From the Fields: Tim Sanders, Stanislaus County almond grower

By Tim Sanders, Stanislaus County almond grower

We are very appreciative of the rain and especially the snow, which will give us plenty of water for the irrigation season. Now the irrigation district can delay the irrigation season a bit longer, which is very beneficial. I wasn’t hit, but last week we had some funnel clouds and pretty good hail in certain areas. 

We had a nice, long almond bloom. Everything had a chance to get pollinated, so I think it was one of the best blooms we’ve had in the last four or five years. Beekeepers reported having issues with bee numbers as they tried to get the Varroa mite under control. When I first started out, the cost to rent bees was $15 a box, and now they are $200-plus a box. Looking at the trees, it looks like there’s a fairly decent crop. I’m optimistic, but it’s a long way between now and harvest. 

I just planted 20 acres of new almond trees. I went with the old tried-and-true varieties of Nonpareils and Montereys. I talked to my Blue Diamond grower liaison, and he said prices have not changed very much. Nonpareils are running at about $2.40 per pound, and the pollinator varieties are about $2.10 per pound. The buyers are waiting to see what the crop looks like. When we get our first California Agricultural Statistics Service report in May, we’ll have a better idea, and then we’ll see if the market moves one way or the other. 

Turlock Irrigation District and Modesto Irrigation District are still trying to do voluntary agreements (as an alternative to unimpaired flows on the Tuolumne River), and we’re still trying to relicense Don Pedro Dam. We’re fortunate that the districts have done a really good job of managing the water. We’ve got water in the dam and down below in the groundwater. In a dry year, we’ve been able to pump, and in a wet year, we’ve been able to recharge.