Crop status: Almonds good, Candycots dud !!

The almond crop is looking good, and the prospects for decent prices remain good. Here are pictures of a Nonpareil and a Monterey tree from the Whitmore ranch.

The Candycot bloom has been a disappointment. Lane apparently talked to John who said that their bloom has been weak too. We will have some fruit, but not nearly what we had hoped for. It looks like we will be waiting another year for serious production. :(  The major training has been done so we hope the farming expenses will be much lower this year than the previous two years.

Our beekeeper has removed the bees from Carpenter, and was gracious enough to leave some at Whitmore until the Candycots finish blooming. Bee shortages are going to be a fact of life for the foreseeable future, I guess.

Trees shaking off blooms.. Petal fall accelerates..

You can see the mummies on the ground which have been swept to the center of the middles. They will need to be chopped up soon. If not, mummy nuts can be infected with pests like navel orangeworm and such.

Bloom is hanging on, not a lot of petal fall yet..

Some rain last night.. Today is cooler and cloudy but there will be some bee activity with highs in the mid 60's.

Candycot trees emerging from winter dormancy

Trees are relaxed and beginning to bloom. Too early to tell if we have any production this year.

"I said to the almond tree, 'Friend, speak to me of God,' ..

And the almond tree blossomed." 

--Nikos Kazantzakis.

Carpenter bloom.

Almond bloom.. Discussing bee colonies.. Most expensive ever.

Bees and blooms at carpenter

Each box is one bee colony. Each colony has at least six frames of bees and a queen actively laying eggs. With an active queen beee and a large brood of larvae, bees will immediately scout for food sources and will work the first acceptable blossom they could find.

Trees on the periphery of Carpenter ranch.