September/October 2024 - 25

ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
" We're talking an estimated 32% increase in field capacity. "
Tanya Gemperle Goncalves, an almond grower for
Gemperle Farms, can attest to this, adding that this past winter
marked their seventh cycle of whole orchard recycling, and
they've seen no negative effects on their new plantings.
Data also showed improved infiltration rate, reduced soil
compaction, improved soil aggregation, reductions in nitrate
leaching and 20% yield benefits under deficit irrigation.
Growers interested in implementing whole orchard
recycling on their operation are encouraged to reference
the Almond Board of California's (ABC) Whole Orchard
Recycling Guide (tinyurl.com/7wnajyck).
Composting of hulls and shells
Composting of hulls and shells is another way growers
can realistically introduce a sustainable practice into
their operation with tangible results including a boost in
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
" After two to three years, compared to unamended soil,
you see the value of compost hulls and shell in terms of
soil fertility, " Gaudin said.
Composting also promotes more biological activity in
your soil and can even have a mulch effect on your soil.
More details on composting can be found in ABC's Nitrogen
Best Management Practices Guide. (tinyurl.com/59yss6wa).
Winter planted cover crops
Lastly, a practice increasingly being adopted in the
almond industry is winter planted cover crops. Gaudin said
that after four years, cover crops can provide significant
forage for pollinators, weed suppression and a reduction in
spring emergence and navel orangeworm egg deposition.
Other longstanding benefits can be found online in ABC's
Cover Crops Best Management Practices Guide.
Almond grower Zac Ellis added that after planting cover
crops on his vast almond acreage, one of his recommendations
is to treat cover crops as their own independent management
unit instead of an add-on to the primary crop. The best
results will come from a dedicated effort to these systems and
continuous data collection to improve management.
A greater sustainability story
Farmers know these practices are beneficial for soil
health, water, and the overall ecosystem, but there's also a
greater sustainability story present. These efforts help shift
the way people think and talk about almond production
in California and shed a positive light on the good work of
the almond growers, said Joe Gardiner of Gardiner Farms.
" Given the opportunity, every grower and processor
should try to engage and educate because that has lasting
power, " he concluded.
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September/October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2024
