Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
@pettyranch.bsky.social
Avocado grower in Ventura County, CA. Former Navy P3C pilot, current Farm Bureau member
Same played out in avocados. A 10,000 seedling University of California breeding program led to the Lamb-Hass, GEM, and Luna UCR varieties... good varieties, but not household names. Program started in the late '80's, Luna released in 2023. This was considered a successful program.
Bonus: a lil talk about how much work it is to breed new fruit trees like apples.
Why? Mostly because about 1 in 10,000 seedlings will grow up to make fruit that's.... like... enjoyable to eat.
Why? Mostly because about 1 in 10,000 seedlings will grow up to make fruit that's.... like... enjoyable to eat.
November 18, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Same played out in avocados. A 10,000 seedling University of California breeding program led to the Lamb-Hass, GEM, and Luna UCR varieties... good varieties, but not household names. Program started in the late '80's, Luna released in 2023. This was considered a successful program.
Germination! These seeds are loving this weather. Note: these were spilled while reloading the seeder. Germinating above ground isn't ideal, but the properly bedded seeds are below ground and thus don't make a good picture. #covercrop
November 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Germination! These seeds are loving this weather. Note: these were spilled while reloading the seeder. Germinating above ground isn't ideal, but the properly bedded seeds are below ground and thus don't make a good picture. #covercrop
5.5" since Thursday night (~7.5 million gallons) and no run off or standing water. When I was a kid, this drain would have been sitting in a foot of water. Satisfying to see 20 years of soil improvement realized with better water retention and infiltration.
November 16, 2025 at 9:18 PM
5.5" since Thursday night (~7.5 million gallons) and no run off or standing water. When I was a kid, this drain would have been sitting in a foot of water. Satisfying to see 20 years of soil improvement realized with better water retention and infiltration.
As the sun slips behind the approaching clouds, we're as ready as we're going to be. Next 48 hours will be wet.
November 14, 2025 at 12:14 AM
As the sun slips behind the approaching clouds, we're as ready as we're going to be. Next 48 hours will be wet.
While I always welcome rain, this amount will cause problems in the Mountain, Eaton and Palisades burn scars. Just a question of how much damage will occur. Please be smart around moving water or low lying areas.
California weather PSA:
Fact: Major SoCal storm *is* likely this weekend, w/2-4 inches of rain & t-storms possible in LA (more in mtns) & notable flood/debris flow risk in some spots.
Context: Snapshots showing ~10 inches of rain are extreme outliers, & very unlikely!
Fact: Major SoCal storm *is* likely this weekend, w/2-4 inches of rain & t-storms possible in LA (more in mtns) & notable flood/debris flow risk in some spots.
Context: Snapshots showing ~10 inches of rain are extreme outliers, & very unlikely!
November 13, 2025 at 10:13 PM
While I always welcome rain, this amount will cause problems in the Mountain, Eaton and Palisades burn scars. Just a question of how much damage will occur. Please be smart around moving water or low lying areas.
Seeds. This year's #covercrop mixture has bell beans, vetch, mustard, radish, triticale and rye. We had great results with this blend last year, using it in a different part of the orchard this time.
November 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Seeds. This year's #covercrop mixture has bell beans, vetch, mustard, radish, triticale and rye. We had great results with this blend last year, using it in a different part of the orchard this time.
For the soil enthusiasts out there.(you know who you are). Digging around under the skirts of our avocado trees. Really happy with what I see.
November 11, 2025 at 11:06 PM
For the soil enthusiasts out there.(you know who you are). Digging around under the skirts of our avocado trees. Really happy with what I see.
Will be watching this later. Always room for more information on irrigating tree crops in Mediterranean climates, even though avocados and macadamias are a bit different.
November 11, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Will be watching this later. Always room for more information on irrigating tree crops in Mediterranean climates, even though avocados and macadamias are a bit different.
With gratitude to those who offered a portion of their lives in service to this nation, especially my brothers and sisters of Northwestern NROTC, and Patrol Squadrons 9 and 19.
November 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
With gratitude to those who offered a portion of their lives in service to this nation, especially my brothers and sisters of Northwestern NROTC, and Patrol Squadrons 9 and 19.
We don't disc our soil except to plant #covercrop. I did a few wind sheltered rows today to make sure the gear was ready. Planning to disc Mon-Tues, seed Wed, enjoy the rain Thu next week. If nature cooperates.
November 7, 2025 at 7:38 PM
We don't disc our soil except to plant #covercrop. I did a few wind sheltered rows today to make sure the gear was ready. Planning to disc Mon-Tues, seed Wed, enjoy the rain Thu next week. If nature cooperates.
Budgeting for 2026 is a priority right now. And to do that I need to spend a fair amount of time looking at #avocados. Even though yield and pricing is uncertain, it gives me a number to base assumptions on. This would be so much easier if I knew what to expect!
November 5, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Budgeting for 2026 is a priority right now. And to do that I need to spend a fair amount of time looking at #avocados. Even though yield and pricing is uncertain, it gives me a number to base assumptions on. This would be so much easier if I knew what to expect!
With some nice rain possible next week , it might be time to disk between the young #avocado trees so we can seed the #covercrop just before the rain arrives. We'll get the equipment ready and watch the weather.
November 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
With some nice rain possible next week , it might be time to disk between the young #avocado trees so we can seed the #covercrop just before the rain arrives. We'll get the equipment ready and watch the weather.
Yeah, a lot of CA citrus acreage was developed this way. Not so much avocados initially, but those have replaced a lot of the citrus groves. The eco-system of packinghouses and service providers has evolved, but still has much "co-op DNA."
Fruit coops in CA did some land developments where they basically sold 5-acre ranchette homes, that came pre-planted with citrus or avocado groves.
IIRC the new homeowners had the option to either manage the groves themselves, or just live there & have the co-op manage it.
IIRC the new homeowners had the option to either manage the groves themselves, or just live there & have the co-op manage it.
I wonder if there are any replicable examples of how to get office workers to put together their capital into loan funds or cooperatively financed farms that farm workers can run and eventually own. Seems that if big capital won’t help us, maybe we could help each other?
November 3, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Yeah, a lot of CA citrus acreage was developed this way. Not so much avocados initially, but those have replaced a lot of the citrus groves. The eco-system of packinghouses and service providers has evolved, but still has much "co-op DNA."
"Or moral"
Russ Vought set out to ensure a second Trump term would not be hampered by checks and balances: “I don’t want President Trump having to lose a moment of time having fights in the Oval Office about whether something is legal or doable or moral.”
By @andykroll.bsky.social, with @newyorker.com
By @andykroll.bsky.social, with @newyorker.com
Russell Vought, Trump’s Shadow President
From the wholesale gutting of federal agencies to the ongoing government shutdown, Russell Vought has drawn the road map for Trump’s second term. Vought has consolidated power to an extent that…
www.propublica.org
November 3, 2025 at 3:11 PM
"Or moral"
Reposted by Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
Just stop clicking on this shit, I'm serious. People re-heat these "one weird trick so Trump can run again" stories bc people will skip over actual news to read them.
this is paywalled, but I suppose this is the moronic “he could be elected vice president and then the president could resign” theory. I am mad at every lib law professor who has entertained this Rube-Goldberg bullshit
There is a legal case for a third term—but it is strewn with obstacles
October 30, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Just stop clicking on this shit, I'm serious. People re-heat these "one weird trick so Trump can run again" stories bc people will skip over actual news to read them.
Reposted by Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
If someone wanted to harm USA agriculture they'd do 5 things.
1. Deport labor, make work in USA inhospitable
2. Start tariff wars that end US commodity crop exports
3. Fire experts in transmissible livestock disease
4. Invite/subsidize foreign meat competition
5. Tell farmers how much I love them.
1. Deport labor, make work in USA inhospitable
2. Start tariff wars that end US commodity crop exports
3. Fire experts in transmissible livestock disease
4. Invite/subsidize foreign meat competition
5. Tell farmers how much I love them.
October 26, 2025 at 10:17 PM
If someone wanted to harm USA agriculture they'd do 5 things.
1. Deport labor, make work in USA inhospitable
2. Start tariff wars that end US commodity crop exports
3. Fire experts in transmissible livestock disease
4. Invite/subsidize foreign meat competition
5. Tell farmers how much I love them.
1. Deport labor, make work in USA inhospitable
2. Start tariff wars that end US commodity crop exports
3. Fire experts in transmissible livestock disease
4. Invite/subsidize foreign meat competition
5. Tell farmers how much I love them.
85 degrees and 25% RH just after 10AM. The young #avocado trees are well hydrated, but we may need to give them a little water today if the wind kicks up.
October 28, 2025 at 5:20 PM
85 degrees and 25% RH just after 10AM. The young #avocado trees are well hydrated, but we may need to give them a little water today if the wind kicks up.
3/4 of the year, we're on track to hit a pretty good water conservation number. Late spring rains, no Santa Anas, lots of mulch, efficient sprinklers and soil moisture monitoring combine for good results. Should finish around 1 acre-foot/ acre water use for 10k lbs/acre avocados
October 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
3/4 of the year, we're on track to hit a pretty good water conservation number. Late spring rains, no Santa Anas, lots of mulch, efficient sprinklers and soil moisture monitoring combine for good results. Should finish around 1 acre-foot/ acre water use for 10k lbs/acre avocados
I believe that CA #avocados will keep a place in the market. But concentration of production in Ventura County may make it more difficult to harvest and ship fruit in the optimal window for price and quality. Not sure there's an easy way to mitigate that risk.
October 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I believe that CA #avocados will keep a place in the market. But concentration of production in Ventura County may make it more difficult to harvest and ship fruit in the optimal window for price and quality. Not sure there's an easy way to mitigate that risk.
Good news for consumers: wholesale avocado prices remain low. Your local retailer sets their own price, but in general it's putting downward pressure on the retail price. An oversupply may continue into the early part of the new year. Eat 'em up. Please and thank you.
October 17, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Good news for consumers: wholesale avocado prices remain low. Your local retailer sets their own price, but in general it's putting downward pressure on the retail price. An oversupply may continue into the early part of the new year. Eat 'em up. Please and thank you.
Only about 8/10 of an inch of rain at Saticoy so far, but we're seeing it reflected in soil moisture throughout the root zone of the #avocados. A little more to come before this system moves on.
October 14, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Only about 8/10 of an inch of rain at Saticoy so far, but we're seeing it reflected in soil moisture throughout the root zone of the #avocados. A little more to come before this system moves on.
For about 7000 years before people like me got involved, human beings were domesticating wild #avocados into the fruit we know and love. Today seems like a good day to acknowledge and thank them.
October 14, 2025 at 12:31 AM
For about 7000 years before people like me got involved, human beings were domesticating wild #avocados into the fruit we know and love. Today seems like a good day to acknowledge and thank them.