Let's grow almonds in the Goulburn Valley

A large bag of shelled almonds would arrive in the shop from time to time, possibly even from overseas. Housewives would line up to buy them in made-up lots of a few ounces, to put in their cakes and other cooking.

I do not remember as a boy where the almonds came from, but it was my job to make them up into small bag lots to be sold at a very high price.

Now, as a resident of the Goulburn Valley, I must ask a question. As an introduction, I must mention that almonds, in fact most trees, grow wild around the Dookie hills. They provide no value to humans, all we get from them are fat crows and fat cockatoos.

Has any research ever been done on the commercial growing of almonds in the Goulburn Valley, and more particularly, the Dookie hills?

These hills in themselves obviously have a micro-climate which suits the growing of almonds.

I planted a few trees seven years ago from this July. I have had excellent crops the last three years, even though I have had to share them with an over-abundance of the larger species of parrots. I don't know how they deal with the problem in Sunraysia because these birds species are in abundance in that area, also.

It begs the question, why can't someone with the appropriate resources grow them in the Goulburn Valley?

This would obviate the need to worry about getting more water past the Barmah Choke.

Don Bryan

Dookie