Pistachio Farming in the desert

Getting in the grooves

Pistachio Farming in the desert

The Fenclaire Farm
 Tyler Brown with Ashton his 2-yr. old, 2nd cousin 

Ripe Pistachios that are ready to harvest

"The Shaker"

"The Catcher"

All the boys young and old gathering the shake down to be sorted and shucked

Grandma Claire sorting the crop bucket by bucket

All the leaves and twigs have to be removed

"The Shucker"

With water and a spinning sanding wheel the outer skin of the pistachios are removed

As the skins are removed they go back into the soil to fertilize for next year.

After they have been shucked they are sorted by good and bad nut.  If they float, there is no nut and they cannot be used. If they sink they have a nut.  It's about a 50/50 ratio.

The solar/air drying racks for after they are soaked in salt water for a day

Then they go through the oven 

and you have warm delicious pistachios

Grandson Tyler Brown with Fenton 

 Fenton and Claire Moss still run this farm at the age of 90, their  family comes down at harvest time to take turns helping out. Finally after 10 years the harvest is good and the crops should be profitable.