San Joaquin County leads California — as well as all counties across the USA — in producing one nut.

As nuts as it might sound, it’s not almonds

It’s walnuts.

That’s not to take away from almonds or this week’s Ripon Almond Blossom Festival.

Almonds get all the glory.

They burst into white and pink flowers just as winter’s grip starts slipping.

They are synonymous with San Joaquin Valley residents being able to resume basking a bit outside as the calendar nears March and Mother Nature ends her cold treatment as low temperatures stop venturing into the 30s.

It’s little wonder we go nuts over the almond bloom.

But then again, it’s hard to ignore 1.5 million acres of almonds trees screaming “spring is coming.”

 San Joaquin County, though, is not the biggest California county for almond production.

It doesn’t even make the top six.

Fresno County is the undisputed king with an almond crop value of $1.4 billion.

Then comes Kern, Stanislaus, Merced, and Madera counties.

San Joaquin County isn’t even close to Stanislaus County.

The 2024 almond crop in Stanislaus County harvested from 217,352 acres was valued at $824 million.

Almonds in San Joaquin County covered 111,900 acres and yielded a crop valued at $492 million in 2024. It’s the county’s second largest ag commodity behind milk at $536.9 million.

There were five farm commodities that San Joaquin County led California counties in during 2024.

Among them was walnuts with 22.3 percent of California’s production.

The other top crops among the counties are pumpkins at 70 percent, cherries at 51.4 percent, watermelons at 36.7 percent, blueberries at 25.2 percent, and chicken eggs at 22.3 percent.

Not only is San Joaquin County the top walnut growing county in California, but is as well for the United States given 99 percent of all walnuts grown in the 50 states are in California.

There were 111,000 tons of walnuts — 900 tons less than almonds — harvested in San Joaquin County during 2024. The $240 million walnut crop was produced from 71,900 acres of trees.

So why don’t walnuts get the respect, or at least the attention, almonds in San Joaquin County receive when this is the top county for growing walnuts?

It may have to do with the fact they tend to come out of hibernation in mid-April to early-May.

By then the novelty of a new spring wears off.

It also doesn’t help that walnut flowers don’t make a color splash like almonds.

Almond trees, however, are a tad more flash in the pan.

They are typically replaced after 25 years which is when their nut bearing abilities start dropping off significantly.

Walnut trees have an anticipated productive lifespan of 33 years.

Almonds can reach 70 years or so while walnuts can be more than double that.

You can find walnut intermixed with almond orchards throughout the Escalon, Manteca, and Ripon countryside.

Walnuts and cherry orchards are plentiful around Linden.

They are clearly more prevalent in San Joaquin County with a ratio of roughly two almond acres to every one acre of walnuts compared to Stanislaus County with eight acres of almonds to every one acre of walnuts.

Almonds versus walnuts

What are pros and cons of almonds and walnuts?

According to a myriad of studies, almonds are the best compared to walnuts when it comes to helping you lose weight. 

That said, medical research for years has consistently have shown those who consume nuts of any type as a cornerstone of their diet tend to be leaner. 

Protein and fiber from nuts help fill you up.

The body has a hard time using all of the calories in a nut. As a result, research shows nuts ramp up your metabolism allowing you to burn more calories even at rest.

Walnuts tend to look like a brain so it comes as no surprise experts say it is better brain food than almonds. 

Actually, it has to do with walnuts’ high omega 3 content even though almonds and hazelnuts have been shown to improve brain function by as much as 60 percent after seven years. 

Nuts in general help the brain, but not as much as almonds and hazelnuts and certainly not as much as walnuts.

Nuts are superfoods while walnuts and almonds are the top nuts.

When it comes to fiber, almonds have twice the amount per ounce as walnuts. 

Almonds also have a third more protein than walnuts. Almonds also top walnuts in electrolytes.

In addition, almonds come out on top in a fourth category — Vitamin E.

Walnuts do win on one nutritional category which is Omega 3.

Experts rate walnuts and almonds as a tie for heart health; keeping blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes in check, as well as a hedge of sorts against cancer.

Walnuts, though, have been shown to be effective in combatting arthritis.

All the more reason you’d be nuts not to eat almonds or not to eat walnuts.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com