PistachioLand

Pit Stop at PistachioLand – Alamogordo, New Mexico

We made a flavorful pit stop at PistachioLand, just outside Alamogordo, New Mexico. The farm was originally started by Tom McGinn, and after he passed away, his son honored his memory in a big way—literally. He had a 30-foot pistachio nut built from steel and concrete, inspired by the road trips he and his dad used to take to see “the biggest whatevers” across America—very likely including Route 66.

The farm now boasts over 12,300 pistachio trees and 14 acres of wine grapes. We hopped on an open-air bus tour and learned so much about how pistachios grow. Did you know pistachio trees are dioecious? That means male and female trees are separate—only the female trees produce nuts, while the male trees produce flowers. A single male tree can pollinate up to 24 female trees in a season!

Each female tree is grafted from one of the original trees planted at the farm, keeping the genetics strong and consistent. Pistachios aren’t native to the U.S.—they originally came from dry, hot regions like Iran and Greece—so growing them here required careful work with soil and climate. New Mexico’s arid heat and dry land are perfect for them. And since there aren’t many bees or butterflies around here to help, it’s all up to the wind and those hardworking male trees.

Of course, we couldn’t leave without trying the homemade pistachio ice cream, made fresh daily. We also grabbed three different types of flavored pistachios—original, lemon-lime, and a sweet-and-savory margarita mix. All delicious and totally worth the stop!