California walnut orchard Pruning walnut trees may not be required, according to the latest research by walnut advisers: A UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser in the Mid-Valley describes new thinking about pruning young walnut trees as a “paradigm shift.” “Having given workshops for 27 years on minimal pruning methods, I was skeptical when we started this study,” said Janine Hasey, walnut adviser for Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties. “But data and unpruned trees make a compelling case for us to re-evaluate our decades-old advice to prune and head lateral-bearing varieties.” Hasey and other walnut experts have been conducting research on pruning — or rather non-pruning — of walnuts on a plot at the Nickels Soil Lab near Arbuckle, in which young trees of the Chandler and Howard varieties are not pruned and minimally pruned and heavily pruned in field tests over four and seven years, respectively. “We always thought you had to prune and head the new lateral-bearing varieties to keep them growing in the early years of training,” she said at a pruning workshop for growers last week at the Nickels Soil Lab. Chandler is the most popular variety in California, accounting for 42 percent of the walnut crop tonnage in 2012 and 39 percent of the 245,000 acres of walnuts in the state. Howard is the second-most popular variety, with 14 percent of the crop tonnage. “What we’ve found is that with unpruned trees — they basically have the same trunk growth and height and crop yield as minimally pruned trees,” said Hasey. “The unpruned trees had basically the same production as pruned trees,” she said. “The question is: Why would you prune if you have the same result? I’ve had to totally redo my thinking.” “It’s a whole paradigm shift,” the ag adviser said. Bruce Lampinen, a UC Cooperative Extension walnut specialist based at UC Davis, added: “There’s no benefit to pruning based on the data so far.” Hasey said the research team hasn’t conducted an economic analysis of pruning vs. no pruning. But, she said, “You guys do the math: No labor and no brush — or labor and brush.” She was referring to the labor and fuel it would take to prune and then remove the brush from orchards, implying there are immediate cost savings. Other non-pruning trials are being conducted in Butte, Merced and Tulare counties. “We are looking at different trials in different soils for different varieties around the state,” Hasey said. John Edstrom, former UC Cooperative Extension tree crop specialist in Colusa County, and Carolyn DeBuse, a UCCE Yolo-Solano farm adviser at the time, also worked on the Nickels plot. Hasey encouraged growers to experiment with non-pruning. “It’s a big leap,” she said. “Try it on a small block or a row, not all your trees. Try it and see how it works.” Detailed pruning and non-pruning instructions are available from Hasey at the UC Cooperative Extension office on Garden Highway in Yuba City. Read more: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/walnut-123840-pruning-adviser.html#ixzz2NNUdTMF9

French prune orchard

101 Acre parcel with 99 acres planted in French Prunes. Located in prime Sutter County farm land. District water supply. Owner states trees 12-15 years old. Prunes sold to Sunsweet Growers on a yearly contract.  Production records and images of farm equipment listed below,  click on links to review:

1) Production History

2) Sawtelle Equipment Images

Owner is asking $1,666.500

MLS#201122011

9698 Sawtelle Avenue, Yuba City CA

walnut orchard for sale

Walnut orchard and residence for sale in Meridian, California.

Amazing potential here!!! Recently updated Manufactured home sits on approximately 8.8acres planted in Hartley Walnut Trees with new emmiter irrigation system just installed in 2011!!! Great investment property or future home site. Manufactured home features new carpet, paint and tile. Water Rights to Butte Slough where another row of older walnut trees are planted. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Walnut orchard financing will require all cash or agriculture type of  lender; typical residential financing methods will not apply to this property. Normal AG loans require 35% down payment.

MLS # 201121657 ; Click here to view  MLS Info.

walnut orchard for sale

manufactured home on walnut orchard

Click here for  Walnut orchard & farming information

Walnut orchard and Residence for sale in Meridian, CA.

Sutter County Orchard

102 acre Almond, Peach and Prune Orchard for sale in Live Oak, CA. Brand new listing!

This 100 acre almond, peach and prune orchard for sale, Owner is asking $1,895,000

Almond, Peach and Prune Orchard For Sale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mv01CknUHPg Walnut farming in California, especially in Sutter & Yuba counties; has become a very profitable crop. The demand for existing walnut orchards or farm land capable of sustaining walnut production is very strong. Please contact me if you are interested in buying or selling Almond, Pistachio or Walnut orchards. The article below is written by the California Walnut Commission and discusses the walnut farming business in California. Overview Each step in the process from propagation, to harvest, to packer, and finally to market is handled with care and attention. There are over 4,600 walnut growers, a large majority being family farms, many of which have been in the walnut business for several generations. Walnut production takes commitment and patience, and orchards are dedicated only to walnut production. After a walnut sapling is planted, it takes five to seven years for it to grow into an adult tree suitable for harvesting. Although many varieties of walnuts are grown in California, six account for over 75 percent of total production: Hartley, Chandler, Serr, Vina, Franquette and Howard. Harvesting begins in late August when the drying green hulls start to split allowing the inshell walnuts to be removed and continues until late November. First the orchard floor is swept clean. Mechanical shakers vigorously shake each tree and thousands of walnuts fall to the ground. The walnuts are carefully swept into windrows to allow mechanical harvesters to pick them up for cleaning. Processing The outer green husk is removed by a huller and the nut is mechanically dehydrated (air dried) to optimum 8% moisture level. This prevents deterioration of the nut and protects its quality during storage. Walnuts are stored until needed for cracking. California walnuts are protected from contamination because of the nut’s double envelope of hull and shell while on the tree. Walnut Packing Walnuts are transported to a packing plant where they are graded into two distinctive markets, inshell and shelled. Inshell Walnuts Following drying, sizing of the inshell nut occurs. Inshell walnuts are sized as jumbo, large, medium, or baby according to USDA standards. Shelled Walnuts Walnuts for both consumer and industrial use are removed from storage as needed and sent to the shelling department where they are mechanically cracked. The shelled material is screened. Kernels are screened into a series of sizes, air-separated from shells, and moved through electronic color graders and shell sorters. Finally they are hand-sorted by trained sorters and certified by for quality and USDA Standards and then are ready for packing. Once shelled, walnut kernels are physically inspected to ensure an end-product that is clean, well-dried, and of specified color, as determined in comparison to the official walnut color chart. Tolerances for total and special defects are specified for each grade. Laboratory tests, both chemical and microbiological are conducted to meet strict regulatory agency and food safety requirements. California Walnuts Meet Strict Quality Control Standards California walnuts are produced under stringent quality controls that exceed California inspection standards, reputed to be the world’s toughest. Handlers also meet individual customers’ standards and specifications. Many cutting-edge technologies are harnessed during the process in a sustained effort to bring consumers walnuts of uncompromising quality. The walnuts are grown and processed under the strict regulation of the California Walnut Board, USDA/DFA and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A food safety control program and quality control regime (HAACP) is in place that meets the standards imposed by all regulatory authorities. Packaging California walnuts are produced in a wide variety of sizes, color grades and combinations of sizes and colors to meet the specifications of any industrial formulation. Commercial product meets the same high standards of quality as those sold directly to the consumer. Reference: Written and posted on the California Walnut Commission web site

california foreclosure report

Dramatic Declines In Foreclosure Activity

Foreclosure activity results for September 2012 presented by Foreclosure Radar:
September 2012 California Notice of Defaults were down 20.7 percent from the prior month, and down 48.1 percent compared to last year. There has been speculation that the banks would rush to clear inventory before the CA Homeowner Bill of Rights takes affect in January 2013, causing an increase in the number of foreclosures. Clearly this is not the case as we continue to see the number of Foreclosure Starts decline. Notice of Trustee Sales remains basically flat, up 1.9 percent from the prior month.
September 2012 California Foreclosure Sales are down 17.9 percent from the prior month, and down 30.4 percent compared to last year. However, a larger portion of Trustee Sales, 39.2 percent, are being purchased by investors compared to 27.2 percent last year.
Founder and CEO of Foreclosure Radar Sean O’Toole concludes:
It was recently reported that the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers have implemented all of the 320 servicing standards required under the national mortgage settlement. The continued decline in foreclosure starts clearly shows that even though servicers are now in compliance and clear to move forward with foreclosures; they are still in no rush to foreclose on the majority of delinquent borrowers.

Just listed! Producing Walnuts with sprawling 5 bed 3 bath ranch syle home. Highly sought after acreage with private well for irrigation, undergound main line. Huge home ready to update, inside laundry, bar, studio, huge living room with fireplace. 6.79 acres total. Located in the community of Gridley, CA on a nice residential street of comparable properties. Listed for $325,000 – call today to schedule tour of this opportunity! Updates: Priced reduced to $299,000 12/3/2012!</p> Click here to view walnut orchard production records: Walnut Production & Home Improvements Click here to view MLS information:1296 French_MLS Report

1011 acres with 945 net planted acres of almonds. Plantings – 313 acres in 2006, 184 acres in 2007, 160 acres in 2008 & 284 acres in 2009. Water supplied by 4 AG wells, however entire property is in Yolo Irrigation District. 13 legal parcels, one 3 bed mfg. Home and one older home with lifetime estates. 2 older barns. Only a 5 minute drive to Yolo County Airport, 10 minutes to UC Davis, 30 Minutes to Sacramento International Airport. Currently listed at $20,950,000 Clich here to view MLS information for Almond Farm MLS# 12054353

California home sales and prices both posted strong gains in July, with the sales pace showing positive year-over-year growth for the fourth straight month and the median price reaching a near-four-year high, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported today.

“It’s hard to generalize the state of California’s housing market because the markets are so diverse and are performing so differently,” said C.A.R. President LeFrancis Arnold. “REO-dominated areas such as those in the Inland Empire and Central Valley are experiencing sales constraints due to an extreme shortage of available homes. On the other hand, a robust economy in the San Francisco Bay area and a relatively larger inventory at higher price levels is helping to fuel sales and prices.”

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes reached a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 529,230 in July, up 2 percent from June’s revised 518,680 rate, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations and MLSs statewide. July’s sales pace was up 15.3 percent from July 2011’s revised pace of 459,140 sales. The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2012 if sales maintained the July pace throughout the year and is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

July marked the fifth consecutive month that California’s median home price was up from both the previous month and year. The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home was $333,860 in July, up 4.2 percent from $320,540 in June and up 12.7 percent from a revised $296,160 in July 2011.

The July 2012 median price was the highest since August 2008, when the median price reached $352,730. July also marked the fourth straight month that the median price has posted above the $300,000 level.
“The strong performance in the median price over the past few months reflects a sales shift away from homes in the lower price ranges of the market due to stark inventory toward sales of homes priced above $500,000,” said C.A.R. Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. “As an example, in July, sales of homes priced below $200,000 declined 9.4 percent from the previous year, and homes priced above $500,000 climbed 27.7 percent from a year ago.”

California’s housing inventory was essentially flat in July, with the Unsold Inventory Index for existing, single-family detached homes at 3.4 months in July compared with 3.5 months in June. However, July’s housing inventory index was down from a revised 5.6-month supply in July 2011. The index indicates the number of months needed to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate. The long-run average is a 6- to 7-month supply.

Interest rates continued to remain at historically low levels in July, with 30-year fixed-mortgage interest rates averaging 3.55 percent, down from 3.68 percent in June and 4.55 percent in July 2011, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable-mortgage interest rates averaged 2.69 percent in July, down from 2.76 percent in June and down from 2.97 percent in June 2011.

The median number of days it took to sell a single-family home edged down from 43.4 days in June to 43.2 days in July. It took a median of 51.9 days for a home to sell in July 2011.

Click here to view County by County July Home Sales

Information above was published by the California Association Of Realtors (CAR) on August 17, 2012