The “greatest pollination event on the planet” is about to kick off in California’s Central Valley. Here, 80% of the world’s almonds are produced, and nearly half are exported to other countries. It’s a $3.5 billion dollar business, and it only happens with the help of bees.
we usually go to the ag expo but due to age related maladies could not attend this year. I was raised in Fresno Ca. just up the road from Tulare and have always been interested in agriculture. Aa a youngster in the late forties and fifties I always went to the Fresno Co. Fair and always was fascinated by all the farm stuff. The Tulare Farm Expo is like that only on steroids. There are always new and amazing things to learn, see, and do there. Your report seems to indicate you, (Jane) a non farm person, learned a lot of interesting and important information. maybe next year we will get to see you there.
I just walked out of the theater after watching The Beekeeper and at first thought Jane and I both were at the movies. Really informative article and maybe they could use Jason to track down those beehive thieves. Fresno, no honey there.
It's sad that people steal bees. That's around $300 a hive (bees, boxes, frames, etc.). It's my understanding that besides being 90% of commercial bees, it's 50% of all the bees kept in the US.
It's hard keeping bees nowadays, what with mites, hive beetles, wax moths diseases, etc. I read where one beekeeper lost 40,000 hives one year to the above listed maladies.
I've got a meme that says, "Teach your children to keep bees. They'll never have any money for drugs!" :)
Bees are endlessly fascinating. I knew a couple of beekeepers in Calif, and one of my closest friends there keeps bees as a sort of "hobby," now that he no longer does it for profit. Still, he and his wife harvest great honey for which we are occasional beneficiaries. The wine consumption story is also fascinating and lots of great rabbit holes. I've been writing some about that. Cool stuff!
Yes, my mother was born in Chico California. Her uncle grew Almonds, and she was always adamant that they be called ‘amons’ (the a pronounced like ‘yeah’)
Jane, I farm walnuts in Yolo county, 50 acres, the previous year I lost $1,000 per acre and because of how crop payments are doled out, my losses aren’t known till after harvest, months later. Almost every walnut farmer, that harvested a crop, lost money. Because the outlook on prices this year aren’t looking good over 40 square miles of walnut bearing trees have been pulled in favor of a more favorable profitable crop/tree planting.
it's truly sad how "we" in USA seem to do all we can to F over the farmer. I was in the industry 25+ years ago and saw how the corporation farms were taking over the industry. and i wonder what agreements these farm corporations have with Deere and other companies that give them another serious advantage over the former "family" farmer? The technology in the industry is truly incredible. The human gains in production has quietly exploded over the decades. Yet the average farmer for the most part is gone now.
This story is loaded with interesting side roads. Its a big world out there and you didn't even mention AI once! You can bet bee data and farming tractors will be crunched into the milieu ptretty quickly! (Let's not forget all the stolen Deere tractors in Ukraine that can't move without an uplink from Deere.)
And just who are these people buying less wine??? I don’t know any! Fascinating facts about bees and almonds here, Jane. I always learn something from your columns!!
we usually go to the ag expo but due to age related maladies could not attend this year. I was raised in Fresno Ca. just up the road from Tulare and have always been interested in agriculture. Aa a youngster in the late forties and fifties I always went to the Fresno Co. Fair and always was fascinated by all the farm stuff. The Tulare Farm Expo is like that only on steroids. There are always new and amazing things to learn, see, and do there. Your report seems to indicate you, (Jane) a non farm person, learned a lot of interesting and important information. maybe next year we will get to see you there.
Thanks for another Great read from Jane “Honey” Wells. Cheers!
(yeah, I know..it’s a stretch..!)
I just walked out of the theater after watching The Beekeeper and at first thought Jane and I both were at the movies. Really informative article and maybe they could use Jason to track down those beehive thieves. Fresno, no honey there.
It's sad that people steal bees. That's around $300 a hive (bees, boxes, frames, etc.). It's my understanding that besides being 90% of commercial bees, it's 50% of all the bees kept in the US.
It's hard keeping bees nowadays, what with mites, hive beetles, wax moths diseases, etc. I read where one beekeeper lost 40,000 hives one year to the above listed maladies.
I've got a meme that says, "Teach your children to keep bees. They'll never have any money for drugs!" :)
VERY interesting!
Bees are endlessly fascinating. I knew a couple of beekeepers in Calif, and one of my closest friends there keeps bees as a sort of "hobby," now that he no longer does it for profit. Still, he and his wife harvest great honey for which we are occasional beneficiaries. The wine consumption story is also fascinating and lots of great rabbit holes. I've been writing some about that. Cool stuff!
Yes, my mother was born in Chico California. Her uncle grew Almonds, and she was always adamant that they be called ‘amons’ (the a pronounced like ‘yeah’)
Jane, I farm walnuts in Yolo county, 50 acres, the previous year I lost $1,000 per acre and because of how crop payments are doled out, my losses aren’t known till after harvest, months later. Almost every walnut farmer, that harvested a crop, lost money. Because the outlook on prices this year aren’t looking good over 40 square miles of walnut bearing trees have been pulled in favor of a more favorable profitable crop/tree planting.
it's truly sad how "we" in USA seem to do all we can to F over the farmer. I was in the industry 25+ years ago and saw how the corporation farms were taking over the industry. and i wonder what agreements these farm corporations have with Deere and other companies that give them another serious advantage over the former "family" farmer? The technology in the industry is truly incredible. The human gains in production has quietly exploded over the decades. Yet the average farmer for the most part is gone now.
This story is loaded with interesting side roads. Its a big world out there and you didn't even mention AI once! You can bet bee data and farming tractors will be crunched into the milieu ptretty quickly! (Let's not forget all the stolen Deere tractors in Ukraine that can't move without an uplink from Deere.)
And just who are these people buying less wine??? I don’t know any! Fascinating facts about bees and almonds here, Jane. I always learn something from your columns!!
Very good article 👍. I don’t know if I ever mentioned this but I am a Beekeeper here on Hawaii Island.