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| Fruit trees in California. They are dying from the drought. |
The drought in the western United States keeps getting worse.
The latest news is from Washington State, article HERE. Many still do not "get it". Washington State grows the vast majority of "eating" apples (as opposed to "processing" apples).
A quote from the article
"State agencies are already ramping up work to relieve hardships from water shortages..."
What can they do?
According to this article, it takes almost $100,000 an acre to bring an apple orchard into full production. That is $60,000/acre land cost and an additional $40,000 in inputs. Oh, and it takes six years before production peaks.
One conclusion is that fruit will become more expensive and the choices more limited.
Melons
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| Image from HERE |
I was talking to one of the owners of a local, commercial orchard about the marketing opportunities the western drought was making for them. There is very little they can do in the short term to bump up the production of tree fruits like apples and pears because of the amount of time it takes for the trees to mature.
But they plan to plant melons.
Melons are some of the most delicious, aromatic, luscious, juiciest fruit that God blessed this earth with.
Melons like warmth and sunlight, but otherwise are quite grower friendly. And most of them will produce within 90 days of planting. Some of them even sooner.
I think I will be planting some melons in the garden this year.
Reports - in print and broadcast - continually put forward "Agriculture uses 80% of California's water". In actuality, it's 80% of water earmarked for 'human use'...and considering the fact that a very large percentage of fruit and produce consumed all across the USA comes from CA...I'm inclined to believe it.
ReplyDeleteThe story that they don't tell is that 40-48% of total water reserves go to 'conservation' uses...as in, flushed to the ocean to maintain flow in rivers that, historically, did not run year 'round... to keep alive (if it still is) a functionally extinct species, the Delta smelt.
I'll betcha that as CA (and other western states') agricultural endeavors 'shrivel on the vine' due to water restrictions... that residential yards, golf courses, and carwashes are gonna keep on ...
Lucky:
DeleteThanks for figuring out to leave comments.
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