Fear not for your salad: The Salinas Valley is growing things

The drought in California is bad, no doubt.  There are many farmers who will be getting little, if any, surface water this year, and many urban residents are being asked to conserve.  So you’d almost think that California isn’t growing anything at all … but you’d be wrong.

In some areas of the state, agriculture is alive and well – and in full production.  One of those areas is the Salinas Valley.

Salinas - Castroville May 2014 #1They were growing a variety of lettuces …

Salinas - Castroville May 2014 #8 Salinas - Castroville May 2014 #11 Salinas - Castroville May 2014 #13Salinas - Castroville May 2014 #25and strawberries, too …. plenty of strawberries … Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #6 Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #9Any brown fields that I saw looked like they were prepared for planting.  It doesn’t look to me like there will be much fallowed acres, if any, in the Salinas Valley this year. Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #11They were also harvesting broccoli and cauliflower, although I was not able to get any pictures of that.Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #14 Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #16 Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #18Agriculture here depends primarily on groundwater, as well as surface water from the Salinas River, which we all know, of course, is really all one and the same. Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #23 A look through the recent DWR report on groundwater basins seems to show that the groundwater basins here are not in nearly as bad of shape as in the San Joaquin Valley and other parts of the state.Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #34 However, the basin is currently not being monitored under the state’s groundwater data system, so the status is really a bit unknown …Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #37 Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #44 Goats keeping the weeds down around the reservoir …Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #49I love these things (below)  … they look like barfing worms … Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #50 So as you can see, at least in the Salinas Valley, they are growing plenty.  Your salad and strawberries are safe.Salinas Valley agriculture May 2014 #54Next, on to Paso Robles where I will show you what all the fuss is about.

So long from the Salinas Valley!