NOAH EDWIN SODERLUND

 

As a native son of Sutter County and one who has spent his entire life in this section of the State, Mr. Soderlund is well equipped for his occupation, that of fruit-grower, and consequently has reached success; for he combines knowledge of soil conditions with modern methods of cultivation and marketing.  Born two miles southwest of Tudor, November 9, 1887, he is a son of Noack and Ida (Danielson) Soderlund, pioneer ranchers of the district, and obtained his schooling at the Central district school, after which he remained with his father until reaching his majority.

His first start in life for himself was as a ranch hand for one year, and he next raised melons for two seasons.  Later he was a gopher-trapper for the District No. 1 levee, to exterminate the pests; and while thus employed he contracted typhoid fever, which necessitated a long recuperation, lasting one year.  On recovering, he raised potatoes for one year, and then went to work on the dredger Sutter in District No. 1 of Sutter County, first as cook, and subsequently at every other job in all departments on the dredger, remaining there during seven and one-half years; and for over five years of this time he was captain of the dredger.

All this, however, was merely preliminary to his real occupation in life, which was to be that of the horticulturist.  In 1915 he bought a ranch in the Hauss tract, at Bogue, comprising twelve acres in open land; this he developed to peaches and sold in 1923 for $17,000–a fair example of the remarkable returns to be gained in developing California lands, particularly in Sutter County. Mr. Soderlund next purchased his present ranch one mile south of Tudor, consisting of thirty-six acres; and here he set out twenty acres in peaches, ten in prunes, and five in Bartlett pears.  He has installed on the property a pumping plant with a four-inch electrically operated pump for irrigation, and also all other modern improvements and facilities for the operation of an up-to-date fruit ranch.