California's Central Valley became the heartland of early Punjabi settlement in America, where immigrants transformed from laborers to successful farmers despite facing severe legal restrictions. The rich agricultural lands of the Imperial, San Joaquin, and Sacramento valleys reminded many of Punjab's fertile plains.

Initially working as farm laborers, Punjabi immigrants quickly demonstrated exceptional agricultural skills, particularly in cultivating rice, cotton, and various fruits. Their expertise in irrigation techniques from Punjab proved invaluable in California's semi-arid climate. By 1920, Punjabi farmers collectively controlled thousands of acres through lease agreements and partnerships.

The 1913 California Alien Land Law prohibited "aliens ineligible for citizenship" from owning land, forcing Punjabis to find creative solutions. Many formed partnerships with white landowners, leased land through verbal agreements, or put property in the names of their American-born children or Mexican American wives.

The Punjabi farmers introduced new agricultural techniques and crops, contributing significantly to California's agricultural economy. They were particularly successful in growing peaches in Yuba City and Sutter County, areas that remain centers of Punjabi American life today.

Despite legal obstacles, by 1925, Punjabi farmers in California controlled an estimated 85,000 acres of land through various arrangements. Their agricultural success laid the economic foundation for permanent settlement and community building, establishing California as the center of Punjabi life in America.