Harvest is in full swing on the farm. Some farmers around us started a good week or two before us, but we finally started shaking last week.
Harvest starting all depends on soil type, water moisture in the nuts, weather and tree variety. These factors could vary throughout our state making the start of almond harvest vary throughout the state. But on our family farm, we are shaking.
Harvest is full of long hours, busy schedules and hot weather! So anytime we can find our favorite almond farmer to have some family time, we get excited. I consider it a huge blessing that between chaos of harvest we can take a few minutes to have some family time. We of course had to take a family selfie to celebrate our little girl's first almond harvest.
Family selfie as a family of FOUR
Before we could start almond harvest, we had to give the trees one last drink. After the trees are shaken they will lay on the orchard floor for 7-10 days before being swept, picked up and taken to the huller. These trees could go a few weeks without water in the harvest process. With the hot 100 plus degree days, we want to make sure they get one last drink before harvest starts. And thanks to drip irrigation we are able to irrigate between harvest of the different varieties.
Drip irrigating nonpareils before harvest
After we irrigate one last time, we need to mow the weeds and grass from the orchard rows. Any debris left in the orchard during harvest could get picked up with the almonds. This would cause problems with the harvesting equipment getting clogged up or break down. If any of this material arrives with the almonds at the huller, the same could happen there.
Mowing the orchard of weeds and grass
So once, the trees are irrigated and the orchard is mowed it was time to shake. Now that we have shaking underway for about a week, we just started sweeping and will soon be picking up. Harvest is in full swing!
It's time to shake!
Until Next Time,
Almond Girl Jenny
