Almonds (Ger.: Mandeln)

Das San Joaquin Valley ist weltweit der größte Erzeuger von Mandeln und somit die Basis des lebensnotwendige Marzipans! I love Marzipan…

Who does not love Marzipan Pigs, Marzipan Stollen, Marzipan Kuchen, Marzipan Poppyseed Cheesecake? And then there is also Mazapan, a Latin American speciality containing peanuts and almonds. Almonds make farmers rich, an annual 6 Billion Dollar Business in California. By the same token, Almond Trees are extremely water thirsty. A little Almond Tree easily pulls 30 gallons (120 Liter) per hour out of the ground during a hot summer day. Now, think 2 million Almond Trees….. On the other hand, the US Geological Survey reports continued land subsidence (sinking land) due to over pumping of ground water. Since 1920, in some parts, land has been sinking down up to 100 feet (30 Meter). Could the loss of ground water be replenished and the land be lifted back up again? Unfortunately, not. Simply, between layers of ground water strata there are horizontal layers of clay which act as watertight barriers, essentially “swimming on top” of the ground water strata. Deep well pumping of water causes such clay layers to collapse, reducing, as a result, the capacity to store ground water even if a lot of water could be available in the future to replenish prior excessive over pumping. Sinking land causes infrastructure damage. For example, sewer typically is transported by gravity flow from homes to the sewer treatment plant. Unfortunately, if land sinks, sewer has then to be pumped, needing a completely new and more expensive pipeline system. Anyway, a little less “Almond Crazy” could go a long way. Still, I loves Almonds.

Currently, the Almonds are blooming. Here, my first Almond Blossoms.

Going far and wide in search for a little hill to pop up in the otherwise flat San Joaquin Valley to generate the lovely Almond Orchard photo. Enjoy!