Almonds, Walnuts Unite in Northern California

Taylor Hillman Tree, nut & vine crops

Two annual meetings, one for walnuts and one for almonds, will be combined for the first time this year in Northern California. The Butte and Glenn County Almond and Walnut Day, in conjunction with North Valley Nut Conference, will offer small-group, hands-on discussions and training.

The Butte and Glenn County Almond and Walnut Day is January 19 at the Silver Dollar Fair in Chico. Cooperative Extension advisors have previously held the two meetings separately, but saw an opportunity to join the two. West Coast Nut Growers Guide will also hold the North Valley Nut Conference trade show during the event.

University of California Cooperative Extension Orchards Advisor Dani Lightle organizes the event and says this year will offer attendees some hands-on training. “At the main session, we will have sort of the traditional meeting. We’ll have some insect and disease management-type talks as well as law and regulation updates,” she said. “But I am really excited to be offering some small-group sessions. These will be a maximum of 25 people who sign up the morning of the meeting. We will have one on spray-application technology, one on using dendrometers for irrigation management and another on management for navel orangeworm and coddling moth.”

Pre-registrtion is not required for the event, but Lightle said attendees can sign-up ahead of time at West Coast Nut Grower Guide’s website for a chance to win a gun safe at the trade show. “Otherwise you can simply show up the day of the meeting. Registration starts at 7:30 in the morning,” she said. “The full meeting agenda can be found online at the Sacramento Valley Orchard Source website.”