Spring is in the Air

   It amazes me each Spring how the orchards go from dormant to full bloom to leafing out in the matter of a few weeks.
   Can you see the little nut lets? Look and the little red crown area. That is where the flower petals were. When the flowers are fertilized by pollen from the bees they start forming the little buds that will become yummy almonds. You can imagine how fragile these little nuts can be. They can still be crushed by frost. If it was raining they would be susceptible to molds and funguses, fungi? Hat is why we are constantly watching our fields and watching the weather.

   In this picture you can see a honey bee at work. They really like warm, sunny weather so they have been busy as...bees this week.

  The fields were pretty wet after last weekend's rains. I'm not complaining. We need rain so bad, we'll take it any time. The wheat and the oats loved the rain. They are lush and green with a fresh drink of water and some fresh fertilizer. We just had to change gears on some of work this week. We put some replants in an old field of almonds and killed some weeds. We will finish pre-irrigating the cotton ground this coming week.

Man Does Not Live on Cheese Puffs Alone-I

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright January 2014

            Have you ever noticed the common ingredients in most diets? Eat well and exercise. It is that simple. Talking with a regional rep for a pharmaceutical company a while back he said they would lose seventy five percent of their business if we would just follow those two simple rules- eat well and exercise.

            The obesity epidemic doesn’t have much to do with food as it leaves the farm. Food is healthy when it leaves the farm. When we turn corn in to cheese puffs or potatoes into chips is when we start to have a problem.

            Michael Pollen, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, has three simple rules for eating well: “eat real food, not too much, mostly fruits and vegetables.” That is great news for the Valley. We grow real food and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

            We humans were not designed to live on cheese puffs. Please don’t get me wrong, I love cheese puffs, and those little donuts with the white powder coating, but a steady diet of that stuff will kill you. Enjoy a treat once in a while. But, please remember-the road to health is eating well and a little exercise.

    My neighbors and I can help, we love growing fresh fruits and vegetables for you all.