Almond Facts, May-June 2021

how much seed to plant. I decided to only plant about half of our orchard the first year and learn from that experience before I decide to scale it up further. Once the crop was planted, it was pretty much self-sufficient. We did not water the crop given that we have micro sprinklers, and their spray area does not reach the middle of the rows. The cover crop did not get in our way when we did our routine orchard maintenance throughout winter either. When it comes time to terminate the cover crop in spring, we mow it just like we normally would mow the middles anyway, to control weeds. All in all, the cover crop was very low maintenance for us. BS: Besides providing nutritional resources for pollinators with cover crops what else are you doing to help bees? CR: This year, we participated in the Blue Diamond and Project Apis m. “Water for Bees” program. Blue Diamond provided the water buckets to us so that the bees have a reliable and clean water source during the pollination period. Having a close-by water source for the bees was key, given the dry conditions we have had this year. BS: Why is it important to you to help ensure a healthy honey bee population? CR: As an almond grower, a healthy bee population is essential to help boost our crop yield and likewise many other agricultural products. If the bees can feed on the cover crops prior to the almond bloom, the improved health of the bees can strengthen and expand the hives for better pollination during the almond bloom. BS: Do you have any pollinator related certifications? If so, did Seeds for Bees help you qualify for them? If not, do you plan to apply in the future? CR: Not at this time. However, I do plan to apply for the Bee+ Scholarship and Bee Friendly Farming program through the Almond Board of California and the Pollinator Partnership. Seeds for Bees manager Billy Synk and Chris Rishwain evaluate nitrogen fixing nodules of legumes. Photo courtesy of Ben Goudie. 31 M A Y – J U N E 2 0 2 1