Spring blooms promote Central Valley beauty

The 30th Annual Fresno County Blossom Trail season kicks off, starting in mid-February through March. This 65-mile-long trail is made up of the pink peach and nectarine blooms, white plums, almonds and apples. The orange groves also bloom around the same time.

To visit the Blossom Trail, visitors from North California can exit California Highway 99 at Jensen Ave., visitors from South California can exit California Highway 99 at the City of Kingsburg exit.

The map is available online. Visitors can also pick up a physical copy at the Visitor’s Center in Downtown Fresno (1180 E Shaw Ave. #201), and Simonian Farms (2629 South Clovis Ave., Fresno), the official starting point of the Blossom Trail driving tour.

The Blossom Trail has brought thousands of people to visit Fresno County since 1988. It has become an essential part of California‘s agricultural industry. The trail is a self-guided tour through the areas in eastern Fresno County, which feature orchards of stone fruit, citrus and nut trees.

Fresno County is a leader in agricultural production. This area is known for growing stone fruit which is anything with a pit like peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and cherries, as well as almonds and citrus. Fresno County is home to a large, concentrated area of blossoms that make the drive enjoyable to visitors.

We’re just days away from one of nature’s most stunning displays. Read about the Fresno County Blossom Trail, and the tens of thousands who flock to see it. https://t.co/9irPBNM3GF pic.twitter.com/aQVhqmN8Yk

— California Bountiful (@cabountiful) February 7, 2018

About 15 years ago, the Orange Blossom Trail was added to the approximately 20 miles of trail. The trail runs through much of the Central Valley, including Sanger, Orange Cove, Reedley and Clovis. Simonian Farms officially started the Blossom Trail tour where people can drive through and experience the blossoms.

Kristi Johnson, manager of Fresno County Office of Tourism, talks about the tour and the status of the blossoms.

“The stone fruit and almond orchards often exist next to each other along the trail,” Johnson said. “There is no one area of the trail that only grows one crop or the other. As a visitor drives the trail they will see a variety of blossoms representing the various stone fruit and nut crops. Our website is a guide to help visitors identify what trees they are viewing based on the color of the blossoms.”

While the blossoms are just beginning, they will continue over the next few weeks. Fresno Country is facing some relative weather changing this year. Local Blossom Trial farmer Melanie Shammon works in Reedley, California. She talks about this year’s weather situation that affects the trail.

“We are on 15.75 acres; it’s mostly citrus,” Shammon said. “The citrus (season) usually starts depending on the weather, usually in April or May. The weather was nice for a while, but it has gotten really cold again so the trees get messed up because of the weather changing.

“Usually when tourists come through, they are looking at which is called the deciduous fruit,” Shammon continued. “The peaches and plums and omens, they are all bloomed before the citrus. So usually the Blossom Trail is over, then the citrus starts.”

Shammon has farmed on her land for 47 years, taking over after her father.

“The Central Valley is very popular for agriculture,” Shammon said. “This farm has been in the family for more than 80 years. My grandfather moved out here in 1937, so he farmed until he passed away in 71, and then my dad farmed it, and then he passed away in 1983. Then I went to Cal Poly, I majored in agriculture, and I came back here and started farming it.”

The Blossom Trail brings in visitors from around the state and around the world. It has been visited by people, mainly European, but also Australian, Canadian and Asian.

It has brought media attention to the Fresno County area as well as to California agriculture.  Over the years the Blossom Trail has been spoken about in Sunset Magazine, Via Magazine, Westways Magazine, and in articles from the UK, Japan, South Korea and Brazil.

Although the trail brings in 30,000 visitors per year, temperature swings and the freeze impacting the blossoms will likely cause the number of visitors to decrease.

Blossom Trail visitors can also visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks , the world-famous national parks iare 90 miles to the east of the Blossom Trail Cafe. Visitors can drive on the 180 highway and 198 highway to get to the entrence. It is free to drive around, the park also offers place to stay, it costs $133 per night.

The Fresno County Blossom Trail is a photographer’s heaven with pink, white and red blossoms at this time of year.

Kim Sim is a Korean photographer who takes pictures of the trail. He describes the beauty of the blossoms.

“The flowers are beautiful,” Sim said. “It is still winter time but when it’s spring the flowers come out. It is pretty calm, and peaceful; I like here. My group comes here every other year and try to take pictures.”

It’s early, but they’re here! The Fresno County Blossom Trail will open in a few days, up to 30,000 people visit each season! https://t.co/9T26w0yVXR pic.twitter.com/HZxzituHCc

— Alex Backus (@AlexBackusTV) February 8, 2018

The Blossom Trail Cafe on Academic Road of Sanger offers food and comfort to those wishing to rest from the long trail. John Napoli, the owner of the cafe, grew up in Rome, Italy. He moved to America and started the cafe after he retired from the U.S. Navy.

“We have them (customers) and are very lucky, but one of the things we do believe in is the great food,” Napoli said. “Actually here, we have about 100 different items on the menu. And everything in here is perfectly cooked because we have Mexicans doing Mexican food, Italians doing Italian food, and Americans to do American food.”

The cafe even has special deals on their food. On Wednesday, everything on the menu is $7.99.

“Americans think Italians eat spaghetti, meatballs, pastas, pizzas,” Napoli said. “But Italians treat their food very seriously. Great food, great service, clean place and lots of smiles. We try to hire people who don’t have to force a small smile but have one all the time. I like that.

“We are one of those lucky restaurants that about 70 to 80% of customers are returning customers,” Napoli continued. “We see them two or three times a week sometimes even more. We have customers come here daily, everyday. We are always busy and the weekends are busier. We open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekdays and 7 to 2:30 on the weekends.”

The next big Blossom Trail event is The Orange Cove Blossom Festival on Saturday, April 7, 2018, in Orange Cove, CA.

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This author can be reached via twitter @KEITHYZHU and via email: Keith Zhu

Slideshow below includes images from Blossom Trail.

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