Almond blossoms bloom in February, the nuts develop and grow through the summer then harvest time comes. All almond varieties are harvested within a 45 day window beginning in early August. There are actually 3 products on the tree, the kernel or nut which is inside the shell which is covered by a split open hull. The kernels are eaten by us, the hulls are sold for cattle feed and the shells have a number of uses including: Fuel (boilers, bio mass plants), mulch, livestock bedding, biochar activated carbon filters, and strengthening recycled plastics. You know you are getting a few weeks away from harvest when the green hull splits and starts to turn brown during the drying stage. This is called hull split.
Side note: Scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of almonds (28g) has 13g of unsaturated fat and only 1g of saturated fat.
Almonds drop off the tree by vibration, either hitting the tree with a rubber mallet (knocking the “L” out of them) or mechanical vibratory machine. In the next part of this blog I will distinguish between how Capay Hills Orchard harvests- the much preferred and safer way vs the typical almond farm (conventional or organic)
For typical almond growers, the nuts are harvested onto the ground and dry for 7-10 days. Once dry they are swept up with mechanical sweepers into rows. Finally the mess is picked up by another vehicle called a pick-up machine. I call it a mess because the sweeping and pick up process is a very dusty and dirty operation. In fact, during this harvest operation, many people mistake the dust created for a fire or smoke in the orchard, it’s that much dust, it’s ridiculous. Machine air filters must be cleaned regularly and workers should wear masks or be in an air filtered cab. It is this reason the USDA mandated pasteurization for California almonds to avoid the small possibility of pathogens making their way past the hulls, through the shell into the nut.
Capay Hills Orchard is very rare in its harvest method. They are atypical in a good way. They DO NOT HARVEST ONTO THE ORCHARD FLOOR! - Much preferred method from a food safety standpoint. Capay Hills Orchard almonds avoid contact with any pathogens that may exist on the ground. They use a “catch-frame” vehicle which has built in tarps. The nuts fall onto tarps. This is the same machine use to harvest peaches, prunes and plums. This process is VERY CLEAN! The field run almonds (in shell and hull) are dried on a concrete dying pad, not orchard floor. Therefore when buying unpasteurized raw almonds, the best and safest almonds are sourced from Capay Hills Orchard, www.chorganicalmonds.com.
Once they are picked up the field run product is transported via large high-sided doubles trucks to the huller and sheller facility. The almonds are normally stockpiled at the facility waiting their turn to have their hulls and shells removed. Each facility normally has dozens of farmers using their services, normally chosen by the farmer due to their close proximity to the orchard since trucking is a big expense. The huller/sheller machine is very large, complex, loud and expensive. There are 12 to 14 stages of hulling and shelling. It covers about 100 acres including staging areas. It is full of blowers, screens, rollers, vibrators and scanners. It covers Once the kernels come out of the machine they must be sorted, often done by optical scanners and sorted and some human scanners too. Here’s a link to the facility Capay Hills Orchard uses, nice photos! https://thecortinahullinggroup.com/gallery
So since all 7,600 almond farms (about 1.5 million acres!) within 45 day period, it is an extremely busy time. We all need labor, machinery and time. Work days run long and hot. Machines break down and need staff to repair them (which is why all farmers are also mechanics). Farmers learn to be quick on their feet to adapt and plan out contingencies. 12-18 hour days are normal.
So if growing almonds is such a hard, draining enterprise, why do people farm? I can tell you it’s not money. I suppose it’s the love the outdoors, they also enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of watching plants grow and producing nutritious, tasty food for people to eat. It’s a lifestyle that is hard to walk away from.
Almonds may not be cheap, but they are cheaper than the doctor or hospital. Eat well, live well, and support your organic famer.
You can buy unpasteurized raw almonds and almond butter directly from the California farmer at Capay Hills Orchard. Order off the website, www.chorganicalmonds.com or by calling or texting 530-507-8222. Talk or text directly with the farmer, Brian Paddock Alternatively email capayhillsorchard@gmail.com Please share this post with your friends.
Capay Hills Orchard is a small family farm growing the best raw almonds, raw almond butter and smoked almonds. Capay Hills Orchard is Veteran owned, Bee Friendly certified, and of-course Certified Organic using Regenerative farming practices.
What a beautiful photo of your farm. So interesting to read how Capay Hills does their almond harvest differently than most! Thanks for your great products.