Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
@pettyranch.bsky.social
📤 940
📥 1013
📝 586
Avocado grower in Ventura County, CA. Former Navy P3C pilot, current Farm Bureau member
Our 2 year old trees are large enough to produce some avocados for 2027. Switching to "adult food": more Potassium and Zinc to support fruit development. Fertilizer is $$ this year, but what we apply now shapes the '27 and '28 seasons. Spending now for a million pound year later.
3 days ago
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Rarely seen feral barn cats Toledo (B/W) and Memphis (Orange). They're exceptional mousers, but not really team players. "We're not employees. We do our job when and how we want. You open the cans. That's the deal."- Memphis
4 days ago
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@patrickwyman.bsky.social
Just a shout out and thank you for Tides of History. A few more episodes to listen to. But have thoroughly enjoyed the series (as well as Verge and Lost Worlds). This morning I enjoyed the popular v. academic history episode, esp the discussion of Guns of August intro.
5 days ago
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In the last 15 years I've removed and replaced about 85% of our acreage. Only about 2% of our trees are more than 25 years old. That's how orchards remain orchards. And how we have fruit that customers will want for the next 30 years, not the last 30 years. Same dynamic in winegrapes.
add a skeleton here at some point
7 days ago
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How did the picking crew miss this beautiful avocado? It's mine now! Still? Whatever.... I will eat it. I eat fewer avocados during and after harvest season because they've been sent away. I appreciate the occasional bonus fruit.
10 days ago
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There's no particular message to this post. Just a happy dog in an avocado orchard. And that's message enough for a Monday.
12 days ago
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After a week of classic "June gloom" fog, it's nice to have a brilliant, bright morning here in the 93060, the leading US zip code for avocados.
13 days ago
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Wildlife week continues with a bobcat that decided to hang out by our dining room window this evening.
17 days ago
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Doing our part to support World Cup watch parties (in the later rounds)
18 days ago
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The deer are either well acclimated to humans or hungry and thirsty enough not to care. Looked at me, went back to eating, even though I was only about 30 feet away. So long as they aren't eating the avocado trees.
20 days ago
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So many different crops growing in Ventura County, CA: Our avocados in the foreground, neighbor's bell peppers behind, on land that has recently been cabbage, cilantro, celery and strawberries.
23 days ago
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Heavy prune in 2025, New growth in 2026, Harvest in 2027. Avocados take patience.
30 days ago
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"Mulch helps with water retention, weed suppression, and builds soil organic matter" says farmdog Roscoe. "And it's fun."
about 1 month ago
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Monday morning
#avocados
about 1 month ago
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For years "Block Y" was an underperforming block of lemons, but the avocados seem very happy here. Hope is pleased with the progress of these 2 year old trees. (She's about 85 pounds for scale.)
about 1 month ago
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2027
#avocado
crop beginning to shape up. Also a good look at all the flowers that didn't become avocados.
about 1 month ago
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Hass avocados are known for their unruly growth habit. A little shaping while they're young sets them up for better production and easier care later. Nice foggy morning to do some work.
about 2 months ago
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Thursday morning dragonfruit blossom
about 2 months ago
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Got a nice peaceful picture a little after 7 this morning. And then a day happened. But there's time to share it now. 3 year old avocado trees near Ventura CA.
about 2 months ago
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Earlier this season I posted about lower than normal avocado prices. Consumers have noticed! So far this year to date every American has eaten an extra pound of avocado compared to 2025.
about 2 months ago
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When General Zaragoza led the Mexican army to victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla OTD 1862, he may not have known that its anniversary would be the second highest day of the year for avocado consumption in the US. But he probably would have approved. Eat one for him.
about 2 months ago
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As much as I love the covercrop, that season is behind us. Now it's time for it all to be mowed down and enjoy the increased soil organic matter and improved water retention as we enter the long dry season.
2 months ago
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Avocado picture of the week: this healthy 2 year old tree enjoys some water on a sunny Wednesday (with a bit of added nitrogen, potassium and calcium.) I'm looking forward to seeing this block come into production over the next few years.
2 months ago
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A few things on this picture: 1) way too many avocados forming on a very young tree. Appreciate the spirit, but I thinned most off. 2) This tree is about as far from our beehive as could be. Bees play a part in avocado pollination but it is "complicated."
2 months ago
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"Why isn't the truck moving? Why is there no dinner yet? Do you require assistance?"
2 months ago
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Triticale is an edible grain that we grow in a covercrop mix. It's not harvested. It's job is to create biomass, feeding the soil, not us. 'Cuz a planet's got to eat. Happy Earth Day.
2 months ago
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The squeeze: if I short N this spring to save $, I get no growth this summer=no blossoms next spring (2027) = no fruit in 2028. Budget savings must come elsewhere.
add a skeleton here at some point
2 months ago
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Some data from my world: This time last year "Size 60" avocados (most common size) returned about $1.75/ lb to the grower. Today = $1.06. This time last year a gallon of UN32 (conventional nitrogen fertilizer) was about $4.96 Today = $8.54 Not fun.
2 months ago
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This year's Cinco de Mayo will see the lowest
#avocado
prices in some time. Practice your guacamole skills before the big day arrives!
2 months ago
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A few new
#avocado
trees to wrap up a busy week.
3 months ago
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It's a beautiful morning to harvest
#avocados
3 months ago
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California. Avocados, poppies, and sunshine.
3 months ago
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Whether he is "the antichrist" (proper noun) I will leave for others to debate. That he is "anti-Christ" (adjective) is self evident from his words and actions. He should also not be President of the United States for many, many non-theological reasons.
add a skeleton here at some point
3 months ago
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It may not be sunny for Ventura County Farm Day, but the rain is expected to hold off until the evening. Looking forward to seeing our neighbors on Saturday between 10-3. Orchard tours on the half-hour marks.
3 months ago
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During this morning's irrigation, I stopped to look at some
#avocado
blossoms. Hope wasted no time crawling under the canopy to relax in the damp shade. She wishes a Happy Easter to all.
3 months ago
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One week and a wake up until Ventura County Farm Day!
spectrumnews1.com/ca/southern-...
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Ventura County Farm Day invites the community to tour 15 farms
It aims to connect the community to food systems
https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/southern-california/human-interest/2026/04/02/ventura-county-farm-day
3 months ago
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The big news in
#avocados
a couple of years ago was the release of a new variety: Luna, a hass-like fruit suited to high density planting. We have a few for trials, and this one will be part of the 2027 crop.
3 months ago
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reposted by
Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
Michelle Strowhiro
3 months ago
The astronauts not having an out of office on is making the rest of us look bad
add a skeleton here at some point
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Mustard, avocados and fog on a Friday morning.
3 months ago
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There's something satisfying about growing something tangible. Not AI generated, not delivered by fiber optic cable. Just
#avocados
grown with CA soil and sunshine.
3 months ago
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Happy
#nationalagday
! In preparation for April 11
##venturacountyfarmday
I'll be fielding questions on
#avocados
and local ag today. Then come by the farm 4/11 10 -3 to get a tour!
3 months ago
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Covercrop: grown with the winter rain protects against the summer sun (even if both rain and sun show up in spring)
4 months ago
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reposted by
Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
Steven Beschloss
4 months ago
"What this clip really provides is fresh evidence of Trump’s scale of derangement, his inability to think or act strategically, and his utter lack of fitness to be sitting in our Oval Office. That’s been true for a long time, but it has become increasingly clear."
open.substack.com/pub/america/...
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Snapshot: He Is Out of His Mind
This is increasingly obvious—and increasingly dangerous
https://open.substack.com/pub/america/p/snapshot-he-is-out-of-his-mind?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
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Asked if I'm worried about the growth of avocado acreage in Ventura County. I am... a bit. But our water is only 20-25% the cost of San Diego area water. Pretty much every acre added here has been offset by a lost acre there. HT
@jaysayre.bsky.social
www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/03/15/e...
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Escondido has some of San Diego County’s priciest water. Avocado growers have waited a decade for a lifeline.
Americans are eating more avocados than ever before. But in San Diego County’s avocado belt, sky-high water costs prevent farmers from benefiting.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/03/15/escondido-has-some-of-san-diego-countys-priciest-water-avocado-growers-have-waited-a-decade-for-a-lifeline/?utm_campaign=mrf-twitter-sdut&mrfcid=2026031569b3fc439f27683d54538833
4 months ago
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Monday morning in the
#avocado
orchard.
4 months ago
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Seeing the new spring growth on the avocados is always a joy. This time of year is full of unknowns: prices, production, weather all TBD. But strong growth always suggests that success lies ahead and I appreciate the reassurance.
4 months ago
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reposted by
Petty Ranch / Chris Sayer
David Roberts
4 months ago
I know nothing matters any more but here's the president admitting that he accused Iran of bombing a school full of their own children based on absolutely nothing.
add a skeleton here at some point
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Nothing like trying a different irrigation scheme with higher pressure to reveal weak glue joints from previous repairs.
4 months ago
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Our friends from Food Forward came by the Santa Paula ranch this morning and are leaving with about 1000 pounds of citrus for our community. We appreciate their volunteer crew that gave a part of their weekend for others.
4 months ago
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