Award of Distinction from UC Davis 1993

  * CANGC Pacific Coast Nurseryman Award 1997

            * Inducted into the Ag Hall of Fame, Stanislaus County Ag Science Center 2007

 

Bill’s philosophy of living and working go hand in hand.  His motto and the creed in which he lives by and instills in his nursery is; “Grow trees of highest quality, sell trees with highest integrity and represent them honestly.”

 

The Nursery celebrated its 80th Anniversary last year and with the fourth generation, Jake Burchell, joining to learn the business, Bill is confident that his father’s philosophy to “Plant good trees on good land, take care of them and they will take care of you” will be passed down to continue serving the green industry for years to come.