Temporarily sold out of certified organic. Doing a late glean on the organic field and hope to get another 500lb that weren't ready when we shook a week and a half ago. Some nice looking nuts came down in this last wind. May have trouble drying them down, so will be closer to last year's moistness as weather is rapidly cooling off. This was unplanned... suprised how much came down when I went to check for running the final water set . Weather during harvest this year was very hot and dry for a sustained period of time. That means about 10% lower light meat counts (80% rather than 90% on certified, 70% rather than 80% on unsprayed), flavor very similar, moisture content lower this year closer to commercially dried levels because it was 95 degrees 20 percent humidity on screens instead of 75 degrees 35% humidity like last year. Just to be aware of that especially if you ordered later last fall when I was struggling to get the walnuts dry and sending them out borderline "wet," which some customers really loved and I have already heard back from at least 2 who missed that extra moisture this year due to the hot dry weather. On the other hand, those who thought last year I under-dried will likely be happy and the easy to please customers will be happy regardless because they are great tasting walnuts! Sold out of certified organic unless I hand glean a few more lbs from late drops, about 300lb unsprayed left , about 500lb Buffer zone, about 750lb huller drier run. Stock amount will change as it comes off screens and I have a more accurate idea exact amount. Shipping Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays. If you have read the descriptions and still have questions call 1 (530) 567-7543 or email asa@betterwalnuts.com . If you already purchased and have questions/comments about your order, use my personal cell number on the invoice/confirmation or email above.
8lb NOT Certified | NOT Screen Dried | Chandler IN SHELL Walnuts | Automated Harvest and Huller Drier Run| October 2026 Harvest |
READ DESCRIPTION CAREFULLY TO COMPARE THESE TO OUR OTHER IN SHELL OPTIONS. Pictures above are from offical 100 nut sample and crackout LAST WEEK (10- from the wholesale handler who buys/sells the bulk of the crop wholesale for us. Yours may vary a bit, but this gives the general average of the whole load. These in shell Chandler walnuts are from my Uncle's orchard right adjacent to my farm and across the street from my certified organic orchard. After years of minimal sprays (no fungicides, no miticides, limited use of herbicide around sprinkler heads where it's hard to mow), this year he did no sprays/synthetic materials, but he still has two more years with zero prohibited materials to meet organic certification standards, so these are NOT certified.
Additionally, instead of being hand harvested and screen dried, these walnuts are harvested with the standard shaker/sweeper set up and then run through a commercial hulling and drying line. Generally, this will mean actually a lower percentage of bad nuts (80-85% lights, 5-10% ambers and 5-10% blows, insect, serious shrivel) due to the aspirators and electronic sorting eyes used, but the nuts will be a little more dried typically and may have a slightly different slightly more "toasted" flavor and slightly darker meat/skin since they will typically reach temperatures of 103-110 degrees during drying vs. screen dried, which depending on weather rarely reach over 90 degrees. (Note: this year huller drier appears to have been careful on heat and actually moisture level seems on the ones he commercially dried seems close to our screen dried or even a bit more on some this year because we had VERY hot weather on the screens 95 degrees 20% humidity and trying to get wet and dry dried evenly led to some on the screens that were more dry than I wanted). Depending on how new/clean the hulling brushes were there can be bits of the green hull material stuck to the shell and in drying those pieces can darken. Be aware that doesn't mean the nut is bad or old, it's just a part of commercial hulling process and hard to control for other than hand sorting out afterwards and some always get missed.
Finally, my Uncle's particular orchard is a younger orchard than the certified organic orchard that I manage, so nut size is typically a bit bigger but there is more tip shrivel, which is where the kernels don't quite fill out to the tips. Again, this does not indicate an old nut, it's an issue that Chandler variety has and especially on a young orchard without synthetic inputs or with imperfect irrigation (he was probably 2 weeks late starting water this year) or weather or possibly other factors, it can be more or less prominent. Just be aware of that if you previously ordered organic from us. Historically, the certified organic block has had better tip fill and smaller size vs. this one.