More than thirty years ago, a blind grape taste test in the Imperial Valley settled a family argument. The organic grape won. That was the moment Doc’s Organics got its start as one of the largest citrus and dates operations in Imperial Valley.

Today, Doc’s Organics has roughly 1,000 acres of certified organic citrus and medjool dates at the northern end of California’s Imperial Valley. It’s run by fourth-generation farmer Gina Dockstader alongside her family. 

It is one of the largest organic citrus and date operations in a valley better known for winter leafy greens and row crops, and exists because one bag of grapes convinced the family to bet on something most Imperial Valley growers still weren’t taking seriously.

A Fourth-Generation Return to “God’s Country” to Farm

Gina Dockstader grew up with a classic small-town plan: finish school in the Imperial Valley, move away, stay gone. She majored in public relations at Northern Arizona University. She then spent a year living at the beach in San Diego and mostly succeeded at getting out. 

Then life circled back. On-and-off dating turned into marriage. Marriage brought her home to the valley, to her father’s farm, and to an agricultural lineage that now spans four generations. Her son, (the fifth) generation, already works alongside her.

“We’re at the north end of the Imperial Valley,” Gina says. “I believe this is God’s country.” The north end, she explains, has harder ground than the celebrated “winter salad bowl” to the south. That’s why the landscape here leans toward trees and forage crops instead of leafy greens. 

It’s also why the family eventually planted citrus: tough ground, abundant sun, and Colorado River water proved a beautiful match for organic oranges, lemons, and limes.

Going Organic Before Imperial Valley Did

Gina’s uncle planted the first organic citrus trees on the heels of that grape test, long before “organic” became a grocery-aisle fixture and long before anyone else in the Imperial Valley was seriously considering it. Gina, who calls herself “a little bit more of the granola one” in the family, took to the pesticide-free philosophy from the start.

Those first few trees became the foundation of a thousand-acre certified organic operation, including Medjool date groves. Doc’s Organics is also Global GAP-certified, which requires documentation binders, scheduled inspections, and a tightly controlled list of inputs. “The fewer chemicals that you put in your body, the better,” Gina says. “Everything that you can take out of your diet, I think, helps improve your health.”

Organic farming costs more. It also drew more demand than the family could meet on its own. Early on, they had to send fruit to three different packing houses because no single facility in the area could handle the volume of organic citrus coming off their trees.

A Citrus Packing House of Their Own

That bottleneck eventually became an opportunity. Doc’s Organics opened its own organic-dedicated packing house, a rarity in the Imperial Valley. The benefits appear in the tree and on the shelf.

“We have more control over our fruit,” Gina says. “We can leave the fruit until we need it, pick it when we need it, and get it fresh out to the consumers.” Citrus peaks right before Thanksgiving, lulls briefly, and then peaks again as the trees prepare to re-bloom for the next season. Running their own pack house lets the family ride those rhythms and ship at peak ripeness rather than on someone else’s schedule.

The payoff is flavor. Doc’s Organics fruit is available at Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Costco in different regions. Some of it heads to Texas and New York. Some of it even ships to Japan, packed a little green so it arrives at its sweet spot. The label stays the same: farmer-grown, farmer-packed.

The Women Behind Agriculture at Doc’s Organic

Doc’s Organics is a family business, and for Gina, that family has always centered on women. Her grandmother, Betty, kept the ranch books by hand with double-entry ledgers, payroll, and accounts, all done in pen before QuickBooks existed. “She even taught me how to do double entry,” Gina says. “It’s just part of the fabric.”

That fabric runs through the orchard, too. A significant portion of the Doc’s Organic field crew is women, including Erica, who asked to train on the operation’s large tractors and is now, by Gina’s account, one of their best drivers. “She’s easy on the equipment, in air-conditioned comfort all day. She’s a fabulous tractor driver.”

The timing of that story matters. 2026 has been named the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and Doc’s Organics is exactly the kind of operation the designation is meant to highlight: women in the office, women on the equipment, women carrying four generations of institutional knowledge into the next one. “Being a woman in ag is so important,” Gina says. “I’ve learned a lot from my grandmother.”

Sustainability Starts with Colorado River Water

Doc’s Organics exists because of the Colorado River. Water that starts as snowmelt in the Rockies flows through Hoover Dam and finally into the orchard, nourishing the same trees that feed grocery stores across the country.

“We are unique in the Imperial Valley in that our only water supply is from the Colorado River,” Gina says. She ties the water story directly into how she thinks about sustainability, and her definition is refreshingly people-first. 

“Sustainability to me means that we are feeding the nation. When we had COVID, and everybody was shut down and not working, we went home early on a Friday and came back to work on Monday. Our employees are really first responders.”

The orchard itself runs on small, practical decisions that add up. Beneficial insects, ordered from Riverside, arrive at the packing house by UPS early in the morning to beat the desert heat. Good bugs eat bad bugs, and the spray tank stays quiet. 

Forage crops like alfalfa and Bermuda feed the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Long-tenured employees, one of whom Gina calls “Uncle Jerry,” have worked for the family since before she was born. “We do feel a kindred spirit with our people,” she says.

Where to Find Doc’s Organic (and Why It Matters)

Ask Gina what she wishes more consumers understood about California agriculture, and she gets specific. “I think it’s very important that you buy California. We are employing your family. This is your future.” 

She would rather see her fruit in a local grocery aisle down the street than in a store across the country. “That took a lot of resources to get there,” she says. “I think there is value when the grocery stores here recognize their local growers.”

You can find Doc’s Organics citrus and medjool dates at Southern California Vons locations, select Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Costco stores, and farmers’ markets across the region. Follow the packing house label. When you see a farmer’s name on a citrus bag, there’s a good chance you are holding Doc’s Organic.

Learn More About The Imperial Valley

To dive deeper into Imperial Valley, read about the California Midwinter Fair or about what grows in Imperial County. Looking for more California farms to follow? Browse more CA GROWN grower profiles on the blog, or plan your next farm visit on Experience California Agriculture

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Frequently Asked Questions About Doc’s Organic

What does Doc’s Organic grow?

Certified organic citrus (lemons, sweet limes, Minneola tangelos, and grapefruit) and medjool dates are grown on roughly one thousand acres at the north end of the Imperial Valley.

Is organic citrus grown in the Imperial Valley?

Yes. The Imperial Valley is best known for leafy greens, dates, and field crops, but operations like Doc’s Organic have built a major organic citrus program using Colorado River water and desert sunshine.

Where can I buy Doc’s Organic citrus and dates?

Doc’s Organic fruit moves through retailers including Vons, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Walmart, and ships to markets as far away as Texas, New York, and Japan. Regional availability varies by season.

What does Global GAP certified mean?

Global GAP is an international food safety and sustainability standard. Combined with USDA Organic certification, it verifies that every input, every worker protection measure, and every traceability requirement is independently audited.

This article was written by CA GROWN Content Creator Aida Mollenkamp, and images from Salt & Wind.