Nature has awoken from its winter slumber.

Leading the way are the early blooming almond varieties that just a few weeks ago saw flowers start to burst from a scattering of buds. 

Gentle air movement in the chilly night punctured with just a tinge of warmth brings the whiff of nature’s sweetest scent into the neighborhoods of the Westside and the whole San Joaquin Valley.

There is something delightfully sinful about this time of year.

You can feel the slight return of morning warmth as buds start to form.

It's tough to beat the return of spring. All of the young Silicon Valley Turks can write all of the code they want or animate away to their hearts' content, but they will never match the wonder Mother Nature sketches on the landscape as the chill of winter starts to fade.

The stark beauty of tree and vine skeletons in the countryside are now bursting forth in a kaleidoscope of color and sweet scents.

“Bloom is one of nature’s most stunning shows and there is nowhere else on Earth with a display of almond blossoms as large or spectacular as what we get to enjoy in California,” noted Rick Kushman of the Almond Board of California.

Almonds can only grow in five places on the planet, so the wonder of a large bloom is a rarity only seen in those special regions with the right Mediterranean climate.

California is the largest and most productive when it comes to almonds. And in Stanislaus County, almonds were the top crop in 2023 at $813 million.

“But as you know, there is so much more. Almonds are the perfect healthy snack and plant protein, and they play an important role in the overall health and well-being of our communities, environment and economy,” Kushman added.

 California almonds come from sustainable and innovative family farms – 90% of California almond orchards are family farms – and the environmental stewardship story of almonds and the farmers who grow them is a strong one, and its often misunderstood.

 *The water needed to produce almonds dropped 33 percent between the 1990s and 2010s.

*Water usage has been further reduced by 15 percent since 2018 with the goal to reduce water use 20 percent by 2025.

*Almond orchards have a 25-year lifespan.

*At the end of their productive cycle, whole trees are ground up and incorporated back into the soil.

*Farmers that recycle their orchards capture 2.4 tons of carbon per acre, or the equivalent of person living car free for a year.

*Statewide, almond trees store 30 million metric tons of carbon annually. That’s the equivalent of 24.5 million gas powered vehicle emissions during the course of a year.

Almonds are also a nutritional powerhouse with tons of health benefits.

Two decades of research and more than 200 peer-reviewed publications attest to their nutritious profile almonds. Research from top scientists and universities globally has shown that almonds may help support heart health, gut health, weight management, skin health, exercise recovery and more.

And if you’re in the vicinity of Modesto, you might check out The Almond Blossom Cruise, a self-guided tour with turn-by-turn directions through the scenery of almond country in bloom, with options for music, food, art, family fun and more. It’s organized by Visit Modesto, if you want more info.