WCN November 2019

this progress is important, though, we’re
even more excited about what’s to come
as we invest in research to propel us
to the next level and help the industry
achieve the Almond Orchard 2025 Goal
to reduce dust during harvest by 50
percent.”
Dust Reduction Machinery
One almond grower taking advantage
of ABC’s research is Samuel Ghilarducci
of Shafter. As the end of his Nonpareil
harvest approached in early September,
he watched as the pickup machine
made passes through the orchard. The
sandy ground in that orchard makes
dust reduction more difficult, he said,
but machinery designed to reduce dust
combined with smooth, clean orchard
floors does make a difference in the
amount of dust generated.
“We normally couldn’t be this close
to the machinery when it’s running, no
closer than eight to ten rows. There is
dust, but it’s not spread out like it could
be,” Ghilarducci said. This was his
second harvest with a pick up machine
designed to reduce dust generation. He
estimated that dust coming from his
orchard harvester during harvest was
reduced by 70 percent.
The harvest dust levels would be
much higher, he said, but the pick up
machine, an Exact Corp 3800, picking
up his windrowed almonds, has a moisture
injection system and a wafer brush
drum to scrub the fine dust particles
from the air stream before it is released
from the machine.
“This is what we have instead of dust,”
Ghilarducci said, picking up small mud
balls from the ground after the machine
passed by. “The brushes act like a
sponge and catch the dust.”
The Exact machine carries a 120-
gallon water tank that empties in about
three and a half hours depending on
the soil type in the orchard and age of
the trees.
Kraemer & Co. Mfg., Inc.
Nut Drying & Storage Facilities
Almonds • Pecans • Pistachios • Walnuts
• Burners
• Fans
• Drying Systems
• Storage & Handling
• Custom Manufacturing
• Spiral E-Z Let Downs
• Installation & Service
Let Kraemer & Co. Design
and Build the Facility
that is Right for Your Needs
Trent Goehring of Kern Machinery
said the machine operator could adjust
the pressure on the pump to match field
conditions. The operator’s skill can also
make a difference. If the pickup head
is set too low, more dirt will enter the
machine. As the nuts are moved along
the cleaning belt, twin rods drop excess
dirt, keeping it from going into the
Continued on Page 40
Walnut Drying Bins
Bin Features
• Knock Down Kit
• Modular
• Corrugated / Galvanized Construction
• Do-It-Yourself Option
• Low Lead Time
• 6 Ton Capacity
3778 County Road 99 W
Orland, CA 95963
530-865-7982 │ Fax: 530-865-5091
CA Cont. Lic. #485-547 │ Web: www.kcomfg.com
November 2019
www.wcngg.com
39