Pollinators are vital to the agriculture world, but almond researchers have developed a self-fertilizing variety they are calling “Early Bird.”
“The early bird variety is actually double early. It blooms at the same time as sonora, so it’s an early bloomer, but the real value to the grower is that it harvests a week to 10 days before non-perel. In that harvest window, there are no other commercial varieties at this time. In our test plot, we’ve seen that for the last and 3rd and 4th leaf harvests, and in the mother tree that those are were propagated from, we’ve seen that for eight different harvests,” said Chuck Fleck with Fowler Nurseries.
Fleck says another big selling point is the kernel size, which is around 20 percent larger than other varieties.
Fewer DEF-related shutdowns could mean more uptime during planting and harvest seasons.
April 02, 2026 11:44 AM
·
Widespread drought and extreme weather leave producers managing limited resources
April 02, 2026 11:19 AM
·
Rising fertilizer costs tied to tariffs are tightening margins for U.S. wheat growers, according to new data from the National Association of Wheat Growers.
April 02, 2026 10:54 AM
·
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins shared a behind-the-scenes look at the journey as part of what’s being called the “Great American Egg Road Trip.”
April 01, 2026 12:09 PM
·
Rising costs are significantly extending walnut profitability timelines.
April 01, 2026 11:54 AM
·
Nearly 50,000 cattle impacted as producers search for feed and recovery options
April 01, 2026 11:31 AM
·
