Sweeping and picking up almonds

It's been about 2 weeks since we started almond shaking on the farm. We gave the almonds plenty of time to dry out and get most of the moisture out.

Now, it's time to sweep them. A sweeper machine runs through the tree rows and moves the nuts into a neat row down the middle of the orchard.  First, the sweeper blows nuts from one side of the tree line to the other. Then, the sweeper drives the opposite way through the field moving the nuts into a row. These rows make it possible for the pick up machine to come through and pick up the almond piles without running them over. 

Sweeper machine driving through the orchard

Orchard floor after sweeper has made almond rows

The pick up machine is pulled behind a tractor and has an almond cart behind it. When the tractor drives over the almond rows the pick up machine scoops up the almonds, leaving behind the dirt and other debris, and drops the nuts into the almond cart. When the almond cart is full of almonds, another machine called a shuttle comes behind it in the orchard.  The almond cart empties into the shuttle so the tractor can keep working through the field. The full shuttle will leave the field and find the elevator. At the end of the orchard, there is an elevator waiting for the shuttle to dump the almonds into. Then, the elevator lifts and pours the almonds into the semi truck trailer. Once these trailers are full, our almonds are on their way to the huller for processing!

The pick up machine that scoops the almonds from their rows

The almond cart that will empty into the shuttle

Shuttle pouring the almonds into the elevator.

Until Next Time,

Almond Girl