Some, certainly not all, tree nut orchards in California's San Joaquin Valley are showing early signs of a heavy crop load this spring.

For almond growers, the word is that the Independence variety has enough nuts on the trees to warrant binding with rope or propping up heavy branches to keep from breaking.

Farm managers at Fresno State seem pleased with the early nut set and cluster size in their pistachio block on campus.

One walnut grower in Stanislaus County says his crop this year appears "about average" with "a lot of doubles but no triples to speak of" on what he characterizes as "a good bloom."