The Farm Beat: Anutter Butter is on the Way

Blue Diamond Growers, the largest processor of California almonds, is expanding into almond butter. The products will debut this spring at natural food stores around the West, according to the magazine for the cooperative's member growers. It's another twist in marketing efforts by Blue Diamond, which brought us wasabi-soy flavored nuts and other "bold" snacks a few years back.

It's great to see this effort for the nuts, most of which get initial processing in Salida before going to the consumer product plant in Sacramento. But here's what I really like: You can choose a version of the almond butter that is already mixed, or you can do it the "natural" way and mix the oil on top into the thicker part. I like peanut butter but hate the "natural" kind that requires you to do this difficult mixing job yourself. Isn't that what factories are for?