Several subscribers approached me at Farm Day to ask my opinion on Proposition 1 -- the water bond on the November ballot -- and suggest I write about it in the newsletter.  So here goes.

Unless and until we pass a ballot measure limiting population growth in our state -- which I am neither endorsing nor suggesting -- California needs more water for humans and our enterprises, including agriculture.  There are several ways to get that water, but no single one of them is going to suffice.  And all of them are going to take lots of money.  Proposition 1 would provide money for conservation, efficiency, and new storage projects all over the state.

Surface water from dams and reservoirs provides 40-60% of the water used in California annually, depending on whether it is a wet  or dry year.  There are plenty of people who are 100% opposed to building new dams or reservoirs.  Many, if not most, of them, live in urban areas like San Francisco or Los Angeles that get 100% of their water from...wait for it...reservoirs. 

Southern California has built several new reservoirs in the last twenty years, but only one has been built in Northern California.  Meanwhile, the natural reservoir that is the Sierra snowpack is becoming less reliable each year that average temperatures continue to rise due to climate change.

Global Warming is the single biggest reason why we need to add more water storage.  More and more of the precipitation that falls on California will come in short, intense bursts.  When it is rain, it runs off.  In wet weather cycles, once existing reservoirs are full, that water simply washes away without even recharging the groundwater.  We are entering a climate where we will need to store more water for longer periods to avoid a water crisis like the one being caused by our current drought.

Some people talk about agriculture needing to use less water.  But on-farm conservation practices can only go so far, and have been implemented on millions of acres of farmland already.  Meanwhile, most water is delivered to farms and cities via 20th century conveyances owned and maintained by local water districts.  Old and inefficient, they need to be modernized and improved. 

An example:  The pipeline connecting San Francisco to Hetch Hetchy dam is known to be leaking hundreds of millions of gallons of water each year, but the SF Municipal Utility District doesn't have the money to replace it with a new one.  Similar situations exist with water districts all over the state in places that have far fewer people and far less money for new infrastructure.  These are exactly the types of problems that publicly funded bonds were created to solve.

Our state needs a reliable, modern, and adequate water supply for everyone: homeowners, businesses, and farmers.  It's an issue that everyone should be able to agree upon.  I urge you to vote yes on Prop. 1.

Beginning next week, you can look forward to a weekly dose of sweet and juicy citrus in your boxes for many months to come (weather permitting).  We have a bumper crop of mandarins as well as navel oranges this year and are looking forward to a long season.

Wondering where the Asian Pears have been?  Most years in the fall they are a pretty frequent item in your boxes.  This year, we had the lightest crop we've ever had -- about 20% of normal.  That's just three or four weeks worth total.  After this week, you will only get pears once or maybe twice more before they are gone.

Shishito Peppers are making an encore appearance today.  We had thought they were done for the season, but after taking several week vacation, they put out a big late flush of fruit.  In case you missed them the last time, these are traditionally used in Japanese and Spanish cuisine as appetizers, fried until they blister in hot oil and soil.  The majority are mild, but there is an occasional hot and spicy one in each batch so if you are sensitive take care with them.