tfitchette, Associate Editor

April 5, 2016

11 Slides

Springtime in the San Joaquin Valley this year offers a bit more hope than it has the past several years as a "Miracle March" dropped enough rain and snow on the state to nearly fill several state reservoirs and give farmers a hope of a better growing season.

Even so, cooler temperatures and rain have kept cotton farmers from planting on the earliest-allowed dates.

Almond growers claim to have seen the quickest "flash-bloom" ever experienced as the bloom came and went within a few short weeks. Still it appeared as if bees had the opportunity to pollinate the crop, in spite of the short window of opportunity.

Meanwhile, carrots appear to be growing nicely in Kern County south of Bakersfield, as are the potatoes.

Water is moving in and out of fields of small grains in the south Valley and alfalfa's first cutting is baled next to large dairy operations, waiting to be picked up and moved. Elsewhere, citrus bloom is under way as nature resets and begins to build next season's crop of fresh fruit.

Millerton Lake near Fresno is higher than it's been in a long time, providing hope of surface irrigation supplies for farmers along the east side of the San Joaquin Valley.

 

 

About the Author(s)

tfitchette

Associate Editor, Western Farm Press

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