Almonds are ready for harvest when about 95% of the nuts have hulls that have split, exposing the in-shell almond inside. Remove the hulls promptly after harvesting. Take the un-shelled seed and place them in a dry place out of direct sunlight, where air will move around and/or over them. A good way to do this is to place them in a mesh sack of some sort and hang them in your garage. Nuts may also be dried by spreading them in a thin layer on a screen and laying them outside. You may need to cover almonds drying outside to prevent loss to birds. Almonds are thoroughly dried when the meat is crisp to brittle when broken. Rubbery meat indicates further drying is needed. In-shell almonds can be stored at room temperature (68 F) for up to 8 months, or for a year or more at 32 to 45 F. Shelled almonds can be stored in ziplock bags and placed in the freezer for a year or more.

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