SMALL GRAINS AND OTHER FIELD CROPS: Alfalfa is being dried and baled for dairy feed. Sudangrass is being cut, dried and baled. Some corn is still being irrigated while other fields have been greened chopped for silage. Silage fields that have been harvested are being fertilized and prepped for winter crops. Dried beans are being exported to Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Martinique, French Polynesia, and France. Cotton plants have bloomed, formed bolls, and are almost ready for harvest. Corn and sorghum fields are being treated for pests.

DECIDUOUS TREE FRUITS, NUTS, AND GRAPES: Almond and pistachios are being harvested. Quince is maturing and being picked for local buyers. Raisin grapes are sun drying and some are rolled and ready to pick up. Table grapes are being packed for export to Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, China, Thailand, Mexico, Chile, Cambodia, Guatemala, Korea, Ecuador, the Philippines, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, and Australia. Many varieties are being harvested like krissy, midnight beauty, scarlet royal, sweet globe, autumn crisp, and sweet celebration. Reflective tarps are being placed out in some late nectarine and peach orchards to improve fruit color. Peaches, plums, and nectarines are currently being exported to the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, and British Columbia, along with high domestic sales. Prunes are being exported to China. Some pomegranates are being picked and packed for domestic shipment to Florida. Pistachios are still being processed and exported in large quantities to China, Israel, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Almonds are being shipped to Japan, Germany, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Israel, Korea, China, Belgium, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Jordan, Mexico, India, Thailand, Panama, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Pecans are being exported to the Middle East, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Singapore. 

CITRUS, AVOCADOS, AND OLIVES: Star ruby grapefruit are being packed for domestic markets, as well as exported to Mexico. Avocado fruit continue to develop. New-crop navel oranges, tangerines, and lemons continue to ripen on the trees before next season’s harvest in a few months. Some citrus groves are being hedge rowed. Valencia oranges continue to be picked and packed for domestic markets and exports to Mexico.

VEGETABLES, MELONS, HERBS, AND BERRIES: Certified Producers are offering summer varieties of onions, squash, eggplant, cantaloupe, and watermelons. Squash, zucchini, honeydew melons, and watermelons have been harvested and found at farm stands and in stores. Onion seed is being exported to the Netherlands and Mexico. Fields are being prepped for the upcoming season of winter vegetables. The high temperatures will delay planting until cooler weather arrives.

LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY: Middle, heavy weights, and butcher cows are being sold at good pricing. The fed-cattle markets were at $145/cwt this week. High temperatures and dry weather have led to an overall reduction in the amount of forage available to grazing cattle. Some ranchers are continuing to supplement their livestock with alfalfa and oat hay. Local cattlemen are moving cattle to areas that have better forage in addition to reducing herd size.

TOM’S ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Nursery shipments have significantly dropped in number when compared to the busier springtime shipments. Wholesale citrus nurseries are shipping trees, graft wood, and seed to local, out-of-state, and international nurseries as well as growers in Canada, Bahamas, Spain, French Polynesia, and South Africa. Olive trees are being dug out of old groves for ornamental use. Cut flowers are being imported from Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia to flower shops in the county.

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