The first time I saw a cashew growing in a garden beside the side of a road in Hawaii, I stopped dead in my tracks. “What on Earth is that crazy looking thing?!!!” There on a very handsome looking tree were bright red and yellow bell-shaped fruits with a bulging curved “bell clapper” like […]
This morning as I sat eating breakfast next to a wonderful Crepe Myrtle tree in full flower and buzzing with bees, I realized that a person could find it hard to believe that bees might be an endangered species. After all, I reported here myself last March about how Colony Collapse Disorder in honey bees […]
We’re so excited—it’s almond harvest season! And that means shaking the trees with our mechanical tree shakers – and kids having fun in the orchard while they fall all around. And the fun (and hard work) has only just begun. After the nuts are all on the ground, a sweeper will come through and sweep […]
Almost everyone loves french fries but have you tried sweet potato fries? They’re my new favorite! First, they’re so delicious! That mildly sweet taste blends so well with salt and other spices that they’re a real treat to eat and lots of fun. But guess what? If you’re a diabetic or trying to eat lower […]
Saturday, August 18th is National Honey Bee Day! Honey bees are the almond grower’s best friend so we need to celebrate! We bring honey bees into our almond orchards every year because every almond you eat exists only because some sweet bee pollinated an almond blossom. And the bees benefit, too! Almond blossom nectar provides […]
Did you know that 70% of the almonds grown in California are exported all over the world? Not only that, California almonds represent 80% of the almonds eaten in the world as a whole! Germany is the biggest importer of almonds followed by Japan and the Netherlands. Here is just a short list of how almonds fit into the […]
There once was a time when organic food was the same as “food.” Nowadays, the label “organic” is a special one. It requires USDA certification and strict adherence to not only sustainable organic farming practices but also regulates how a product is produced and stored. Products labeled “100% Organic” cannot be made or allowed to […]
Did you know that Maisie Jane’s sells the best homemade pies in town? Yes! Auntie’s Almond Butter Pie, Chocolate Hazelnut Creme Pie, Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake and three different kinds of ice cream pie. (My favorite is the Java Crunch.) If you live near Chico, CA come on by our sweet little country store at 1324 Dayton […]
The other night I made myself a TINY dessert of yummy Greek yogurt with berries and a sprinkling of cocoa nibs. I decided to stir in a tablespoon of almond butter and caught myself wondering “Is this really as healthy as I’ve been telling myself it is?” Oh, silly me! Almonds in moderation are certainly […]
Well, the first thing I can’t seem to help myself from saying is that it is far better to dry roast nuts than human beings! I’m roasting in my house as I’m writing this blog post tonight! It’s 8:30 pm and still 96ºF! Of course, that’s an improvement over the 106º we hit earlier in […]