Budgets are critical for a successful farming operation. A budget can take away that unwanted surprise of costs and the best part is they are not difficult to develop. I have created an example budget that I would be happy to send to anyone who would like one. If you email me at tvoss@bdgrowers.com, I will email you a copy of this budget. I have shown this budget in previous articles and have had multiple growers reach out for a copy. This example budget lists multiple costs such as bees, insurance, electricity, and labor. It also contains areas for multiple spray applications, so you can tailor it to your specific operation. All the costs you enter will be the estimated costs, and as you go through the year you can enter the actual costs to make sure you are on track. At the bottom of the budget you can enter your estimated production, total acres, and estimated price per pound. The spreadsheet will do the math for you and provide you an estimated total revenue, which you can compare against your estimated total cost. Comparing these costs allows you to adjust your budget by adding or subtracting from it. All the topics listed in this article are the starting points for a successful year. Water for crop development, early management of weeds and NOW for pest management, and finally, budgeting to provide a roadmap of costs. The foundation for a successful year should be laid now. A solid foundation ensures the strength of a structure; without it the structure would be compromised. I’ll end this article with a question. Is your foundation strong ?
Growers typically aim to remove mummies from November to early January. The mummy nuts still need to be destroyed after shaking, which is done by mowing . Mowing exposes the overwintering larvae to the environment, which aids in the mortality of the pest. Breaking up the mummy nuts exposes the larvae to predators like birds, and the cold winter weather. Without the warmth of a fully intact almond, the larvae cannot survive. Thoroughly destroying mummy nuts not only eliminates overwintering navel orangeworm larvae, but it is also the best approach to control the newly emerging threat from the carpophilus beetle. How do you prepare for the successful destruction of mummy nuts ? It starts with sweeping or blowing the mummy nuts to the center of the row. Winter sweeping also cleans and prepares the orchard floor for a successful application of pre-emergent herbicides, two benefits from one action. Speed is the most important factor when it comes to mowing mummy nuts. If you are traveling too fast, the flail mower will just spread the mummies back to where they were swept from. You must travel at a slow enough speed that allows the nuts to fully break apart. The more you can break down each nut into small pieces, the better the control will be. By accomplishing winter sanitation, you are reducing the population that is in the field and starting off your pest management on the right foot.
Trent Voss, Regional Manager, Blue Diamond Member Relations
Mowing mummies. Photo Credit: Mel Machado
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NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2024
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