WINSTON WEEKLY^[1]

April 5, 2026

Vol. 4, No. 14

AMAZING ALMONDS[2]

Although many of us are familiar with and have experienced the beauty of Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossoms, almond blossoms are equally beautiful. With a honey-sweet fragrance like jasmine, almond blossoms are mostly white or pink with a magenta center. Although the blossoms are short-lived, they are used in cosmetics, teas, and salads.

Feeding on the deep pollen tubes in the almond flowers and fertilizing through cross-pollination, honey bees are essential to almond production. California is home to more than 1.3 million acres of almond trees, primarily in the Central Valley. According to the American Beekeepers Association, it takes approximately two bee hives to pollenate an acre of almond trees. Every winter, commercial beekeepers ship a massive number of bee hives to California, relying on the trucking industry to ensure their safe travel to California. After pollination of the almond trees, the bees travel to other states to pollinate crops, including apple orchards in Washington and blueberries in North Carolina.

Given the critical role of bees to the massive almond industry, California created the Honey Bee Task Force more than two decades ago. By reducing exposure to pesticides and harmful insects, integrating self-pollinating trees, and fostering bee hives that stay in California, the measures help ensure a healthy and stable supply of bees.

The typical life cycle of an almond kernel is from March to June. In July, the almond hulls split, allowing the kernels to dry before harvest between August and October. Special mechanical shakers are used during harvesting to drop the nuts on the ground. A drying and sweeping process follows before hulling/shelling.  

WEEKLY ACTIVITY

Explore the history of how almonds came to be introduced in California, the role of orchardist A.T. Hatch, and the types of almond farms that exist today.

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[1] A weekly blog/newsletter by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2] Resources: California Almonds, www.almonds.org; Almonds Need Bees, and Bees Need Almonds, www.selectharvest.com; Rafael Socias i Company and Thomas M. Gradziel, Almonds: Botany, Production and Uses, Cab International, 2018; Kathy Coatney, From the Farm to the Table Almonds, 2017.