Celebrating West Side Agriculture 2020
Special section of the West Side Index & Gustine Press-Standard honoring our local agriculture industry. Special section of the West Side Index & Gustine Press-Standard honoring our local agriculture industry.
8 | HONORING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020Lara hulling operation expands to meet demandNEWMAN - A localfarming operation whichtakes almonds from orchardto shelled meats isundergoing an extensiverenovation to increase capacityof its rural Newmanprocessing facility.The huller is part ofRichard Lara Farms, Inc.,Paul Lara, left,and his fatherMike Lara,pictured at therural Newmanhullingoperation ofRichard LaraFarms, Inc.which also has about 700acres of orchards primarilyin the Westley/Pattersonarea.Corporate PresidentMike Lara, said he andthree sons also operate avariety of West Side orchardsthat, in addition toalmonds, produce walnutsand cherries.“They all farm on theirown as well as working forme,” he explained.The family farmingoperation, which tracesits heritage back to MikeLara’s father Richard andhis brothers, once wasfocused on row crops butin more recent years almondshave emerged asthe focal point of the operation.Lara Farms Inc, the predecessorto Richard LaraFarms Inc., at one pointoperated in Fresno County,the Newman area andWestley/Patterson.The operation begangrowing almonds in themid-1970s, Lara said, andin the mid-1980s built theStuhr Road huller.The brothers split intothree separation corporationaround 1993, he said,and Richard Lara Farmshas owned the huller since.Lara said he continuedto farm in Fresno County,but left that area in 2000due to lack of water, choosingto concentrate insteadon the huller and farmingoperations in the Westley/Patterson area.“It was a constant battle.I couldn’t do it any more,”he said of the challengingwater shortages in FresnoCounty.Now, he continues as agrower and processor onthe West Side.The huller processesnot only almonds grownon the various Lara farmsbut those from other areaproducers.Demand has grownalong with the state’s almondacreage and production,Lara told MattosNewspapers, and an extensiverenovation underway this spring will significantlyincrease capacityand efficiency.The renovation is thelatest chapter in the evolutionof the huller.One of the biggestchanges to the operationhas been implementationof digital product tracking.Each load is issued abar code when it comesacross the scale, which allowsprocessor and growerto track their productthroughout the process.At the Lara operation,the focus is on quickly processingthe product andshipping it to the buyer.“We try to store nothinghere. We only do one thing.We take almonds fromthe field product to cleanmeats,” Lara commented.“They are getting shelledout all the way in one operation.Ours was one ofthe first plants to do it thatway. We will have the capacityto do in-shell as wellbut I am not going to pushfor that. There are enoughguys doing in-shell.”Once processed, the almondmeats are promptlydelivered.“Ours go straight toBlue Diamond. Some goto Stewart & Jasper,” Laranoted. “We try to deliver inno more than two weeks.”In the orchards, waterremains an ongoing challenge.In response and anticipatingfuture drought,See LARA | PAGE 9John & Florie Nunesoffice: 854.6325mobile: 209.495.1964
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020 HONORING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE | 9LARACONTINUED FROM PAGE 8Lara said, he has gone toplanting almonds on rootstock that better toleratesthe saltier water whichfarmers must sometimesturn to from their ownwells when that is the onlysupply available.Almond productionsuffered during the lastdrought because of thehigh salinity water growerswere forced to use, hepointed out.“When we have good waterwe have good (almond)quality. When we havebad water we have shriveland other problems,” Larastated. “Lower qualityproducts are much moredifficult to run.”He strives to maximizeefficiency in his orchards,relying on probes to monitormoisture levels andflying over with a drone toget a birds-eye view of thetrees.“You can see the dryspots, and where the treesare smaller,” Lara ex-plained.Farming is a family affairfor Lara, as three sonshold management roles inthe operation. Paul Laraoversees the huller operation.Jarod Lara managesthe orchards, and JasonLara oversees the shop.Each year, farmers operateon no small measureof faith and perseverancewith no promises of whateach harvest will bring interms of yield or marketprice.As he looks to 2020, Laraacknowledges that wateris an ongoing problem butalso expressed optimism.Weather during the pollinationperiod was closeto perfect, he said, andwhile the market pricemight not be at a premiumLara is optimistic thatglobal demand will absorbeven a bumper crop.The pollination periodhas given way to spring,and in a few short monthsthe huller will be hummingonce again as the Laracrew processes almondscoming in by the truckloadfrom West Side orchards.Workers at the Lara huller near Newman complete a number of projects in the off-season in preparation for the next crop coming in.WE'RE YOUR TRUSTED INSURANCE SPECIALISTS!Rico, Pfitzer, Pires& AssociatesYour Local Full-ServiceINDEPENDENT INSURANCE AGENCY“Committed to Service, Quality and You”Agricultural &Commercial InsuranceWorker’s Compand more!Personal LinesAutomobile • MotorcycleLife • HealthHome • RV, Boat & MoreAgricultural • Commercial • Industrial • BusinessWorkers Compensation • Risk ManagementLoss Prevention • OSHA ComplianceGUSTINE207 5th Street854-2000Se Habla Español • Fala-se Português www.rppins.comLic. #0499798
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8 | HONORING WEST SIDE AGRICULTURE THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
Lara hulling operation expands to meet demand
NEWMAN - A local
farming operation which
takes almonds from orchard
to shelled meats is
undergoing an extensive
renovation to increase capacity
of its rural Newman
processing facility.
The huller is part of
Richard Lara Farms, Inc.,
Paul Lara, left,
and his father
Mike Lara,
pictured at the
rural Newman
hulling
operation of
Richard Lara
Farms, Inc.
which also has about 700
acres of orchards primarily
in the Westley/Patterson
area.
Corporate President
Mike Lara, said he and
three sons also operate a
variety of West Side orchards
that, in addition to
almonds, produce walnuts
and cherries.
“They all farm on their
own as well as working for
me,” he explained.
The family farming
operation, which traces
its heritage back to Mike
Lara’s father Richard and
his brothers, once was
focused on row crops but
in more recent years almonds
have emerged as
the focal point of the operation.
Lara Farms Inc, the predecessor
to Richard Lara
Farms Inc., at one point
operated in Fresno County,
the Newman area and
Westley/Patterson.
The operation began
growing almonds in the
mid-1970s, Lara said, and
in the mid-1980s built the
Stuhr Road huller.
The brothers split into
three separation corporation
around 1993, he said,
and Richard Lara Farms
has owned the huller since.
Lara said he continued
to farm in Fresno County,
but left that area in 2000
due to lack of water, choosing
to concentrate instead
on the huller and farming
operations in the Westley/
Patterson area.
“It was a constant battle.
I couldn’t do it any more,”
he said of the challenging
water shortages in Fresno
County.
Now, he continues as a
grower and processor on
the West Side.
The huller processes
not only almonds grown
on the various Lara farms
but those from other area
producers.
Demand has grown
along with the state’s almond
acreage and production,
Lara told Mattos
Newspapers, and an extensive
renovation under
way this spring will significantly
increase capacity
and efficiency.
The renovation is the
latest chapter in the evolution
of the huller.
One of the biggest
changes to the operation
has been implementation
of digital product tracking.
Each load is issued a
bar code when it comes
across the scale, which allows
processor and grower
to track their product
throughout the process.
At the Lara operation,
the focus is on quickly processing
the product and
shipping it to the buyer.
“We try to store nothing
here. We only do one thing.
We take almonds from
the field product to clean
meats,” Lara commented.
“They are getting shelled
out all the way in one operation.
Ours was one of
the first plants to do it that
way. We will have the capacity
to do in-shell as well
but I am not going to push
for that. There are enough
guys doing in-shell.”
Once processed, the almond
meats are promptly
delivered.
“Ours go straight to
Blue Diamond. Some go
to Stewart & Jasper,” Lara
noted. “We try to deliver in
no more than two weeks.”
In the orchards, water
remains an ongoing challenge.
In response and anticipating
future drought,
See LARA | PAGE 9
John & Florie Nunes
office: 854.6325
mobile: 209.495.1964
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