Parts of California closed out July with a string of days with temperatures above 100 degrees, and the first days in August have continued that trend. In the Central Valley, where temperatures have approached 110 degrees in some areas, growers are relying on practices developed over the years to deal with the sustained heat wave.
There's worry that these high temperatures will affect the quality of walnuts this season. That could bring down prices handlers can get for their product, though growers are taking measures to lessen the impact from the heat.
Sunrise Orchards' Raj Kumar Sharma in front of walnut trees with freshly applied whitewash.
“We use whitewash to help reflect the sun away from the nuts, and that kind of helps to save from the burn you get from the sun,” said Raj Kumar Sharma with Sunrise Orchards in Wheatland, California. Growers are accustomed to dealing with high temperatures, and with this year's walnut crop expected to be big, he thinks the effects from the heat won't be bad.
"I doubt the size of the meat will be affected much. The crop is so huge it won't make a big difference,” said Sharma. "The crop is going to be a record crop. The nuts set so well that even if we lose some to the heat, it won't have a major impact on the crop."
As for almonds, which are also expected to be in plentiful supply this season, growers are not yet sure what effect the heat will ultimately have on their crops.
"We are just now shaking trees, so it's too early to tell anything about sizing or yield,” said Robert Rocha with P-R Farms in Clovis, California. "We won't know the effect of the heat until we get deeper into the harvest. We just have to make sure trees have enough water during those hot spells."
Modern equipment, techniques mitigate damage from heat
As for the Central Valley's table grape growers, upgrades over the years have made it easier to protect grapes from the sun and heat that often arrive at the height of summer. Growers must be careful to adhere to safety precautions to ensure workers aren't put in danger. The death of three California farm workers over the last month underscore the importance of water breaks and halting work when conditions get too bad. But as far as the quality of fruit, the heat hasn't caused too much damage.
"From a quality standpoint, we don't see much impact from the heat; it does put a strain on workers, but we have safety precautions to help with that,” said Grapery's Jim Beagle. "Older t-style trellises don't produce as much shade for leaves and leave the vines more exposed to the sun and heat. But most growers have newer trellises that protect from the heat we're experiencing. For this time of year, if you have the right trellises and equipment, the heat is manageable."
Likewise, Stevco's Jared Lane doesn't think California's table grape crop will suffer because of sustained heat.
"There have been some effects from the heat wave. The biggest effects have had to do with high color on Ambers and occasional softness on red grapes,” he said. "The heat may have affected riper fruit, where it created a softer berry, and the issue with green grapes is discoloration. But I don't think there's been a significant effect from the heat – it's been small."