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It is the beginning of February and California’s Central valley is painted vibrant shades of pink and white from millions of almond blooms. While much of the country is white with snow, California is white with blooms.

The blooming period is one of many stages in the journey almonds take from a field to the nearest grocery store. The bloom becomes a fruit that looks a little like a peach. The part of the almond we eat is in the center of the peach-like fruit. The fruit hardens and splits, letting the kernel inside dry. The kernel falls from the fruit to the ground where it is swept up and shipped to a processing plant where they are hulled, shelled, chopped, and roasted.

Almonds are made into all kinds of different products used for cooking, baking and snacking. The journey from bloom to processing plant to the grocery store takes about a year. So the next time you eat an almond, you can bet it hasn’t been a nut for very long!

Here are some interesting facts about Almonds and California Agriculture:

• Eighty two percent of the world’s almonds are grown in California.
• People with allergies to gluten and lactose enjoy almond alternatives to wheat and dairy.
• Almonds are a great source of protein and vitamin E.
• USA, Western Europe and Canada are the top three almond consumers of the world.
• Almonds are California’s fourth largest agricultural commodity. Milk and dairy are first, grapes are second and nursery products are third.
• California is the top agricultural state in the nation followed by Texas, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota.
• 99% of all almonds, artichokes, figs, grapes, raisins, olives, peaches, persimmons, plums, pomegranates, rice and walnuts grown in the United States are grown in California.