For Madera almond grower Bob Houlding, Jr., the sense of wonder never goes away. "This time of year you can come out and take a deep breath and it's kind of like a honey pot. It's got the blossoms in the air and the bees are very active," said Houlding.
All around the Valley, almond orchards are beginning to bloom. Without the bees to pollinate the blossoms, there would be no nut crop.
Crops like almonds, some stonefruit and melons, must be pollinated. Houlding said people don't realize the importance of bees to the food chain. "I don't think so. I think they take it for granted," said Houlding.
80% of the world's almonds are grown in California, mostly in the Central Valley. The bees keep the production line going.
Angelo is calling for rain this weekend. Almond growers said their crop should be fine -- as long as the rain is followed by a little wind and some sun so the blossoms can dry out.
