Jim Downing of the Sacramento Bee wrote a story for today's newspaper about the 2007 almond crop. In a nutshell, he wrote that this year's huge almond harvest is erasing fears about disappearing honey bees.

The article says 1.33 billion pounds are expected to be harvested, but that the almonds themselves are about 15 percent smaller. For an explanation, he turned to John Edstrom, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor in Colusa County.

"Many of us are debating the reasons for (the small amond size)," Downing quoted Edstrom.

Edstrom told Downing that the main variables are weather, water and bees, but it's difficult to say how they interact.

Downing also talked to UC Davis entomologist Eric Mussen, who said California beekeepers are "cautiously optimistic" about the coming year, as most of the state's hives have remained healthy despite the dry spring and summer, which made natural food supplies scarce.