Workshop on growing macadamias offered

ESCONDIDO – Anyone interested in growing macadamia nuts is invited to join the University of California Cooperative Extension, the California Macadamia Society and the Gold Crown Macadamia Association for a day of fun, food and information, Saturday, Sept. 22, 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

They will provide information about rowing macadamia nuts in California, as well as a continental breakfast and lunch at the home of Thomas and Bobbi Rastle’s, 1115 Valencia Drive, in Escondido.

In addition to the commercial growers, macadamias make excellent backyard trees, are beautiful as landscaping and can be grown in tubs on a patio. The macadamia is native to Australia and has been grown in California continuously since 1879.

The cost for the workshop is $20 per person with pre-registration by Sept. 10, or $25 after that date. Visit http://www.macnuts.org/fieldday.htm for a registration form and mailing address.

The objectives of the California Macadamia Society are to furnish authoritative and timely information on macadamia culture; to assist growers with harvesting and marketing data; to advise nurserymen on varieties and propagation; to encourage the University to assist the industry with research and to formulate policies, where indicated, for presentation to the state Legislature.

The objectives of the Gold Crown Macadamia Association, a farmers’ co-op, are to assure a reliable market to its grower; to provide the highest return to its growers for nuts delivered and to explore new and developing markets for macadamia nuts.

For more information, contact Jim Russell, (760) 728-8081, cell (760) 580-5516 or email [email protected].

Press release submitted by California Macadamia Society.