Everything But The Weed

Approved by:
Linda Maze, a Wedding photography Gainesville FL in Gainesville Florida

The almond industry of California is attracting the interest of beekeepers all around the country. The almond orchard’s demands for honey bees is very strong that several beekeepers in the state of Florida have really defaulted on their contracts together with local watermelon growers to bring their bees to the state of California where they lease their hives and bees to the almond producers.

Almonds were first discovered growing a good distance from the bright landscape of the state of California. The first almonds were discovered in the country of China and central Asia. Franciscan Padres first brought almonds to the state of California in the midst of the seventeen hndreds, prior to the American revolution. Unfortunately Padres efforts were unsuccessful. It wasn’t until the early parts of the 1900’s that almond lovers found that California’s Central Valley had perfect growing situations meant for genetically improved almond orchards. Practically a half million Californian acres are dedicated to producing almonds. It is estimated that there are six thousand almond producers in the state of California.

At present, California is the only place in the northern part of America where almonds are successfully grown for marketable usage. The reason that the state of California is so successful for almond growers is the weather. Almond trees love hot summer season and cool winter time. Almonds do not like sub-zero temperatures. Given that almond trees are not self-pollinating they need the use of bees in order to produce almonds. Each and every February,  when the almond trees are in blossom, beekeepers set up hives in the orchard in order that the producers can enjoy a lucrative harvest. The inability to self-pollinate compel almond growers to plant multiple selection’s of almond trees.

Almonds are harvested when the crack within the shell widens enough for the nut to dry. This normally occurs between mid of August and early part of October.When the hull is completely open its time for the almond harvest to start.

When its time to reap the almond crops, orchard owners have the orchards swept in order that they are absolutely free of debris. As soon as the orchards are debris free, the mechanical tree shakers are brought in . The mechanical tree shakers lightly shake the trees. The almonds fall from the trees. The almonds are left on the ground to finish drying. When the almonds are dry they are swept into rows where they’re collected making use of a machine and deposited inside the huller.

Nutritionally almonds have loads going for them. There are just 7 grams of fat in a single ounce (a single portion of almonds is 1 ounce). Almonds do not have sodium and cholesterol free. Almonds are a superb way to get magnesium as well as vitamin E. Almonds are even a source of Riboflavin, Phosphorus and copper.

75 percent of California’s almond produce is exported. Honey beekeeping obviously has a major role to play.