Almond grower Rick Veldstra looks at blossoms on a tree in an orchard on Carrolton and Dodds roads near Escalon on Monday. Veldstra says he is confident of an average or better crop this year because of the large number of bees busily pollinating his crop.Clifford Oto/The Record

California's almond bloom, now coming to an end, has been hampered by wind, rain and cold weather that discouraged bees from pollinating the blossoms.

Still, farmers and experts said the state that produces 90 percent of the world's almond crop could still realize an average or better yield.

Of larger concern were conditions today and later this week that could bring additional rain or even freezing temperatures that could further hamper pollination, foster fungal diseases and damage the developing nutlets.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed at this point in time," said Dave Baker, director of grower relations for the Blue Diamond cooperative.

"Overall, it was not an ideal bloom by any means," he said. The bloom seems to be lasting only about seven to 10 days, compared with a full two weeks, which along with the weather-limited pollination activity.

On the plus side, Baker said, "When the bees could work, they were extremely active and worked very hard. We had some very strong bees this year."

Rick Veldstra, peering into a tree in one of its Escalon area orchards Monday, counted a dozen bees at work.

"I'm actually quite confident we'll have an average crop or better," he said.

"If you had five days of rain in the peak bloom, where the bees can't get out five days straight, now you're in trouble. But we didn't have that."

Instead, he's logged bees carrying on with the almond blossoms a minimum of three to four hours a day over the past week.

"If you get three to four hours per day, you'll have a good shot at an average crop maybe better," Veldstra said.

He was more concerned about what the future might bring, with disease and pest pressures and possible freezing weather.

"We have a long ways to go to make a crop."

Baker said Monday the bloom in the San Joaquin Valley was in its final stages, with older orchards and the earlier varieties pretty much done and only younger trees and late-blooming varieties still in flower.

The bloom period in the Sacramento Valley, by contrast, is a few days behind the San Joaquin Valley.

Weather breaks between storms benefited almond growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley, allowing ample time for bees to do their job, Baker said. The northern Valley, including San Joaquin County, saw multiple rainstorms that shut out bee activity during the peak bloom.

Kevin Fondse, who cultivates about 300 acres of almonds in Ripon, said he hopes for an average crop but that it's hard to tell what you get until the harvest is under way.

"You can't order the rain when you want it," he said. "You just have to take it when you get it."

Almonds are a leading crop in San Joaquin County. Area farmers sold an estimated $175 million of the nuts in 2008, the latest figures available, making it the county's fifth most valuable cash crop, behind milk, winegrapes, walnuts and cherries.