Still Cold in California

You know it's been cold when 60F feels warm.
   We are all breathing a sigh of relief after a long, cold week in the Golden State. I know, I know. Many of you have really good cold weather stories and we are being a bunch of light weights. But, this is California, we don't have to walk up hill in the snow, both directions, to get to school.

   While it has been cold, it has also been crystal clear in the mornings. This is what it looked like one morning when the dogs took me for a walk.
   It is warming up now. That cold spell was really good for the trees. It helped with the chilling hours they need during this dormant period. But, it is nice to feel a little warmth from the sun today. 
   We are done pruning. Hopefully the brush shredder guys will be here soon. We have some other work to do in the orchard and we need the brush out of our way.
   We'll finish pre-irrigating the first cotton field this week and switch to the next field.
   There is a storm approaching California. We'll keep an eye on it. If it brings some rain we will fly fertilizer on the wheat. If there isn't enough rain in the forecast we'll wait and put fertilizer on the next time we irrigate.

Since we have been talking about the weather I thought I would share an upcoming radio script-

Our ‘Mediterranean’ Climate

By Paul H. Betancourt

Copyright January 2013

                It’s probably time to explain what I mean when I say we have a ‘Mediterranean Climate.’ There are five areas in the world that have a Mediterranean Climate. The first would be--- the Mediterranean. The others are Chile and Peru in South America, Australia, Central Asia and here in the Valley.

            What does it mean to have a Mediterranean Climate? Here in the Valley it is cold now, but we aren’t shoveling five feet of snow are we? In the summer it gets very hot, but it’s not humid is it? That is what makes it an ideal growing climate. It is hot enough in the summer so we can grow corn, tomatoes and cotton, but we don’t have all the tropical bugs and diseases. It’s cold in the winter, but we don’t have to button up for months at a time like other areas.

            China, with all of its territory cannot grow almonds commercially because their areas that are warm enough in the summer aren’t cold enough in the winter. Their areas that are cold enough in the winter are too cool in the summer.

            We have an amazing and rare climate and that is the foundation of our agricultural production.

And just to show you can find interesting things just about anywhere-

these are some abandoned silos I drive by on the West side.

I hope Y'all have a great week.

P