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Old orchard

Joined
May 9, 2021
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Moab, UT
I was driving south on Interstate 5 in California this morning when I saw an entire orchard, where they had bulldozed all the trees over.
I don't know if the trees were nut or fruit trees.
But now that I have become interested in turning, I thought what a shame.
Does anyone know anything about this?
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
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Peoria, Illinois
Interstate 5 runs the entire length of California. Hard to pinpoint the tree type. With the long term drought, I'm guessing they are either letting the land go without crops or it's just the life cycle is over with those trees. HUGE issues ahead for our food chain with water issues in CA.
 
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
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Cleveland, Tennessee
Spent some time in Modesto. 90% of the almonds in the US come from that area. I could see millions of pen blanks and bowls.
Robert, could you pinpoint the area? Our California members might have some information on what trees you were seeing.
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
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North Ogden, Utah
Mike Mahoney is in central/northern Ca and makes a living harvesting the wood you're talking about, particularly walnut. The trees reach a point where their productivity diminishes so they take them out and start over. You can buy roughed out bowls from him that are some of the most incredible walnut you'll ever see.
 
Joined
May 4, 2010
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Bozeman, MT
I had a similar experience with peach wood once and think Curt got it right. Also, the drought in California has affected the almond orchards severely and some growers are removing trees that they can't irrigate.

Be aware that commercial nut trees are often harvested with "shakers". These are large hydraulic machines that grab the trunk of the tree and shake them hard enough to dislodge the nuts mostly all at once to make harvesting quicker and easier. The result on the underlying wood can't make it more friendly to turners, though it might produce some interesting figure.
 
Joined
May 9, 2021
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Moab, UT
Yes, this was about 40 miles north of the Kettleman exit on the west side of the freeway.
I really need to learn to identify trees better now.
Can anyone suggest a good app or book?
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
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Eugene, OR
Used to drive down to the SF area a couple of times a year. Once saw a whole olive orchard that had been bulldozed into a pile. No room in the van, no chainsaw.... They do take them down from time to time. I did get some almond from a friend who used to work orchards down there...

robo hippy
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2021
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San Antonio, TX
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I'm trying to learn how to id trees also.
The Sibley Guide to Trees by David Allen Sibley is a nice manual.
I'm in Texas and I've found a regional guide called "Trees of Texas- Field Guide" by Stan Tekiela. I'm sure you can find one for your state on Amazon.

I've also downloaded an app for my phone called "PlantNet" that allows you to upload pics from your phone or use a data base to help id plants/trees. You can upload leaf, nut, seed and bark I think.
Its a good starting point for me.

Here are some other great suggestions from members here in a thread I started recently.
Field Guides for Identifying Trees
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 9, 2021
Messages
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Location
Moab, UT
I'm trying to learn how to id trees also.
The Sibley Guide to Trees by David Allen Sibley is a nice manual.
I'm in Texas and I've found a regional guide called "Trees of Texas- Field Guide" by Stan Tekiela. I'm sure you can find one for your state on Amazon.

I've also downloaded an app for my phone called "PlantNet" that allows you to upload pics from your phone or use a data base to help id plants/trees. You can upload leaf, nut, seed and bark I think.
Its a good starting point for me.

Here are some other great suggestions from members here in a thread I started recently.
Field Guides for Identifying Trees
Al, thanks for the recommendations, I ordered the Sibley tree guide.
And downloaded the PlantNet app also, so it should help me.
 

John Jordan

In Memorium
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
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Cane Ridge (Nashville), TN
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www.johnjordanwoodturning.com
The phone app will NOT identify wood, it can't even get the right category of ring-porous, diffuse-porous etc which is the most basic step of wood ID. I know a guy who has been using it and sending me the photos and what the app said, pretty funny. I assume its better with leaves, but would bet it can't identify bark very well if at all. But it would be cool if it could do all that. A friend that knows would be a big help-keep you from considering the dozens of species the wood in a pile is surely not. That's another big step in wood ID.:D

Not sure fire, but typically the english walnut trees are grafted onto native walnut, and there is a considerable difference in the size of the trunks. Pistachio and almonds are also grafted but the two are typically closer in size. Almost surely one of those three trees.

John
 
Joined
May 9, 2021
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Location
Moab, UT
Well, it's good to know that the app isn't very useful. I did know that English walnut was grafted onto black walnut.
Or that's what I've been told.
I didn't know about pistachio or almond though.
I appreciate the information.
Thank you
 
Joined
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Eugene, OR
The grafting of the Persian Walnut (they were the ones who cultivated it into an orchard tree...) onto black walnut is not done much any more. If you get a Persian walnut that is not grafted, it has very little color to it, not the rich browns you get from the grafted trees.

robo hippy
 
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
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Brandon, MS
I tried the Leaf Snap app and found it is useful but not the best. Recently got Plant Snap App and it works very good on leaves. Do not think it does bark , but also does lots of floral plants. It is a subcription but looks like it will continue free in a limited capacity.
 
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