My assistant Jenni has compiled the questions coming in after my email PRE-announcing the raw almond buy.  Here are my answers:

When can I order?

We won’t have almonds coming out of the trees until Oct. 15, and we’ll send out an email letting you begin placing orders Sept. 15.  This year I will give you longer to order (2 months) because I know lots of you want to organize a co-op.

How do I order?

I will have it completely automated on the site (like last year, if you were involved in the group buy then).  You’ll place your online order and mail a check for yourself and anyone else in your order.  I don’t know if I’ll take credit cards (the site didn’t even have that capability last year)–probably will do so with an added fee as we are keeping costs extremely low for you ($3/lb.).

How and when are they shipped?

They will begin shipping about Oct. 15.  Some will go UPS, and larger orders (600 lbs. and above, usually) will go by truck.  If you have a large order, if you’re a health food store or have access to a business, the truck delivery is so much easier for us if we can have it delivered to a business.

Do we prepay or pay on delivery?

Prepay.

Can I purchase if I live in Australia or Canada?

No, sorry.  We did have a couple groups order from Canada last year only because they received their shipment across the U.S. border.

Can they be shipped to any state?

Yes.

How much is shipping?

Only $0.25/lb. if your group order is 1,100 lbs. or more.  $0.50/lb. if you order 600-1,000 lbs.  $0.75/lb. if you order 100-500 lbs.

How are they shipped?

UPS (smaller orders) or truck (bigger orders).  You can order only in 100 lb. increments, so it works well (if that’s too much for you) if you round up some friends to split an order.  100 lbs. is about 9 or 10 one-gallon Ziploc freezer bags, full.

Can I tell people that these almonds are NOT pasteurized legally?

Correct!

Is there a minimum purchase requirement?

Pretty sure it will be 100 lbs.

How well do these almonds keep?  Do they turn rancid quickly?

They’ll be stale and possibly turning slightly rancid, stored at room temperature, in about 18-24 months.  Refrigerate them and they’ll last a few years.  Freeze them and they store indefinitely.

What is the best way to store the almonds and how long do they keep?

The above answer covers that.

How can I find someone in my area to buy with? Or how do I plug into an existing co-op?

Ask around, people you know who are into health, people at the health food store.  Post on craigslist.  Respond to this blog entry telling people in your area to hook up with you.  Post your email like this: “jamiek at gmail dot com so your email address isn’t mined by others I cannot control.”

What do I do if I don’t want to organize a co-op but want to order almonds?

You’re welcome to just order 100 lbs. for just yourself.  Most people do.

Where do the almonds come from?

California.

Are the almonds organic?

Not certified. The rancher has not used spray in 15 years of owning the ranch, however. And tree nuts, after being shelled, are not a food I feel we have to be too worried about the “organic” certification.  Organic almonds are generally found for about $8/lb.!

What is your (Robyn) annual almond consumption?

About 100 lbs. for my family of 5.

Won’t the almonds be irradiated during the shipping process?

NO.

Since Calif. law requires pasteurization of almonds, does that mean there is a lot of bacteria on the nuts?  Are they safe for young children and older people or people who have chronic illnesses?

Billions of bacterial cells are on everything. Plant and animal foods always have bacteria. We should not fear it if we have strong immune systems and drink lots of water and eat mostly raw, alkaline, plant food. Animal protein is MUCH higher in bacteria (raw or cooked). I am unaware of any problem with almonds for anyone. Remember, until Sept. 2007, almonds were routinely sold raw.

I am interested in making almond milk.

That’s a GREAT way to use raw, soaked (live) almonds.  4 parts water, 1 part almonds, blended until very smooth in the blender, strained if you want, a bit of vanilla if you want.

What if I live in Springville (Utah Wasatch Front)?

Locals will get a separate email from me offering a separate LOCALS ONLY buy, pickup when notified by email, with NO SHIPPING COST.