From the editors
Keeping the bounty flowing
VOLUME 46 • ISSUE 4
Melanie Duval Chief Marketing Officer Peter Hecht Chief Editor of Publications
Barbara Arciero Managing Editor Linda DuBois
Assistant Editor Caleb Hampton, Ching Lee, Christine Souza, Cyndee Fontana-Ott,
Tawnie Graham, Kevin Hecteman, Pat Rubin Writers Lori Eanes, Fred Greaves, Richard Green, David Poller Photographers Paula Erath Nicole Pacheco Graphic Designers Brock Tessandori Business Development Manager
Welcome to summer—one of the most abundant seasons in California agriculture. On the following pages, you’ll find stories about dragon fruit, pears, dahlias and much more—just a few of California’s 400-plus commodities that comprise America’s largest and most diverse supply of food, flowers, fiber and forest products. The ability of our state’s farmers and ranchers to provide an unparalleled selection of products depends on water—and the complex water system designed to keep the bounty flowing. In this issue, we provide a snapshot of California’s elaborate network of aqueducts, canals and pipelines that transport water to the crops that help feed the world. Dragon fruit is one crop that requires less irrigation than many. Read about Kevin and Betsy Brixey, a San Diego County couple growing the cacti that produce the sweet and nutrient-packed fruit. Honeybees are another part of nature crucial to farmers. Through a correctional center vocational program, female inmates serving time for nonviolent offenses are building better futures for themselves— and our food supply—by learning to raise these important pollinators. Kristine Albrecht has run a dahlia farm along California’s Central Coast for nearly two decades. During that time, she’s become one of the nation’s top producers and hybridizers of the vibrant flowers. Then there’s George Haymaker, who found a way to enjoy his favorite comfort food by creating a more healthful version of ice cream. Read about him and the dairy farm that breeds and raises a select type of cow that produces the milk Haymaker’s company uses. Also, check out our suggestions for unusual, but delicious, ice cream toppings. Six generations have been farming in the delta area south of Sacramento since 1848 and growing pears since about 1888. They are now looking to the seventh generation to continue the family legacy. You’ll also learn about the health benefits of avocados, how a fruit stand became a multifaceted destination for visitors, the story behind a successful farmer-chef married couple, tips for making outdoor lights with candles and canning jars, and what it’s like to be a California State Fair wine judge. We hope these stories help you appreciate how blessed we are to have such incredible abundance and variety produced in our home state. Enjoy your summer.
Contact us: California Bountiful, 2600 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833 916-561-5552 cbmagazine@californiabountiful.com californiabountiful.com Subscribe: To subscribe to California Bountiful for yourself or as a gift, call 916-561-5552 or go to californiabountiful.com.
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California Bountiful ® (ISSN 0194-5165) is published bimonthly by the California Farm Bureau Federation, 2600 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833 (telephone: 916-561‑5552). Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, California. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to California Bountiful, 2600 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833. The California Farm Bureau Federation does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products advertised in California Bountiful, nor does the Federation assume responsibility for statements or expressions of opinion other than in editorials or in articles showing authorship by an officer, director or employee of the California Farm Bureau Federation or its affiliates.
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July/August 2023
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