American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-11-11
AN ALMOND FESTIVAL.

On s~eptembe 4, 1915. there was held at Esparto,
Western Yolo county, California; what was said
to be the first almond festival ever held. whether
1t was so is open for discussion, for the almond
has the oldest history of any fruit save the fig
that provided clothing for our first parents, the
olive, whose leaf the dove brought to Noah, and
the vine that caused disgrace to befall that per-
son. And the almond for beauty Of blossom and
merit of product certainly must have been the
theme of many festivals in centuries long gone
by in districts fortunate enough to grow almonds
successfully
folo Counts reason for the festical was to show
what she could do In almond production. Cali
fornia is the only state In the union where almonds
are a commercial crop. Few locations are we'll
suited to commercial almond production, and Yolo
county is the third on the list; Butte leading with
IA per cent of the total output, Contra Costa, sec
ond with 13 per cent and Yolo third with IL per
cent. and Of Yolo's production the greater part is
In the thermal district at the foot Of the coast
range, In the western part o; the county.
The Capay Valley Almond Growers Association
with Its warehouse at Esparto, produces this year
about 125 tons Of almonds and the new paintings
promise to soon more than double this output.
Farther up the Capay valley is the Guinda Asso-
citation, a long established organization. with about
u tohS peI year. bOLE are now members OF the
California Almond Groves Exchange, and most
Of the remaining almonds are marketed through
the Winters Dried Fruit Company, practically a
growers concern.
Thanks largely to the Almond Exchange, also
to the difficulty in finding really satisfactory al
mond locations, the almond is a fruit which seems
to have a certain and profitable market. A little
irregular as to bearing, mainly on account of sus-
ceptibility to frosts or unfavorable weather condi-
tons, the high price for the product, IL to Is
cents a pound, or more, occasionally a little less
for inferior varieties, and the inexpensive pro-
duction, makes it a most popular fruit where II
can be grown we'll.
The festival was not only an almond festival,
but 1t was the annual meeting of the Yolo county
farm bureau, farmers from all parts of the county
showing their public spirit by Enthusiastically
getting to gether TO promote the welfare Of one
section Of the county. In the large exhibit tent
were not only fine displays Of almonds OF all va
rieties of commercial importance, shelled and un-
shelled. but exhibits of all kinds OF farm products
by the various farm centers Of the county.
Cooperation was the keynote. not only among
the farm centers and by the farm adviser, Niles
F. Searles, who works through them; but by other
county organizations, like G. II. Hecke, county
horticultural commissioner, the county board Of
trade and the exposition commissioner. II. s. Mad
dox, secretary. Wherever progress is made there
will be found public spirit and hearty co-opera-
ton in all sections.
One of the most important and striking features
of the whole festival was the pig show by the boys
agricultural clubs Of the Esparto and Woodland
high schools. Six boys OF the former and eight
OF the latter, who for six months had been bring
ing up pure bred pigs in a way to make the best
nf fhair hrpediup and IN taarp apd dapnonatrata
right hog methods, brought their pigs to the fes-
tival to lend their part to the festival, and SO that
Prof J. l. Thompson. Of the University farm could
decide which boy In each club had done best by
his pig.
In the cool OF the evening before or in the wee
small hours Of the morning. the Woodland boys
had brought their pigs the fourteen mile haul to
Esparto. so that the pigs would arrive in perfect
condition and not be set back by the heat and
dust of travel in the hot sunshine.
Burkshires, Durocs and Poland Chinas were
shown. One OF the berkshires was shown by Frank
Nilsson OF Esparto. aged Mt the time Of the exhibit
eleven months. Two other pigs Of the same lit
ter. brought up in the usual way, weighed 400
pounds altogether. The one weighed Az pounds.
a little more than both OF the others.
Some pigs were apparently handled much bet
ter than the others, but II ia safe TO say that the
boys who we're outclassed by their mates would
not be outclassed a second time.
Although almonds were the feature of the fes-
tival. the pigs ran a good second. Livestock with
fruit is the ideal system. for without stock no ag-
~ricuiture can endure, SO almonds. hogs and other
agriculture exhibits. all Joined by a progressive,
cooperative spirit made everything Just as II
should be-orchard and Farm.