California Farming

img

California Almonds Lead Nation

California's third commodity is almonds, just under and milk #1, and grapes #2. 

California's almond acreage is estimated at 1,390,000 acres. Of the total acreage for 2018, 1,090,000 acres were bearing and 300,000 acres were non-bearing. Preliminary bearing acreage for 2019 was estimated at 1,170,000 acres. Nonpareil continued to be the leading variety, followed by Monterey, Butte, Carmel, and Padre.

Kern, Fresno, Stanislaus, Merced and Madera were the leading counties. These five counties had 72% of the total bearing acreage.

When I get hungry, I grab the 1 pound bag of almonds and begin snacking. Perhaps I overdo it, but there's nothing quite as tasty. California is U.S. leader in growing almonds. If you can get them fresh from the farmer's market or store, there's no need to head for the farm--maybe. California's almond growers set up road stands seasonally and sell direct to the public in many locations of the Central Valley. Once you've tried the fresh picked almonds, your life may be forever changed. The soft, buttery taste of fresh picked almonds is unlike anything you've tried. I'm an almond fan and I eat mine mostly plain. However, almonds are used in gourmet dishes, are added for texture, flavor, and can be processed into paste for pastries and desserts.

California Almond Festivals include Ripon Almond Festival & Parade in February and Oakley Almond Festival in September.

History of Almonds

100 AD: The Romans showered newlyweds with almonds as a fertility charm. There are documented findings that nutmeats and dried fruits were treated as delicacies of the time, as the cultivation of these foods was not very prevalent.

# 1900 AD: By the 1870s, research and crossbreeding had developed several of today's prominent almond varieties. By the turn of the 20th century, the almond industry was firmly established in the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas of California's great Central Valley.
# 2000 AD: In the past 30 years, California's almond yield has quadrupled. More than half a million acres in the lush San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys are under almond cultivation, stretching 400 miles between Bakersfield and Red Bluff, California. The modern industry of today reveals a different look at almonds. Now focused on highly advanced methods of production sorting, hulling and processing, the industry still maintains its down-to-earth goodness invoked by this simple nut.
# Today: Almonds are California's largest tree nut crop in total dollar value and acreage. They rank as the largest US specialty crop export, as well as the top agricultural export of the state of California.

Nutritional analysis per serving.
Calories 400 Fiber 4g
Fat 16g Cholesterol 80mg
Sat Fat 2g Sodium 460mg
Mono Fat 4g Calcium
Poly Fat 4.5g Magnesium
Protein Potassium
Carb Vitamin E * total alpha-tocopherol equivalents
Type Comment Here

Curried Chicken Salad created by: Ellie Krieger cookbook author, "So Easy: Luscious Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week"

servings: 4
ingredients
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts
(about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 cup halved red grapes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 ounces mixed greens (about 5 cups lightly packed)
4 lemon wedges
4 ounces pita chips

Toast the almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and curry powder. Fold in the chicken, grapes, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. This salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To serve, put a scoop of the chicken salad on a bed of greens on a plate or in a to-go container and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Add a lemon wedge to squeeze over the greens just before eating. Serve with pita chips, stored in a separate container, if packing.

Alldrin Brothers
Turlock, CA 95303
Phone: (209) 667-1600
alldrinbros.com

The Almond Company
P.O. Box 787
Chowchilla, CA 93610-0787
Phone: (559) 665-4405
thealmondcompany.com

Almonds of California
P.O. Box 1010
Springville, CA 93265
Phone: (559) 539-3252

Almonds California Pride
15516 South Walnut Ave.
Caruthers, CA 93609
Phone: (559) 864-8681
camposbrothers.com

Ballico Bio Farming
P.O. Box 21
Ballico, CA 95303
Phone: (209) 605-7390

Barnard Organic Farms
5318 Faith Home Road
Turlock, CA 95380
Phone: (209) 634-1886

Stan Barth Farms
P.O. Box 508
Esparto, CA 95627
Phone: (530) 787-4721
capaycanyon.com

Baugher Ranch Organics
7030 County Road 25
Orland, CA 95963
Phone: (530) 865-4015


Beckner Farms
P.O. Box 509
Modesto, CA 95358
Phone: (209) 522-7825

Big Tree Organic Farms
Turlock, CA 95380
Phone: (209) 669-3678
bigtreeorganic.com

Billings Marketing
P.O. Box 1987
Delano, CA 93216-1987
Phone: (661) 725-1832
billingsranches.com

Blech Almond Packers
P.O. Box 519
Chowchilla, CA 93610-0519
Phone: (559) 479-1813

Blue Diamond Growers
1802 "C" St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 446-8500
bdgrowers.com

Borges of California
1640 Highway 45
Glenn, CA 95943
Phone: (530) 934-8200
carrierefarms.com

Buchanan Hollow Nut Company
6510 S. Minturn Rd.
Le GRand, CA 95333
Phone: (209) 389-4594

California Almond Packers & Exporters
21275 Simpson Road
Corning, CA 96021
Phone: (530) 824-3836

California Grown Nut Co.
P.O. Box 69
Hughson, CA 95326
Phone: (209) 883-4081
californiagrown.com

California Nut Company
5166 S. Sperry Rd.
Denair, CA 95316
Phone: (209) 632-7511
calnut.com

Campos Brothers
15516 South Walnut Ave.
Caruthers, CA 93609
Phone: (559) 864-9488
camposbrothers.com

Capay Canyon Ranch
P.O. Box 508
Esparto, CA 95627
Phone: (530) 787-4721
capaycanyon.com

Central Valley Processing
4315 E. Childs Avenue
Merced, CA 95341
Phone: (209) 723-2950

Chico Nut Company
P.O. Box 5365
Chico, CA 95927-5365
Phone: (530) 894-5441
chiconut.com

Circle M Nut Co.
1217 Root Rd.
Modesto, CA 95357
Phone: (209) 523-6295

D & K Orchard
862 Almond Avenue, CA 95912
Phone: (530) 476-2647

Del Mar Farms
P.O. Box 97
Westley, CA 95387
Phone: (209) 894-5555
delmarfarms.com

Del Rio Nut Company
P.O. Box 396
Livingston, CA 95334
Phone: (209) 394-7945

A.D.P. DePalma Farms
18666 E. Highway 120
Ripon, CA 95366
Phone: (209) 838-7034

T. M. Duche Nut Co.
1502 S. Railroad Avenue
Orland, CA 95963
Phone: (530) 865-5511
duchenut.com

D.V. Enterprises & Co.
20282 Road 21
Madera, CA 95209
Phone: (559) 664-8505

Elk Ridge Almonds
18252 Avenue 20
Madera, CA 93637-9730
Phone: (559) 664-0800
elkridgealmonds.com

Fair Trade Corner
11591 Meridian Rd.
Chico, CA 95973
Phone: (530) 566-1405

Famoso Nut Company
5100 California Ave, Ste 209
Bakersfield, CA 93309
Phone: (661) 325-9189
blueskysales.com

Fisher Nut Company
137 North Hart Road
Modesto, CA 95358
Phone: (209) 527-0108
fishernut.com

Gold Hills Nut Co.
11805 Newport Road-PO Box 50
Ballico, CA 95303
Phone: (209) 634-2022
goldhills.com

Golden Gate Nuts
23073 S. Frederick Rd.
Ripon, CA 95366
Phone: (209) 599-7131
Goldengatenuts.com

Golden West Nuts
1555 Warren Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
Phone: (209) 599-6193
goldenwestnuts.com

Grizzly Nut LLC
1329 Hazeldean Rd.
Hickman, CA 95323
Phone: (209) 874-5223

Harris-Woolf California Almonds
26060 Colusa Rd.
Coalinga, CA 93210
Phone: (559) 884-2147
hwalmonds.com

Hilltop Ranch
13890 Looney Rd.
Ballico, CA 95303
Phone: (209) 874-1875
hilltopranch.com

Holland Nut Co.
P.O. Box 80
Kerman, CA 93630
Phone: (559) 846-9377

Hudelson Nut Company
P.O. Box 91
Hughson, CA 95326
Phone: (209) 883-4926

Hughson Nut
P.O. Box 1150
Hughson, CA 95326
Phone: (209) 883-0403
hughsonnut.com

International Almond Exchange Inc.
144 Westlake Avenue
Watsonville, CA 95076
Phone: (831) 728-4534

JD Almond Farms
11900 E. Monte Vista Ave.
Denair, CA 95316
Phone: (209) 668-6899
jdalmondfarms.com

Jenny's Almonds
257 Donald Drive
Chico, CA 95973
Phone: (530) 895-8467

Jess Smith & Sons Commodities
P.O. Box 1178
Bakersfield, CA 93302
Phone: (661) 328-5755
jesssmith.com

Lagier Ranches
P.O. Box 89
Escalon, CA 95366
Phone: (209) 982-5618
lagierranches.com

Lakespring Farms
4424 Hawkins Road
Denair, CA 95316
Phone: (209) 874-9669

M/T Trading Company
P.O. Box 265
Madera, CA 93639
Phone: (559) 661-1556

Maisie Jane's
1324 Dayton Rd.
Chico, CA 95928
Phone: (530) 899-7909
maisiejanes.com

Mandelin Inc.
P.O. Box 10807
Bakersfield, CA 93389
Phone: (661) 758-7900
Mandelininc.com

Mariani Nut Company
709 Dutton Street
Winters, CA 95694
Phone: (530) 795-3311

Minturn Nut Company
8800 South Minturn Road
LeGrand, CA 95333
Phone: (559) 665-8500
minturnnut.com

Monte Vista Farming Company
P.O. Box 579
Denair, CA 95316
Phone: (209) 874-1866
montevistafarming.com

Montpelier Nut Co.
1131 12th Street
Modesto, CA 95354
Phone: (209) 874-5126

H. Naraghi Farms
P.O. Box 7
Denair, CA 95320
Phone: (209) 551-4545

Nichols Pistachio
13762 1st Avenue
Hanford, CA 93230
Phone: (559) 584-6811
nicholsfarms.com

North Valley Nut
7418 County Road 24
Orland, CA 95963
Phone: (530) 865-7286

Nunes Farms Marketing
P.O. Box 311
Newman, CA 95360
Phone: (209) 862-3033
NunesFarms.com

Oro Loma Ranch
44474 West Nees Avenue
Firebaugh, CA 93622
Phone: (209) 364-6530
orolomaranch.com

Paddack Hulling & Shelling
27052 East Highway 120
Escalon, CA 95320
Phone: (209) 838-1536
Fax: (209) 838-8063

Panoche Creek Packing
3611 West Beechwood, #101
Fresno, CA 93711
Phone: (559) 449-1721
Fax: (559) 449-9970

Paramount Farms
13646 Hwy 33
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: (661) 797-6500
paramountfarms.com

P-R Farms
2917 East Shepherd Ave.
Clovis, CA 93611
Phone: (559) 299-7278
prfarms.com

Premier Nut Co.
736 Mariposa Rd., Ste. A
Modesto, CA 95354
Phone: (209) 894-3322
orchardvalleyharvest.com

Premiere Almonds
3465 Quail Haven Lane
Carmichael, CA 95608
Phone: (916) 944-4578

Prison Industry Authority
P.O. Box 1501
Chowchilla, CA 93610
Phone: (559) 665-5531 ext. 7420

Purity Organics
14900 W. Belmont Ave., #2
Kerman, CA 93630
Phone: (559) 842-5600
purityorganics.com

Quality Nut Company
17495 South Seidner
Escalon, CA 95320
Phone: (209) 838-7049

Riverwest Processing
3190 Highway 45
Glenn, CA 95943
Phone: (530) 891-5858
riverwestprocessing.com

Roberts Ferry Nut Company
20493 Yosemite Blvd.
Waterford, CA 95386
Phone: (209) 874-3247

Rolling Hills Nut Company
P.O. Box 400
Hickman, CA 95323
Phone: (209) 874-1400

Rotteveel Orchards
P.O. Box 579
Dixon, CA 95620
Phone: (707) 678-1495
rotteveel.com

RPAC
P.O. Box 2138
Los Banos, CA 93635
Phone: (209) 826-0272
rpacalmonds.com

Schaad Family Almonds
16471 W. Whitesbridge Rd.
Kerman, CA 93630
Phone: (559) 846-9677

Select Harvest USA
14827 W. Harding Rd.
Turlock, CA 95380
Phone: (209) 668-2471

Sierra Valley Almonds
P.O. Box 278
Kerman, CA 93630
Phone: (559) 843-9000
svalmonds.com

Silver Creek Almond Co.
43940 W. North Ave.
Firebaugh, CA 93622
Phone: (559) 659-4927
bfcoinc.com

Sorting Solutions
644 Railroad Ave.
Atwater, CA 95301-4624

South Valley Almond Company
15443 Beech Avenue
Wasco, CA 93280

svfnuts.com

Spycher Brothers
14827 W. Harding Rd.
Turlock, CA 95380

spycherbros.com

Stewart & Jasper Marketing
3500 Shiells Rd.
Newman, CA 95360

stewartandjasper.com

Sun Valley Nut
P.O. Box 1009
Turlock, CA 95381

SunnyGem
500 North F Street
Kern, CA 93280
sunnygem.com

Sunrise Almonds
7014 Road 160
Earlimart, CA 93219

Supreme Almonds of California
16897 Highway 43
Wasco, CA 93280

Tejon Ranch Company
P.O. Box 1000
Lebec, CA 93243

Travaille & Phippen
12700 East Graves Road
Manteca, CA 95336

Treehouse California Almonds
P.O. Box 64489
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Twin Commodities
6303 Beckwith Road
Modesto, CA 95358

Valley Almond Huller
25810 Avenue 11
Madera, CA 93637

Valley Harvest Nut Co.
3242 S. Carpenter Road
Turlock, CA 95358

Vanella Farms
3068 Chico Ave.
Chico, CA 95928

Vetsch Farms of California
P.O. Box 10627
Bakersfield, CA 93389

Warda Farms
P.O. Box 787
Delhi, CA 95315

Waterford Nut Company
P.O. Box 37
Waterford, CA 95386

Western Nut Company
1026 Sheridan Avenue
Chico, CA 95926
Phone: (530) 893-2300

Zinke Orchards
P.O. Box 730
Chowchilla, CA 93610
Phone: (559) 665-2909

Subscribe to our newsletter!

More Info