Navel Orangeworm brought devastating levels of damage to many growers in the tree nut industry last year. At the annual Tree & Vine Expo, UC Farm Advisor Emily Symmes reviewed the cause of greater infestation in the 2017 season and what growers can do better moving into 2018. Watch this brief interview with Emily and read more on IPM in Emily’s upcoming Orchard Task list in the March issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Folsom, Calif., (July 27, 2017) – The California Walnut Commission (CWC) is pleased to announce that walnuts were selected by the state of California as one of the official state nuts.
“On behalf of the California walnut industry, we’re thrilled to be named an official state nut of California,” said Bill Carriere, Chairperson for the California Walnut Commission. “Walnuts have a long and rich history in our state, having been first cultivated in California by the Franciscan Fathers in the late 1700s, followed by commercial walnut production beginning in the 1870’s.”
Today, the California walnut industry is made up of more than 4,000 walnut growers and more than 90 walnut handlers (processors), who harvest approximately 315,000 bearing acres of walnuts. Walnuts from California are more than 99 percent of the U.S. commercial supply and in the current 2016 crop year the California Walnut Board reported a record crop totaling 684,338 tons, with global shipments up 18% year-to-date.
“California walnuts are the 9th leading commodity grown in the state and the 3rd leading export, contributing nearly $1 billion to the state in annual farm gate revenue,” said California Assemblyman Adam Gray. “I am pleased that my colleagues and I at the Capital have been able to recognize the tremendous contribution the growers and handlers make to agriculture in our state.”
In addition to offering a broad range of culinary uses, walnuts also add essential nutrients to the daily diet. Unique among nuts, walnuts are the only nut to contain an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 essential fatty acid required by the human body, with 2.5 grams per one-ounce serving. Walnuts also offer protein (4 grams per ounce) and fiber (2 grams per ounce).
For more than 25 years, the California Walnut Commission has supported scientific research on consumption of walnuts and outcomes in areas such as heart health, cognitive function, cancer, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, weight, and male reproductive health.
For more information about walnuts, including industry reports and nutritional information, visit www.walnuts.org.
Sacramento, Calif., (July 25, 2017) – Another hot and mostly dry week across the State as a typical summertime weather pattern set up with mid-level ridging over the Great Basin brought dry air into most of the State. The summer monsoon began to ramp up last week, bringing some much-needed rainfall to parts of the southern and interior deserts. Scattered showers fell on parts of the desert on Tuesday and Wednesday, with most places receiving less than a quarter of an inch. A few isolated sprinkles fell in the central and southern Sierras on Sunday, along with more widespread showers in the southern deserts that dropped an additional quarter inch of rain in most places.
Hot temperatures continued to melt the snow in the mountains. Mt. Whitney was devoid of snow, while snow still blanketed parts of the Shasta Peak. A few isolated patchy snow fields still existed at elevations over 11,500 feet in the region of the Stanislaus National Forest.
Temperature highs were in the 60s to 80s along the coast, 70s to 90s in the mountains, 90s to 100s in the valley, and 90s to 110s in the desert. Temperature lows were in the 30s to 50s in the mountains, 50s to 60s along the coast, 60s to 70s in the valley, and 60s to 90s in the desert.
Barley harvest was completed. Alfalfa fields were being irrigated, cut, and baled. Corn and sorghum for silage were still being cultivated and irrigated. The corn silage crop was in various stages of development, from already tasseling to developing ears. Wheat harvest for grain was completed. Cotton continued to be irrigated, cultivated, and was growing well. Cotton was forming squares and blooming. Black-eyed beans continued to be irrigated and cultivated.
Mid-season peaches, nectarines, and plums continued to be picked and shipped to both domestic and foreign markets. Stone fruit continued to be exported. Summer pruning and topping of harvested stone fruit groves were occurring. Valencia orange harvest continued primarily for the domestic market. Regreening was becoming more common due to the higher temperatures. Olives continued to develop. Table grape were harvested. Wine grapes were maturing well and irrigation continued.
Walnut, almond, and pistachio orchards continued to be irrigated. Both mechanical and chemical weed control continued in orchards. New almond orchards were planted. Pistachios were fertilized. Walnuts were sizing well.
In Colusa County, the processing tomato harvest continued. In San Joaquin County, harvest was ongoing for cantaloupes, honeydew melons, watermelons, and fresh vegetable crops. The second planting of cantaloupe was underway for late summer and fall harvest. In Fresno County, harvest continued for tomatoes with lower yields than expected. Onions and garlic were harvested. Onion seed was dried. In Tulare County, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers were picked by certified producers and sold at the local Farmers’ Markets. Yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, Bell peppers, green chili peppers, and cucumbers were harvested and shipped domestically. Sweet corn harvest continued and was sold at roadside stands and local Farmers’ Markets. Melons were irrigated and prepared for the upcoming harvest.
Low elevation rangeland continued as dry with conditions as fair to good, but quality continued to decrease. Cattle were moved to higher elevations; where higher elevations were providing more grass than in previous years. Feed cost for cattle remained high. Nursery shipments were slowing overall. Wholesale nursery shipments to Canada and domestic markets decreased due to the hot summer temperatures. Small amounts of citrus nursery stock continued to be sold.
Sacramento, Calif., (February 28, 2017) – Another wet week, with temperatures staying steady. Widespread freezes were reported Thursday through Saturday across the State.
Rainfall followed a similar pattern Monday through Wednesday, with the heaviest rains falling in the northwestern mountains, and the northern and central Sierra foothills. Four to five inches of rain fell in these places, with two to three inches in the northern and central valley. Rainfall tapered off to the south, with up to one inch in the southern valley and along the coast down to the Los Angeles area. Additional light rains fell on most of the State for the rest of the week and into the weekend. Most areas outside of the far southern coast and deserts received an additional quarter inch to half inch of rain. Cold temperatures and an active weather pattern led to yet more snow in the mountains, with up to two feet falling in parts of the central and northern Sierras. The northern mountains received another foot of snow, with the southern Sierras receiving under six inches. Temperatures were cold enough for an overall increase of the snowpack in the central and northern mountains, while a slight decrease of the snowpack was seen in the southern Sierras.
Temperature highs were in the 20s to 50s in the mountains, 40s to 60s along the coast, 50s to 60s in the valley, and 50s to 70s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 10s to 30s in the mountains, 20s to 30s in the valley, 20s to 40s in the desert, and 40s to 50s along the coast.
The planted grains and field crops continued to mature, reaping the benefit from all the recent rain, and a few sunny days. Growers waiting for excess water to dry up in the fields.
Pruning, discing, weed control, and pre-bloom spraying continued where drying orchard floor conditions permitted. Olive groves were pruned. Pruning, tying, berm sanitation, and brush shredding continued in the drier vineyards. The standing water in vineyards and orchards continued to cause concern for the health of the trees and vines. Herbicides were applied in some vineyards. Early varieties of nectarine and peach were blooming in Fresno County. Cherry bloom began in Tulare County. The Navel orange harvest resumed. Recent rains impacted the overall quality of the citrus. Zutano avocados harvest was ongoing. Tangelo harvest continued. Date trees were planted in Imperial County.
As field conditions permitted walnut and pistachio orchards were pruned. Saturated soils and high winds toppled some walnut and almond trees in the San Joaquin Valley. Almond bloom was progressing well across the State. Rain and wind caused some almond petal drop. As flooded orchards dried and conditions permitted, beehives were moved in to facilitate almond pollination.
Drying conditions allowed for fields to be prepared for cultivation in Madera, Fresno, and Tulare County. Ground was being prepped for planting tomatoes. Herbicide was being applied to onions. Strawberry fields continued to thrive. Carrots continued to be harvested.
Non-irrigated pasture and rangeland continued to improve due to the winter’s precipitation and warming temperatures. Range was reported to be in excellent to fair condition. Supplemental feeding of livestock was waning as range conditions improved. Bees were active in the blooming almond orchards. Sheep grazed retired pasture, harvested broccoli fields, and dormant alfalfa.