Irrigation systems are not cheap!

This has been a year of big expenses. The irrigation system being the biggest one! I guess that's a big reason reason half the farms in california do flood irrigation.

After researching and debating between sprinkler system and the drip, we went ahead with the drip.

1. Sprinkler system:
• Pros: Cheaper establishment cost, keeps the soil surface smooth, requires less labor, good for frost protection.
• Cons: High electricity consumption, problem with wetted branches, uses more water.
2. Drip system:
• Pros: Efficient water usage, uniform tree growth.
• Cons: Needs to be irrigated frequently, no frost protection, higher establishment costs, higher maintenance, lack of reserve moisture in the soil.

Although we have plentiful water supply from TID and ground wells, we decided against installing sprinkler system, hoping the drip will pay off in the longer term. I am not so sure now really. The other day, I read a research article from UC on how sprinkler system is better. Oh well!

We hope the irrigation system will be the last of the development expenses. The next year should just be ongoing farming expenses. Still, income from Whitmore ranch is a couple of years away, so crossing my fingers!

We work hard all year long just to get to know these numbers..

Final crop production numbers are in.. Not a good crop year.. Oh well.. I'm sure we'll have a great one next year.

The poor weather was partially responsible for the low yields this year. The other big factor was that the Nonpareil variety bloomed early relative to the other varieties. Nonpareil yields were lower than expected industry wide, and the statewide crop is coming in lower than the crop estimate. In this area the best yields were derived from Monterey, Fritz and some Carmel varieties. That is certainly evident in our numbers!

A small step for a baby almond orchard. A giant leap for the health of mankind..

Strawberries are sweeter than sweet potatoes!

So, we have about 30 acres of open land that we are evaluating what to do with in the short term. We'll simply be renting it out for a season of course. Options are:

1. growing sweet potatoes 
2. strawberry patch (that sells to Plant Sciences). 

We think the strawberry grower shows great promise as a good temporary tenant. They run a very clean operation. They have been renting ground near Lane's house for the last several years so he has seen how they work and maintain the property.


More importantly, strawberry plants would have the advantage of not depleting the soil of potassium to the extent that potatoes do. They also tarp fumigate the soil each year.

Satellite guided precision. Check.

Let the almond tree planting begin.

Benefits of modern technology. We have state of the art GPS controlled precision planting the rootstock. Praying to God to turn this into a bountiful almond orchard in three years.

Land fumigation to prep for orchard plantation

You will be surprised how much work is involved in preparing the ground for planting a new orchard planting. One of the important steps is Fumigation. 

Fumigation is one way to control parasitic nematodes that cause serious damage to the root system. Nematodes are tiny aquatic animals that live in the water films surrounding soil particles. Fumigation will not eradicate the entire nematode population, but only reduce them to a level so serious crop damage will not occur.

  

Trellis structure for Candy-cots, and ground prepped for almond trees..

Candycots are a special variety of apricots that are three times sweeter than your average apricot and much more favorful. You can smell the sweet apricots from ten feet away. 

The last pic is of our new baby almond orchard at Whitmore.