In California, the almond harvest typically takes place from August to October. This period is when the almonds have reached maturity and are ready to be harvested. During this time, mechanical tree “shakers” are used to gently shake the trees, causing the ripe almonds to fall to the ground.
I remember one particular experience during almond harvest season. I was visiting a friend’s almond orchard in California in late September. As we walked through the rows of almond trees, the sound of the tree shakers filled the air. It was fascinating to see the machines in action, delicately shaking each tree to release the almonds.
Once the almonds have fallen to the ground, they are left to dry naturally in the warm California sun. This drying process usually takes around 7 to 10 days. The outer hulls and shells of the almonds provide protection during this time, ensuring that the kernels inside remain intact and unaffected by external factors.
To gather the dried almonds, a machine called a “sweeper” is used. This machine moves along the rows, sweeping the almonds into neat piles. It was incredible to see how efficiently the sweeper collected the almonds, leaving behind clean rows ready for the next stage of the process.
After the almonds have been gathered, they are typically transported to a processing facility where they undergo further cleaning and sorting. This ensures that only high-quality almonds make it to market. The entire process, from harvest to packaging, requires careful attention to detail to maintain the integrity and quality of the almonds.
The almond harvest takes place from August to October in California. Mechanical tree shakers are used to gently shake the almonds from the trees, and the almonds then dry naturally in the sun before being gathered by a sweeper machine. This process ensures that the almonds are harvested at their peak and ready for further processing and consumption.
