Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1432253
"Growers and their orchards give them real-world scenarios. And growers know their problems, their needs and the priorities of a working orchard. They know their orchards better than anyone else. That combination of grower experience and scientific method is the beauty of these collaborations." "Over the years," Duncan said, "I've done maybe 100 trials, give or take, and 99% of them have been with Stanislaus County growers in their orchards. We would not have been able to develop the information without them. The local research achieves two important things: Those cooperating growers see what works for them, plus other growers can learn from the results." Collaborating on research generally does not require much extra work by growers. They should, however, expect to keep up open communications with the researchers involved, such as letting them know about harvest dates or pesticide applications. It's also important to know that some trials last one season while some can go for years. "Every trial is different," Duncan said. "For some trials, the growers barely even know we're there. Other trials may require a grower's involvement. We usually try to put it on the edge of the orchard or in a spot that's most convenient, but if it's, say, a fertilizer trial, our partner growers need to be aware not to apply other fertilizer over the top of it." That makes good communication crucial, he said. "If we're doing a trial on navel orangeworm, for instance, we have to know when the grower shakes so we can come out and look for damage," Duncan said. "They already have a lot to do, especially at harvest, so it helps us all to know when it's best to come." Ellis said growers do need to understand what researchers need and how that might affect their operation. "It's always the timing," Ellis said. "They need to be there when things are busy, not only during application, but most times, at harvest. That can take some planning … It's always good if you can get the research team into the fields and out before harvest starts." Saa said most researchers understand this. "If a grower, especially a small grower, is super busy, researchers usually know to be patient," he said. Researchers connect with growers a range of ways, including through ABC's research working groups, connections built over the years or through farm advisors. "If a new researcher is trying to find a volunteer, they can contact us," Saa said. Often a collaboration starts because a grower or farm advisor has a question they'd like answered. "Sometimes we just fall into it," Duncan said. "Someone comes to us with a problem. We say, 'Let's try a couple things and see what works.' Or sometimes when I'm trying to learn something, I'll call a couple growers or pest control advisors, or just put the word out at a big meeting." Generally, there's not been a shortage of growers willing to collaborate, but researchers can always use more. "Some studies only get better with more growers involved," Saa said. "When growers ask whether they should take part in a trial, I tell them their collaboration will help almond growers continue to innovate and to develop better management practices. Plus, if you have a question about your orchard, there is no better person to help answer it than you." "Thankfully, there are plenty of growers who have that curiosity and enjoy watching what happens on their land," Duncan said. "We owe a lot to those folks who've been willing to cooperate. The almond industry has progressed a long way because of the research they helped make possible." Listen to Episode 10 of The Almond Journey Podcast, where Zac Ellis discusses the need to continue to push the envelope when it comes to water use efficiency, what that looks like for Olam Farms, and his experiences as a grower collaborator with a huge research effort called T-REX. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. Grower Don Cameron (right) works with researchers looking at groundwater recharge in his orchard. Almond Board of California 16