The lifecycle of almonds and walnuts involves a journey from dormancy in winter, through flowering and pollination in spring, to maturation and harvest in autumn. This process includes stages of growth and development that ensure the nuts reach their peak quality before being carefully harvested and processed.
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In California, almond trees are dormant November through January. They lose their leaves as they store up nutrients. By mid-February through mid-March, buds begin to flower into white and light pink blooms. This is where the bees come in. Beekeepers bring bees to pollinate the almond blossoms, moving pollen between the different varieties in the orchard.
Almond kernels grow to their full size between March and June. The shell that surrounds the almond begins to harden. The kernel and shell are protected by a fuzzy outer shell.
The hulls begin to split open in July. This exposes the almond shell, allowing the shell and the kernel to dry. Harvest begins in August and continues through October. Mechanical tree shakers dislodge the almonds. They dry for 7 to 10 days in the sun. Then a sweeper sweeps the almonds into rows, and a harvest machine vacuums them up.
Once they’ve been harvested, almonds are transported to a hulling and shelling facility. The kernels travel through a roller that removes the hull, shell and debris.
Farmers and growers are stewards of the land, and they’re invested in sustainable practices that eliminate waste. When it comes to almonds, this means almond shells become livestock bedding and the hulls become dairy feed.
Next the almonds are screened to removed defects and sorted by size. They are sized and graded based on USDA standards. At the handler almonds are screened and sorted to remove defects. They are also fumigated. They are sized and graded based on United States Department of Agriculture standards.
Almonds are packed, stored, and prepared for shipping under cool, dry conditions.
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Walnut growing requires dedication, as newly planted seeds take 5 to 7 years before the orchard is suitable for harvesting. Like almonds, walnuts enter a period of dormancy in the winter months. Walnut blossoms start to appear in late spring and the trees self-pollinate. Walnut kernels then begin to develop, ripening over the summer months until they are ready for harvest in the fall.
Harvest begins at the end of August and continues through the end of November. When the green hulls begin to split, the trees are ready to be harvested. Growers sweep the orchard, then shakers shake each tree to dislodge the walnuts. These nuts are swept into windrows and mechanical harvesters pick them up.
Next, they’re brought to a processing facility, where a huller removes the outer green husk. The walnut is air-dried to a moisture level of about 8% to prevent the nut from breaking down and ensure it maintains its high quality when stored.
In the shelling department, the walnuts are mechanically cracked and screened by size. Trained sorters hand sort the walnuts, and the nuts are certified for quality according to USDA standards. A physical inspection reviews walnut kernels to ensure they’re clean and well-dried. They’re also inspected against a walnut color chart to certify their color.
Walnuts are packed, stored, and prepared for shipping under cool, dry conditions.
