Almonds
We specialize in growing Marcona almonds
Marcona almonds are a hardshell Spanish variety with a crunchy texture and buttery smooth flavor.
Our almonds are pollinated without the use of commercial honey bees, instead relying on native pollinators.
Farming and Harvesting
Our farming practices are done without the use of chemical herbicides or pesticides.
Our orchard middles include cover crops in the spring to provide pollinator habitat, improve orchard drainage and water retention, and minimize less desired plants.
In the spring, the middles are cleared by mowing and then in late spring and summer, vegetation is cleared from the berms using hand tools and much human power.
Because we do not use chemical pesticides, our almonds are vulnerable to pests such as the Navel Orange Worm and the Peach Twig Borer, both accessing the almonds just after hull split. The Marcona, being a hard shell variety, keeps the kernel better protected than most typical soft shell varieties.
During the 2026 season we experiences our first substantial harvest. To minimize the aforementioned pests, we hand picked the almonds as close to hull split as possible. This was truly a labor of love as we also battled wasps who had taken up residence in many of the trees.
Once the almonds were brought in from the orchard they were hand hulled providing food (hulls) for local goats. The almonds were then placed in the dehydrator to kill any possible pest eggs and then stored to continue the drying process.
Processing
We are certified organic by CCOF for both growing and processing our almonds. As our mission states, we aim to farm in harmony with nature. This means minimizing our carbon footprint and impact on planet Earth as much as possible. Our almonds stay on site until they reach the consumer. We take pride in having complete confidence in managing the path our almonds have taken from tree to package to consumer.
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Almonds are not true nuts; they are actually drupes. Drupes are fruits that have a fleshy outer part that surrounds a shell with a seed inside. That seed is the almond! Other drupes are peaches and cherries.
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Almonds are native to southwestern Asia. They are in the rose family (Rosaceae).
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It takes a similar amount of water to grow one pound of almonds as it would to grow one pound of many other food crops, such as walnuts or olive oil. It takes twice as much water to produce one pound of beef.