Almonds

Almonds are amongst the most versatile edible nuts with a wide variety of uses, in addition to being nutritious and enjoyable to consume.  Join us as we take a look at where almonds are grown, harvested, and how Olam is one of the largest growers in the world.

Calcium is a mineral that the human body needs, and it is found in many foods. The popular sources of calcium are dairy products such as milk and cheese; green leafy vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and okra; tofu; soya beans; fish such as sardines and pilchards; and of course, nuts! Read on to learn more about which nuts have the highest calcium content, and how calcium benefits our bodies.

As the 2019 almond season has come to a close, the 2020 almond season has begun and California's harvesting is in full swing, while Australia is in full bloom.  Check out the latest crop updates from our Olam Agronomists - Zac Ellis representing California and reporting on almond harvest, and Hein Van Kralingen representing Australia and reporting on almond bloom.

Protein is an essential nutrient found throughout the body, and it’s an important part of our diets.  Interested in adding some variety to your protein intake?  We’re big fans of incorporating nuts into meals and snacks! 

Almonds are unique in that we can find them at our local grocery stores in a variety of forms – natural whole almonds, sliced or diced for usage as inclusions, even almond meal or flour for a gluten free and low carb friendly flour substitute.  Whether you’re a fan of natural almond skin or creamy white blanched almonds, whether you see almonds as just a snack or as a health ingredient superstar… we’ve got recipes you’re sure to love.

When did full bloom occur?

The Northern/Central Valley full bloom was on February 22^nd and the Southern Valley bloom was on February 23^rd   - earlier than anticipated.

How is progression of the pollinator varieties vs Nonpareil?

Depends on the pollinator, but Sonoras, Ne Plus and Avalons are way ahead of Nonpareils, whereas Montereys, Buttes and other hard-shell varieties were a couple days behind.

How is the weather looking for the next 2 weeks?

The weather looks favorable, while some rain is in the forecast...

Olam Farming, Inc. has almond orchards spanning California's Central Valley and our teams are working hard in the leadup to this year's almond bloom, which is rapidly approaching.  We took a moment to sit with our Senior Agronomist, Zac Ellis, to learn a bit more about dormancy, bloom, and all the work that goes on during this busy time of year.

How has winter weather been, leading up to bloom?

We had some good storms come in November and December, giving a fair bit of snowfall in the Sierras....