Almonds

Sardinian varieties produce thick hard heavy shells of variable sizes, so automating the cracking and the separation of the inner seed – which is mostly done by vacuuming – is challenging. This, together with the scattered distribution of the plants, their often considerable size, and the presence of non-grafted or reverted plants with bitter seeds, limits the possibilities to exploit the plants economically.

In Ulíana an interesting experiment was attempted by Giovanni Carente, who founded Chivu: he invested in a machine for cracking and separating the shells, and bought the shelled almonds from small farmers, who still had trees on their properties. Unfortunately the company closed a few years ago, due to economic difficulties.

In recent years, more farmers have started new, small plantations with Italian, Sicilian and Spanish selections. These offer higher yields, and a more constant quality and size of the fruits. Sardinian universities have started promoting the rediscovery of local varieties, but their use for new plantations is limited by the availability of the propagation material.

In some areas, the old trees are still harvested, and the almonds – often cracked and cleaned by hand – sold in local markets.

Almond production in Sardinia is oriented towards the internal market. The demand is high, especially because of the role of almonds in traditional pastry, where they are one of the four or five main ingredients. Ground, they are transformed in light marzipan, flavored with lemon and orange peels or with liqueurs. In coarser chips, they are used to garnish and decorate several creations, or as the main ingredient in gattó and timballas.

Harvesting is made by laying nets below the plant and shaking it vigorously. Today there are hand-carried automated shakers or larger ones mounted on tractors.

The harvested almonds are peeled and then dried – either spreading them in the sun or in drying barrels, where they are stirred by a coclea while hot air is blown between them. After this process they can be stored in their shells, to be cracked as needed – either by hand with an hammer or by a machine which cracks the shells, sieves the seeds sorting them by size class, and vacuums out leftover shell pieces. Some selection is still required to eliminate dark, broken or shriveled seeds. The seeds also store very well – at least up to two years – when removed from the shells – which is how they are stored in Aristeu’s warehouse.

Wild almond is an incredibly rustic plant. It resists drought and parasites very well and it self seeds. Its use as a rootstock was and is standard practice, as it increases the rusticity of the scion. The plants require yearly pruning to maintain size, ensure air circulation, eliminate rootstock shoots, and promote vigour. They grow well in poor soils and do not require fertilization, although they profit from the reintegration of some nutrients, every few years.

Plants can be attacked by fungi and lace bugs, and in some contexts copper, sulfur and other pesticides are used. Mice can in some situations arm harvests, as they eat the seeds.

In Sardinia, most almond plantations are solely rain fed.