Episode 17: The Agronomics and Economics of Whole Orchard Recycling and Cover Crops with Carl Evers and Jeremy Olday of AgIS Capital

Almond Journey

In today’s episode we visit with Carl Evers and Jeremy Olday of AgIS Capital. AgIS Capital is an employee-owned management firm that invests in farmland on behalf of and alongside their investors. AgIS then oversees the management of those farm properties which are located nationwide with the majority being in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Carl Evers is the director of sustainability at AgIS Capital, and Jeremy Olday is a farm manager for the company. The two discuss their efforts to make sustainability work in almond orchards on three levels: economically, environmentally, and socially.

“Now it’s kind of hard to say no [to Whole Orchard Recycling] if it’s going to cost the same as burning, but you’ve got all of your environmental health benefits, plus probably some slow-release fertilizer that you’ve recovered and been able to put back into the ground.” - Carl Evers

In today’s episode:

• Meet AgIS Capital
• Carl and Jeremy’s experiences getting started with cover crops and the Seeds for Bees program
• How they have approached Whole Orchard Recycling, how they are making it pay, and some lessons they have learned along the way
• Their involvement with Leading Harvest

“If you’re going to spend $20 or $30 to sort of fortify your bee habitat per acre when you’re spending $200+ per acre to rent bees every year, it’s just a hedge that makes sense.” - Carl Evers

Contact the Almond Board field outreach team to access more available resources by sending an email to [e-mail]

ABC Update

At the end of an orchard’s productive life, almond growers must decide what to do with their old trees: either replant immediately or wait a year. Whole Orchard Recycling is an innovative and sustainable practice that contributes to the success of the subsequent orchard by not only putting everything grown in the previous orchard to optimal use, but also providing value back to the grower by delivering nutrients, improving soil quality and ultimately, potentially, increasing yields. There’s a cool story behind the development of whole orchard recycling, and Almond Board Senior Manager of Industry Relations and Communications Jenny Nicolau says there’s a new mini-documentary coming to share this story. Visit www.Almonds.com/WOR to learn more.

The Almond Journey Podcast is brought to you by the Almond Board of California. This show explores how growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the almond industry forward. Host Tim Hammerich visits with leaders throughout the Central Valley of California and beyond who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.

ABC recognizes the diverse makeup of the California almond industry and values contributions offered by its growers, handlers, and allied industry members. However, the opinions, services and products discussed in existing and future podcast episodes are by no means an endorsement or recommendation from ABC. The Almond Journey podcast is not an appropriate venue to express opinions on national, state, local or industry politics. As a Federal Marketing Order, the Almond Board of California is prohibited from lobbying or advocating on legislative issues, as well as setting field and market prices.