Business Segments (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | segment			4
Segment revenues	$ 7,000	$ 8,321	$ 23,633	$ 22,856
Profit (Loss) from commercial and resort/residential activities	(1,243)	179	70	1,413
Equity in earnings/losses of unconsolidated joint ventures	(1,656)	(1,148)	(2,806)	(1,586)
Real estate - commercial/industrial
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	3,025	2,553	6,387	5,495
Real estate - resort/residential
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	0	90	0	183
Real estate - resort/residential | Management fees
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	0	90	0	180
Real estate - resort/residential | Other
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	0	0	0	3
Mineral resources
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	2,652	2,754	12,852	12,408
Operating Segments | Real estate - commercial/industrial
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	3,025	2,553	6,387	5,495
Profit (Loss) from commercial and resort/residential activities	(70)	(783)	90	(1,152)
Equity in earnings/losses of unconsolidated joint ventures			(2,806)	(1,621)
Revenues and equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	1,586	365	2,896	469
Operating Segments | Real estate - commercial/industrial | Commercial leases
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	1,650	1,510	3,795	2,785
Operating Segments | Real estate - commercial/industrial | Grazing leases
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	524	346	911	713
Operating Segments | Real estate - commercial/industrial | All other land management ancillary services
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	851	697	1,681	1,997
Operating Segments | Real estate - resort/residential | Management fees
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Profit (Loss) from commercial and resort/residential activities	(576)	(611)	(1,327)	(1,003)
Equity in earnings/losses of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	(14)	0	(35)
Revenues and equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	0	76	0	148
Operating Segments | Mineral resources
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	2,652	2,754	12,852	12,408
Profit (Loss) from commercial and resort/residential activities	1,929	2,128	6,435	6,981
Operating Segments | Mineral resources | Oil and gas
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	917	1,782	1,693	3,522
Operating Segments | Mineral resources | Water sales
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	1,172	313	10,165	7,703
Operating Segments | Mineral resources | Rock aggregate
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	245	329	347	592
Operating Segments | Mineral resources | Cement
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	301	274	543	479
Operating Segments | Mineral resources | Land lease for oil exploration
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	17	56	104	112
Operating Segments | Farming Segment
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	1,323	2,924	4,394	4,770
Profit (Loss) from commercial and resort/residential activities	79	1,496	807	1,478
Operating Segments | Farming Segment | Total crop proceeds
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	1,289	2,769	4,347	4,618
Operating Segments | Farming Segment | Almonds
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	663	820	3,379	2,095
Operating Segments | Farming Segment | Pistachios
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	514	1,811	763	2,119
Operating Segments | Farming Segment | Hay
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	112	138	205	404
Operating Segments | Farming Segment | Other farming revenues
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Segment revenues	$ 34	$ 155	$ 47	$ 152