In A Nutshell Winter 2024 | Page 20

OUTBACK ALMONDS
INDUSTRY NEWS

On farm storage and drying solutions

As the Australian almond industry grows , there ’ s an increasing need for on-farm storage and drying . Here ’ s some of the different ways growers are looking after their crop before it leaves for processing .

OUTBACK ALMONDS

Tom and Sholto Douglas in Outback Almonds ' dome shed , which is used to store almonds after harvest , and machinery at other times of the year .
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OUTBACK Almonds , on the Darling
high tear and tensile strength .
River , constructed a dome shed
It ’ s also designed to withstand harsh
in 2009 to 2010 to store the crop
weather conditions .
harvested from its 35 hectare
Mr Douglas said shipping containers
orchard .
are usually placed on the sides for
Nonpareil is stored first and is sent to
walls , but Outback Almonds has used
the processors before the pollinator
one shipping container at the rear of
varieties ( Wood Colony , Carmel and
the shed instead .
Fritz ) are added in separate sections .
It has traditional shed walls on
The 24m x 12m shed cost $ 40,000
the sides , but they have been
to build and owner Sholto Douglas
constructed so the support poles are
said it was $ 15,000 cheaper than a
on the outside of the structure to help
standard shed .
with cleaning .
The dome roof was supplied by a
Gutters on the shed collect water too .
Western Australian manufacturer who
Originally it had a Broken Hill metal
specialises in temporary structures for
floor , but that ’ s been replaced with
the mining industry .
concrete .
The fabric used on the roof is UV
“ It ’ s the best thing , easier for cleaning
stabilised , fire retardant and has a
and you don ’ t pick up the dirt ,” Mr
In A Nutshell - Winter 2024 Vol 25 Issue 2
Douglas said . It takes about 40 minutes to fill a truck using a telehandler . When the shed isn ’ t needed to store almonds it ’ s used to house machinery . It ’ s also used for almond blossom dinners in August . The structure was paid off very quickly after a couple of wet years . Prior to having the shed , the almond crop was stored in open air stockpiles . Mr Douglas said if he was to build the shed again he ’ d make it larger , so it would be easier to separate the varieties when there ’ s a big crop . He ’ d also get a better divider system , but it would still need to be