| At Dixon Ridge Farms, our walnuts enhance the value of food products the world over. Food processors buy our organic walnuts with the confidence that they will receive the best quality walnuts because of our processing procedures. We are proud of our product traceability and superior quality standards.
|
 |
| Walnut Harvest |
|
Harvesting
At harvest, our walnuts are picked up and placed in trailers. These trailers are labeled as to field of origin, lot and variety. Buffer rows are harvested, handled and labeled separately. These walnuts are transported to the huller where they are hulled, cleaned, washed and sorted. They are then placed in dryers, which are labeled the same way as the transport trailers. After drying, the walnuts are transferred to bins, which are similarly labeled. These bins are weighed, and a Certified Weight Certificate is issued. The bins are then placed in our storage facility.
|
 |
| Walnut Processor |
|
Processing: Shelling, Sorting, and Sizing
When it comes time to shell our walnuts, we pull them out of storage and run them through our shelling machine. After the machine removes the shell and the walnut meats have gone through their first sort, the same bin gets a plastic liner and the shelled walnuts are placed back in these bins. This bin then goes back into refrigerated storage until we do a second and final sorting.
When our walnuts go through their second sort, the bins are pulled out of storage; the shelled walnuts are transferred into a hopper and are fed onto the sorting belt. After removal of all defects, these walnuts are either immediately packaged in shipping boxes or placed back into the same plastic lined bins, as previously marked. They are then stored until ready for shipment. At the time of packaging, each shipping container (case) receives a stamped lot number. This lot number is recorded and correlates to the bin identification. The DFA of California then inspects the cased walnuts, where they need to meet or exceed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established standards. After this inspection, the shipping cases are stamped with the Walnut Marketing Board/USDA stamp. They are then placed back in refrigerated storage until shipment.
|
Recycling
Recycling of resources is practiced at all times of the year. At harvest, the trash, twigs, leaves and hulls are spread back into the orchards. They are allowed to dry and then are mowed to destroy any harbored pests. Pruned limbs are chipped and put back on the soil surface where they will decompose and return to the soil. This recycles all nutrients that would have been removed by the traditional practice of burning in piles outside the orchard. Water that flows out of our flood-irrigated fields is caught in small basins and is then returned to the irrigation system to be used again. This also recycles the nutrients that are carried with the water. Water application of our sprinkler-irrigated fields is carefully monitored, but any over irrigation returns to the ground aquifer from whence it came. Shells removed during processing of our walnuts are spread around the sprinklers to suppress weeds and to return nutrients back to the soil. A small amount of composted turkey manure is the only fertility supplement added for micronutrients, biological inoculation and for a nitrogen boost at a critical time for the trees. Petiole analysis shows rising levels of nitrogen, so we are even cutting back on this small input. Our goal is to remove only the nutrients found in our nutritious walnuts.
|
|
