Wouldn't you know we would grow nuts ? We harvested our first almonds today--the husks on some had started to split, and that is when you pick almonds, from both your trees! Freshly picked almonds in husk ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) After we removed the husks, we put the almonds on half of the tomato drier. Husked almonds ready to dry ( photo / image / picture from marlingardener's Garden ) Let the almonds dry for 2-7 days, stir them twice daily (now I know why almonds are so expensive at the grocery) and then when you can hear the kernel rattle inside the shell, they are ready! We hope to harvest up to 50 almonds!
So what's a tomoto dryer. Maybe a dehydrater? I know we just don't eat salted peanuts fresh. I didn't ever think about almonds processing. Lucky you for having a few nuts hanging around....
Barb, my husband made a tomato drier so we could have real sun-dried tomatoes and I posted our progress on the Recipes thread: http://www.gardenstew.com/about33350.html We have dried Romas and Yellow Pears successfully. Since we had the drier, and it wasn't full, we figured the almonds would do well there. Cheryl, thanks, but a guy with a nearby pecan orchard is a pushover for my French bread. We trade off--bread for nuts! Anyway, I doubt if we'll have a big enough harvest to ship any.
Wow that's allot for me to take in atm. So why is that better than dehydrating in an electric one with fans??? Please educate me?????
Barb, it may not be better, but it is cheaper! We had the aluminum screening, scrap lumber, and tomatoes. We also have an abundance of sunshine!
wow you must be lucky to have an almond tree. I like all kinds of nuts. most of them are always expensive.
Petunia, we actually have two almond trees. We planted them about six years ago, and with grasshopper depredation and the drought, this is the first year they are producing. It is a variety called "Hall's Hardy Almond" and it does better under less than ideal conditions and climate than the ones they grow in California. So far we are pleased with the trees (and the bees love the spring blossoms!).
KKNg, if you were chewing a handful of almonds while reading the posts, you just ate our entire crop! We won't have many almonds, but it will be more almonds that we have ever had .
Sjoerd, we don't know how much our harvest is, since this is the first year we are harvesting almonds. We have two young trees, and we won't get many almonds. We are jokingly saying that we will have an almond harvest party, and all 12 guests will get two almonds apiece! We will be picking more, since some of the husks haven't begun to split.
