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  • From: loren luyendyk <loren@sborganics.com>
  • To: Permaculture Listserve <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Prolonged drought in California, impact on crop production, wildlife and residential and industrial water use.
  • Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2014 07:18:24 +0000

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/explainer/2013/07/california_grows_all_of_our_fruits_and_vegetables_what_would_we_eat_without.html

California grows "99 percent of artichokes, 99 percent of walnuts, 97 percent
of kiwis, 97
percent of plums, 95 percent of celery, 95 percent of garlic, 89
percent of cauliflower, 71 percent of spinach, and 69 percent of carrots"
consumed in the USA.

One of the problems is that the majority of the food we consume is dependent
on irrigation, at least it needs water in California. You can dry farm lots
of crops especially with good soil management (and good soils) but not many
people do it, mainly because you get far smaller yields.

I think the long term solution is tree and animal based systems, and less
annual row cropping. We could get a majority of our calories from nuts and
meat, with a smattering of fresh produce during the winter (when we get
rain). The drought is bad news for all of us, the whole country will suffer
along with California.

We may have to look at shifting our diet to reflect what will survive here
(California and other drought prone areas) with less water. I have been
working with trees like mulberry, carob, olive, loquat, sapote, peach, plum,
apple, apricot, etc, that will grow here with little water once established.
Also there are lots of great cactus fruit (especially Opunita spp.) that are
the most drought tolerant.

Loren Luyendyk
(805)-452-8249
Accredited Permaculture Teacher, PRI-AUS
ISA Certified Arborist WE-7805A
www.sborganics.com
www.surferswithoutborders.org
www.globalpermaculture.com




> From: lfljvenaura@gmail.com
> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2014 18:47:25 -0500
> To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: [permaculture] Prolonged drought in California, impact on crop
> production, wildlife and residential and industrial water use.
>
> Prolonged drought in California, impact on crop production, wildlife and
> residential and industrial water use.
>
> It seems that the various governments in California ought to look into
> Permaculture systems for adoption and recommendation to residents and
> businesses.
> Maybe this would be a good time for permaculture consultants to offer their
> services to local, county and state governmental agencies and offer
> solutions.
> Good topic for discussion because they may face a serious water shortage
> within 2014. The drought period is projected to last for three years.
>
> It is also a good time for market gardeners and farmers in other parts of
> the USA to help take up the slack and make up for any shortfalls in produce
> availability in areas normally dependent on shipments from California
> (probably most of the US).
>
> Permaculture must become fully integrated with market farming and
> gardening. Any ideas for long term solutions to drought?
>
> --
> Lawrence F. London
> lfljvenaura@gmail.com
> http://www.avantgeared.com
> https://plus.google.com/+Avantgeared
> Skype: lawrence.f.london
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  • Re: [permaculture] Prolonged drought in California, impact on crop production, wildlife and residential and industrial water use., loren luyendyk, 02/16/2014

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