Almonds

Did you know that almonds are California’s main agricultural export? More than grapes and avocadoes, the state’s farmland is reserved for making 100% of the world’s commercial supply of almonds and 80% of all almonds in the world are grown in the golden state.

While several counties throughout California have almond orchards, San Joaquin Valley is responsible for much of that growth. Expansion on the middle and southern parts of the county have led almond production to around 2.8 billion pounds in statewide production. Surrounding counties like Kern, Merced, Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus also have a lot of almond farms.

While almonds didn’t originate here, the area started ramping up production in the 1960s, producing about 20% of the world’s production then. In all, there are 1.25 million acres of almond orchards in the state.

Locally, farmers including Aaron Shinn of Round Valley Ranches, John from Golden Bear Ranches, and Louie Larossa of Mid Valley Agriculture all grow almonds.

Nutty Facts About Almonds

Almonds are used to create all sorts of dairy- and gluten-free foods by using almond flour, almond milk, and almond butter. Plus, it can be used as an alternative to pine nuts in pesto.

Almonds are closely related to peaches, cherries, and apricots. The part of the almond we eat is the seed, and the fleshy part is inedible.

Don’t throw out old almonds! Store them in the fridge for up to two years of snacking.

Every 100 grams of almonds boast 21.1 grams of protein, making them one of the most protein-rich nuts on the market.

Almonds are known for boosting energy, which makes them a great pre- or postworkout snack.

THE WASP & THE FIG

It may sound like folklore but John ensures us this little tidbit is true. If you’ve ever heard that a wasp pollinates a fig by going inside of it, the storyteller wasn’t lying to you. What’s even crazier is the wasp dies inside of the fig and the fig absorbs its carcass. So, when you’re eating a fig, you’re also kind of eating a wasp—or at least part of it.