ARBUCKLE — An annual meeting for almond, walnut and olive growers aims to offer a peek into innovations and the current state of the orchard industry.
Farmers in the north state are invited to the annual Nickels Soil Lab Field Day on May 7, with talks this year covering fertilizer applications, invasive species management and other topics by the University of California Cooperative Extension Colusa Office.
Franz Niederholzer, orchard advisor for UCCE Colusa County said the meetings have history in providing Sacramento valley farmers with valuable information and networking for about 50 years.
Orchards today use innovations presented in past meetings, including micro-sprinkler irrigation that was made popular to farmers in the north state by the Nickels Soil Lab.
“The Nickels Soil Lab was front and center in demonstrations of research to show that it actually worked,” Niederholzer said. “If you really didn’t believe your ears and eyes, you can come out and take a look at it.”
This year’s meeting is scheduled with five talks on almonds, two on walnuts and one on table olive production.
First up, speakers will present in-the-orchard on topics including nitrogen fertilization in almonds, table olive mechanical harvesting, almond bloom failure in Monterey and an update on navel orangeworms and Carpophilus beetles.
Then, speakers will present on nematode management in walnuts, budbreak treatments to improve walnut yield, Butte County groundwater recharge plans and almond varieties for profitable orgards.
Niederholzer said meetings in years past brought anywhere from 75 to 125 farmers to learn about farming conditions and timely information on nut crops.
The meeting is free to the public with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. May 7 at 6521 Greenbay Road in Arbuckle. A lunch may be ordered for $25 or preordered for $20 to benefit the Pierce High School FFA program; tickets are available at the Colusa office 530-458-0570.
