When the Almond Tree Blooms

Any reader who lives in Northern California is well aware that we've had hardly a trace of rainfall in these parts since Thanksgiving.  In all the time I've lived here in the Golden State, it's the longest 'rainy season' dry streak I can remember.  Although I appreciate more sun during what is usually a gray time of year, this 'Wintertime Summer' is impacting the agricultural landscape in some not so positive ways.  No green in the fields, no clouds in the sky I work on an organic farm.  One of the cornerstones of organic farming is that we do not use synthetic fertilizers to grow our crops.  Instead, we apply poop from a chicken factory farm (mostly to the popcorn fields) and rely on green manures to provide fertility to the soil.  A green manure--also known as a cover crop--is planted to fix nitrogen or add biomass and organic matter to the soil.  In the fields at Pleasant Grove Farms, except where the wheat is growing, we sew a legume called vetch in

On the last day of 2011, three brave souls--Katy, Evan and Rawley--came with me for a farm tour at Pleasant Grove Farm.  Here's a little of what we saw: Grain Bins, Christmas Tree, Fuel Tanks Katy, Evan and Rawley do their thing on the catwalk Seed Cleaner Inside the seed cleaning mill Rawley on an old land grader Old electric well motors--may be where R2D2 is from Parts from cultivating implements The old parts (not junk!) yard John Deere CTS Rice Combine Tractors enjoying their 2 week farm vacation Rawley getting ready to harvest some rice...it's gonna be a long wait Corn Harvester This machine spends 3 months harvesting and 9 months as a very expensive cat perch Tractors and combines The Pleasant Grove Farm Machine Shop The Sutter Buttes to the north Harvesting the last bits of rice ' 'Winter' Wheat We celebrated the New Year together at Katy and Evan's farm in Esparto, eating tamales, black eyed