LAKE COUNTY >> Walnut harvest is expected to begin early this year.
Harvest typically falls between October 15 and 20, however if it rains this week the date may come next week.
“With that little bit of rain we got last week, the walnuts are almost ready,” walnut grower Paul Lauenroth said. “All it takes is a little bit of moisture.”
For over 100 years, Lauenroth”s family has grown walnuts in Kelseyville.
“When it rains, the husk absorbs the water and cracks open as it dries,” Lauenroth said.
Last year, the walnut harvest began approximately 10 days early.
As for the drought”s affect on walnut yields and harvesting, Lauenroth said the amount of dry leaves falling when shaking the walnut trees concerns him.
As previously reported, growers in the big valley have more access to aquifers than those in the upper lands.
According to Lake County Agriculture Commissioner Steve Hajik, walnuts are more common in higher lands and are seeing higher impact on their crops than grape and pear growers because of the drought.
“Some of the walnut growers are losing their wells because they are not deep enough,” Hajik said. “Once the well goes dry then there”s nothing.”
In the upper lands, wells have to be dug deeper, which also means they are more likely to dry out. However, walnuts trees are tougher than pear trees and grape vines, which means they can often survive by using natural water sources instead of irrigation.
Walnuts are the third largest crop in Lake County, with winegrapes and pears being the first two, according to Hajik.
Last year, walnuts garnered approximately $6.3 million in gross value from a little more than 1,700 tons produced on 3,300 acres, which is a decrease of a little more than $207,000 from the prior year gross value of $6.5 million.
The decrease in value was because of a 15-percent decrease in production, while the price for each ton increased by 14 percent.
In 2011, the gross value of walnuts totaled less than half of their current value, totaling approximately $3.1 million.
As for the county”s top two crops, wine grapes accounted for approximately $61.3 million of the county gross agricultural value, according to Hajik. With value increasing by approximately $13.5 million, as well as production increased by 25 percent. Acreage used for the production of wine grapes also increased by 326, totaling 8,718 acres.
Pears accounted for approximately $21.8 million of the county gross agriculture value, decreased by approximately $2.3 million, Hajik said. However, production increased by 6 percent. Land used for growing pears also decreased from 2,130 to 2,105 acres.
In 2013, the overall gross value of county agriculture increased by approximately $11 million, or 13 percent.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
