Cool, crisp nights give way to the golden sun rather reluctantly come October in Northern California. The morning air is bright and clear as the warm orange glow rises to fill the horizon, casting long shadows where it wills. This will be the first Ag Venture meeting where lightweight jackets are now the standard way to start out the day. By day three, most participants might be wondering what else there is to learn about agriculture in California. Brace yourself; it’s more than I thought.
“There isn’t anything we do in a day that doesn’t touch agriculture,” Dan Durheim, Chief Operating Officer for the California Farm Bureau, begins. “Whatever we’re doing, whether it is cooking, shopping, working or entertainment, it all revolves around food at some point,” he explains.
And boy, does California have a clear understanding of food, its importance, and the dependence the United States and beyond has on it. Fun facts: California’s agricultural economic value is fifty-nine billion dollars a year. In Southern California, you can grow crops three hundred and sixty-five days a year. California grows two-thirds of all fruits and nuts in the United States, with Kern County being number one in agriculture, producing a whopping eight billion dollars for the state. It’s easy for Dan to assure everyone that California will always take the lead in agriculture.
And now to the fun stuff – harvesting walnuts! Here, walnut trees scoop high into the sky, reaching for sunbeams and casting long shadows under their billowy green umbrellas. Rows upon rows of walnut trees make up Seely orchards. Step a little closer. It’s the day before harvest here. All the farm equipment and tractors are staged and ready to go. Today, we get to see a demonstration. Walnuts are not hand-picked but rather shaken down from the trees. That’s right; imagine large metal arms wrapped around the trunk of a walnut tree and shaking. And when I say shake, I’m saying the ground and the tree shake, allowing one to witness a downpour of raining walnuts and leaves, covering the ground in browns and oranges. Be careful where you step!
Next, large tractors scoop up walnuts, leaves, bits of dirt, branches – everything. Then comes the obvious need for sorting in the de-stoner before the walnuts return to the warehouse and are stored in a temperature-controlled environment, washed, and eventually, the walnut shells are cracked, separating the shell from the kernel. Finally, the Seely walnuts make their way to Diamond Foods and our homes.
More fun facts about walnuts: Because walnuts are high in oil, the best place to store them is either in your refrigerator or freezer to keep the oils from going rancid. Also, walnuts contain the highest rate of Omega 3 fatty acids, and a handful of them a day reduces cognitive decline. Walnuts aren’t just good for your body but your mind, too! So here’s to eating more walnuts in our diets!
But did you know what the number one economic driver in California agriculture is? I didn’t know. It just happens to be dairy at a staggering eight to ten billion dollars. The runner-up in second place is no surprise: grapes are landing at six billion dollars. Surprisingly, strawberries are in high demand now and nearly hit the three-billion dollar mark. And speaking of strawberries, while we may think this is harvest time, strawberries are just now being planted for the new season!
And for those of you wondering how safe our food is to eat with all the buzz about pesticides and their regulations, here are some more fun facts from Fidel Perez, Environmental Program Manager, Enforcement Branch, CA Dep. Pesticide Regulation, North Regional Office. Whew, that’s a mouthful! According to Fidel, California samples 3,600 raw emulsified samples of whole foods a year collected from grocery stores, farmer’s markets, warehouses–you name it. Every sample is put to the test of allowed residue, whether traditional pesticides or organic. Everything has a limit of allowed residue. Another fun fact: California leads in pesticide regulations and even supersedes federal regulations. And did you know the top two “pesticides” used in agriculture are organic? I didn’t know. Coming in first place is sulfur, which is a hundred percent all-natural and organic. Coming in second is agricultural oil used to clog the pores of plants and ensure sprays keep contact. Lastly comes glyphosate, better known as Round-Up. And don’t you worry. Even these agents are randomly selected and tested to ensure that what’s on the shelf and in warehouses meets all of California’s high standards of regulations. And lastly, I learned that the chemicals under my sink are far more harmful to me than the annual spray of Round-Up in my yard. YIKES!
The day ended at Upper Lake High School, home to a proud FFA program where students are encouraged to get involved in the onsite livestock and agriculture programs as well as welding, wood shop, and various competitions held around the state. Needless to say, Upper Lake and its sister high schools are making sure farming and the trades are not forgotten by the next generation.
My final thought of the day: Due to market saturation, the one farmer you can truly help right now is the walnut farmer.
Lastly, here are a few thoughts from Dan Durheim: “Agriculture is a noble purpose. It’s a good way of life and goes beyond money. Not only does it feed the world, but food security is directly tied to national security.” With food on the shelves and statistically only 11% of our disposable income going to food, there truly is a great sense of security and well-being. So here’s to all the farmers and ranchers who are putting food in our grocery stores and meals on the table!
A special thanks to The Blue Wing for hosting our lunch!
2024 Ag Venture Class
