Blue Diamond Growers update report:
Bloom has concluded for most of the state. Butte and Padre orchards have less than 10% viable flowers remaining throughout the state. Bees are beginning foraging elsewhere for pollen. Leaves are emerging in all varieties and nutlets are starting to break through their jackets in early blooming varieties.
Continue reading Pollination Fini
This is a 23 minute Podcast…
Every spring convoys of trucks arrive in the almond orchards of central California. They are carrying bees. Millions of them.
They arrive from all over the country, but especially southern states like Louisiana, and they have to get there at just the right time, when the almond trees start to flower so the bees can pollinate hundreds of acres of almond fields. Continue reading The Bees Go To California
Time to pay. As you may recall, our exclusive independent inspector samples a random portion of the total hive placement. Our pollination agreement says that payment to the beekeeper shall be based upon that independent hive inspection report. Continue reading Pollination Contract
source: Blue Diamond Growers newsletter
Most almond tree variety require a second tree for proper pollination. Moreover, a standard almond tree, needs a different cultivar for pollination. Two Nonpareil, for instance, will not pollinate each other. Why? Self-incompatibility & Self fertility. This is a widespread mechanism in flowering plants that prevents inbreeding and promotes outcrossing. Fascinating intricacy and you may find this to be way too much information. Continue reading Cross Pollination
Can this bee? Our intuition is that the more the merrier. Evidently the beehive needs a warning label: CAUTION: Excessive use of this product will reduce your almond crop. Continue reading Over-pollination
Right about now we are watching the latest in a wave of Continue reading Bloom Set
We await the official inspection report which is imminent but in the meantime I Continue reading Bee Inspection Minutia
Bee Hives have been logically placed in drops[sites] alongside our Almond Orchard right on schedule. The ranch manager today reported a count of 344 hives. Continue reading Inspecting the Bees
The business of farming relies heavily on modern technology and scientific advance in order to decrease risk to investment and increase profit productivity. Sometimes high tech can only mitigate or provide a hedge against what is not entirely controllable by mankind. Think — Mother Nature. Continue reading Art or Science?