Frequently Asked Questions
Fillmore Farms California Organic Walnuts
Walnuts
Where can I buy your walnuts?
We sell our walnuts on our website store.
www.fillmorefarms.com/store
Walnut Storage?
Since our walnuts are organic and the walnut oil is fragile, we recommend storing them in either the refrigerator or the freezer. We keep our shelled walnuts in our cold storage facility which holds the temperature right around 36F to 40F. Many of our customers choose to freeze them and have done so without compromising the quality. For either method, refrigeration or freezing, we recommend double-bagging (if using freezer bags), sturdy plastic containers (eg. Gladware, Rubbermaid), or glass storage containers (Mason jars work well.) If air can be extracted from the storage container, even better.
Gluten-Free and Allergen?
Fillmore Farms guarantees that our organic walnuts are gluten-free and are processed in a facility dedicated to processing walnuts only which are free from wheat, other gluten-containing grains, derivatives, and other allergens. Incoming walnuts are also certified organic and are brought in from facilities that are free from wheat, other gluten-containing grains, derivatives, and other allergens. We do not process any product other than certified organic walnuts in our facility.
High quality-control standards are set in place in the gluten-free facility and staff members are educated in good manufacturing practices and food safety.
Walnuts are a tree nut and have been known to be an allergen for sensitive persons.
Materials and products supplied to the buyer comply with applicable Canadian and US regulation and standards set by government concerning the use, labeling and traceability of allergen-containing materials.
Shipping?
Prices include shipping. Shipping is through United States Postal Service ~ Priority Mail. We ship only to the United States. We ship to the shipping address entered on the order page.
New Crop?
Our walnuts are harvested in October each year, then shelled and put into cold storage, awaiting your order. We strive to provide walnuts to our web store customers 365 days a year.
How do I pay for the walnuts?
We utilize a credit card processing platform for businesses and checkout is now right on our website. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
What is the difference between air dried or heat dried?
Air-dried means that no heat is added in the post harvest drying of the walnuts. Heat-dried walnuts are dried faster by adding a propane burner used to heat the air that dries the walnuts. As to the question of ‘is one better than the other’, that is a personal choice. Some of our customers strongly feel that no heat should be added during the drying process.
The nutritional value of both drying treatments are the same. Some customers prefer a “natural” method of drying the walnuts versus using heated air to dry them.
Are your nuts pasteurized or Irradiated?
All of our walnuts sold through this website are non-pasteurized and non-irradiated. However, part of our wholesale crop is pasteurized each year as a few of the larger buyers are requiring it. Our pasteurized walnuts are only sold and shipped by the pallet load. We are committed to providing fresh, raw, organic walnuts to our customers through this website.
Walnut Recipes?
Walnuts are a great addition to any meal or snack. Appetizers, entrees, salads and desserts all pair beautifully with walnuts.
Walnuts are a great addition to almost any baked product. In addition to adding walnuts to any baked product, you can eat them raw or roasted. Walnuts can be soaked and dried or toasted and coated with sea salt, spices or sugar.
Wholesale/bulk orders?
Wholesale pricing is for pallet quantities (70 cases).
Cases –
halves & pieces (25# and 22#/case)
pieces (30#/case)
Pallet weights of 1,540 lbs 1,750 lbs or 2,100lbs.
Wholesale pricing also applies for pallet orders with a case count between 10 and 69 cases. There is a $100 pallet splitting charge for quantities less than a full pallet. Any quantities less than 10 cases are billed at the direct to customer rate. Shipping for pallet quantities is arranged for by the buyer. Shipping for less than 10 cases is shipped via FedEx or UPS and billed to the customer.
Discounts available for orders of 18+ pallets.
All communication regarding walnut sales should be considered solicitation for offers to buy. No offers or agreement to sell will be made except via signed writing.
Availability subject to confirmation prior to sale.
If you would like to order walnuts by the pallet or truck load, please contact us.
530.846.5598 telephone
info@fillmorefarms.com
Discounts/Sales
We offer a discount each May 17 for National Walnut Day and then an end of season sale starting each September.
Green Walnuts
We sell green walnuts twice a year.
In June we offer In-Hull Green Organic Walnuts aka Wet Walnuts. They can be used to make Pickled Green Walnuts. They are only available in June each year prior to the hard brown shell developing.
In early October we have In-Hull Ripe Certified Organic Walnuts available during harvest. In-Hull Ripe walnuts can be used to make clothing dye and drinks.
Always wear rubber gloves when handling green walnuts. In-Hull Green Walnuts require further processing and are not a RTE (ready to eat) food product.
During June and early October we have the green walnuts for sale on our web store. www.fillmorefarms.com/store
Farming
How do I learn more about Organic Farming?
A good place to start is www.CCOF.org
Why California Organic Walnuts?
“More than 99% of the walnuts in U.S. are grown in the fertile soils of California’s Central Valley. Internationally, California walnuts supply two-thirds of the world’s walnut trade.” Learn more at https://walnuts.org/about-walnuts/
How does your farm support biodiversity?
Biodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms above and below the soil that interact within an ecosystem.
We believe in the pillars of environmental stewardship. Some of the ways we that incorporate biodiversity on our walnut farm include:
– owl and bat boxes
– cover crops of crimson clover, yellow mustard and wild oats.
– walnut shell spread for dust control on field borders
– no or low tillage orchards
– reincorporating of harvest organic matter back into the fields
– non-cropped buffer areas provide critical habitat for wildlife, these areas have native perennial grasses, a diverse assortment of forbs (herbaceous plants), woody shrubs and taller trees.
– we avoid nighttime mowing (nesting birds do not flush at night,) delay mowing during nesting season, and use rotational mowing patterns.
Some of the wildlife that we see around the farm include wild turkeys, bats, gopher snakes, frogs, toads, turtles, ground squirrels, coyotes, grey foxes, rabbits, otters, birds including hawks, eagles, owls, shorebirds, songbirds and waterfowl. We are just a stone’s throw from Grey Lodge Wildlife Area and feel blessed to be located along the North American Pacific Flyway.
Learn more about Grey Lodge Wildlife Area by clicking the link below.
“Gray Lodge’s diversity and location along the Pacific Flyway make it a haven for wildlife. Surrounded by miles of rich agricultural lands, the approximately 9,100-acre area is managed for the wildlife that call Gray Lodge home for all or part of the year. Reflective ponds, grassy fields and wooded riparian areas provide food, water and shelter for more than 300 species of resident and migrant birds and mammals.”
https://wildlife.ca.gov/lands/places-to-visit/gray-lodge-wa
What do your walnut trees look like through the seasons?
“In California, walnuts flower in late spring, from April through early May. Walnut is a deciduous monoecious tree with separate male (catkin) and female (pistillate) flowers. Pollen is wind dispersed.” –