The latest edition of the Tree Nut Farm Press e-newsletter reports that there are some big tree nut crops awaiting harvest.

Almonds

California’s almond harvest was delayed seven to 10 days. However, the wait could boost nut quality.

Eli Akel’s AG Consulting, Clovis, Calif., works with farmers in Madera, Fresno and Kings counties. By the last week of July, he says, hull split ranged from a low of about 20 percent to 30 percent in the Madera area to as much as 80 percent on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley.

“Overall, the quality of the nuts is really decent, especially for Nonpareil, in view of what appears to be a smaller-than-normal crop,” Akel says. “Nonpareil has a tendency to compensate somewhat for fewer nuts by producing larger ones — with a lighter crop, the tree has more vigor to develop better nuts. The size and shape of the nuts this year is quite appealing.”

Walnuts — Sutter walnut crop may be whopper

“Right now, it looks like the crop will be a very big one,” says Janine Hasey, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Sutter and Butte counties.

Growers and processors are telling her the Sutter County walnut crop could be biggest crop ever. Serr, Howard and Tehama, are heavy with rapidly maturing walnuts

Pistachios — Kern County’s big crop looks good

Kern County growers are likely to be pleased with their 2010 pistachio crop, says Craig Kallsen, the county’s UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor.

“Things look good to me — I haven’t been getting many calls from growers, which is a good sign they’re having few problems.”

However, navel orangeworm (NOW) still pose a threat.

Some observers are projecting that California’s 2010 pistachio production will total the same or higher than last year.

Pecans — Hedging revives freeze-damaged pecans

A hard May freeze damaged 800 of Roy Robison's 1,710 acres of Cochise County, Ariz. pecans.

At one point, the thermometer dipped to 23 degrees.

Since the freeze, however, Robison’s ongoing hedging program, along with a normal flood irrigation schedule and intensive fertilizer management have helped the trees rebound. “We’ll even harvest a few nuts from them this year,” he says.

To read more about what experts said about this year’s tree nut crops, go to http://subscribe.westernfarmpress.com/subscribe.cfm?tc=NNWEB. There you will find an archived copy of the latest TNFP as well as all past issues.

You can also subscribe there to the free Tree Nut Farm Press e-newsletter as well as many other Farm Press electronic information products.