Instead: • Wait for the soil surface to dry slightly before sweeping. • Avoid creating windrows on wet ground. • Recognize that patience here pays off later in reduced drying time and cleaner product. Once nuts are in a windrow, you’re dealing with the most sensitive stage of wet harvest management. Wet windrows packed with leaves and soil create a perfect environment for elevated temperatures due to microbial activity. Left alone, they rarely dry effectively and can quickly turn from manageable to a total crop loss. The fix is active management: • Wet nuts should never be left in a tight windrow. • Condition the windrow to remove trash and improve airflow. • Use a pickup machine to lift, clean and re-drop nuts. • If needed, use a spring tine or mechanical stirring to break up compact, wet material. The goal is to keep the windrow loose, exposed and breathable. Drying requires air movement, and dense, wet piles block it completely. Wet harvests aren’t solo operations; they’re coordinated efforts. We have a saying at Blue Diamond that once it is picked up, wet product must stay in motion if it is going to be saved. If wet product sits, that is when microbial activity starts, and the crop can be lost. Communication is key to keeping that product moving.
Steaming wet piles of almonds. Photo Credit: Mel Machado
Stay connected with: • Harvest crews • Field and equipment operators • Huller/sheller • Regional manager
Clear communication ensures everyone understands the plan, adapts quickly and avoids costly missteps. Wet harvest conditions demand discipline, but they don’t have to derail your season. The most successful growers don’t fight the weather, they adapt to it. They understand that almonds dry best in the orchard, not in transit or storage, and they adjust their strategy accordingly. In the end, handling a wet crop is about one thing: Protecting drying potential while maintaining control of the process. With the right decisions, even a challenging harvest can end with clean, high-quality almonds.
Trent Voss, Sr. Regional Manager, Blue Diamond Growers
Wet Fritz almonds. Photo Credit: Mel Machado
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JULY–AUGUST 2026
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