Today, surrounded by freezing temperatures, thousands of heads of lettuce grow, nestled in a cozy greenhouse fed by nutrient-rich nitrates. Or you could call it what it is: fish poop. The process, called aquaponics, allows farmers to grow local, organic produce anywhere at any time of year. Aquaponics is a sustainable method of farming that combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (cultivating plants in water)….
In 1978, the year I graduated from college with a degree in economics, most voters in my state chose to turn their backs on the “California dream.” Not unlike the American dream, California’s iteration focused on the limitless possibilities awaiting anyone who moved to the state. It was the state’s basic philosophic footing, a social compact that connected generations, geographies and economic classes in a common destiny….
New 2016 Temecula Valley Wine Country Impact Report profiles vineyards and wineries as a pillar of the Temecula Valley tourism economy. The Temecula Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) has an annual economic impact of $78 million to the regional economy, and supports 4,800 jobs, according to Visit Temecula Valley (VTV) The group this week released results of its 2016 Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country economic impact…
Agriculture values in San Diego County returned to their growing ways in the latest annual County Crop Report, increasing by 2.63 percent to nearly $1.75 billion after two years of decline. The report was released Monday, Oct. 2. Total production values were led, as they have been for the last decade, by ornamental trees and shrubs like crepe myrtles and bottle brushes, indoor plants like…
North County San Diego and Temecula account for one-third of all avocados grown in California. The state produces 95 percent of all avocados grown in the U.S. Over the last 10 years, avocado acreage in the county has dwindled from around 30,000 acres to 18,000 acres. and expected to drop to 15,000 acres in the next two years. Total avocado crop value was nearly $198…
Looks like the organic avocado aisle is the place to be these days for consumers and retailers alike. Demand is high and prices rising as a result. California is the nation’s avocado basket growing 90 percent of the nation’s crop. The swath of North County and Southwest Riverside County from Escondido and Vista through Temecula accounts for 40 percent of avocados grown in the U.S….
Planning on going by the Escondido Police Department building at 1100 N Centre City Parkway through midnight tonight? Better have your driver’s license on hand and maintain your sobriety. Police have a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint set up in the southbound lanes, south of El Norte Parkway. Somewhat controversial, yet highly in your faces, Escondido police had promised to set up “a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint at an…
Medical marijuana continued to be a hot button topic around Escondido and North County this month. Escondido City Council members, again, banned medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits while a proposed dispensary in unincorporated Escondido appeared headed for approval by San Diego County regulators. Escondido wasn’t along in banning dispensaries this month. Poway’s city council took the same actions as officials there said they needed…
Okay, ready, set……no wait! This is the month for planning your landscape and garden areas. Careful planning ahead can save you a lot of time, energy, money and regrets. It is still summer weather and can be quite hot and dry this month. Don’t worry, next month is the best planting time of the year. Try to hold off your Fall planting for a few…