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Why must a somewhat arid state be so agricultural? We live in a large country with large sections receiving plenty of rain. Why not have agriculture based in areas with abundant rainfall instead of in places like Colorado and in much of the west?
Why must a somewhat arid state be so agricultural? We live in a large country with large sections receiving plenty of rain. Why not have agriculture based in areas with abundant rainfall instead of in places like Colorado and in much of the west?
Why must a somewhat arid state be so agricultural? We live in a large country with large sections receiving plenty of rain. Why not have agriculture based in areas with abundant rainfall instead of in places like Colorado and in much of the west?
Not so many years ago when I was a child there was a huge surplus of water and people could and did leave hoses running all day in their yards. The city of Phoenix and the area around it had a half million people around 1970 and now the population is approaching 5 million. There was plenty of water for agriculture in the Southwest and a year round growing season in a lot of areas. Nobody at the time could even imagine a blistering hot desert in the middle of nowhere having as many people as it does today. Also to top it off, the Southwest was going through a time of above average precipitation. Old habits die hard, the Southwest is getting drier and the big water party is over. Now it seems we are about to suffer the hangover after the party. If the drought continues prices for fruit and vegetables that grow well in a warmer climate may be about to go way up.
Why must a somewhat arid state be so agricultural? We live in a large country with large sections receiving plenty of rain. Why not have agriculture based in areas with abundant rainfall instead of in places like Colorado and in much of the west?
Because it is a major industry in the state with a lot of jobs tied to it. More importantly, regional agriculture is going to become much more crucialas transportation costs for food spiral upward (and they are going to). Also, agricultural products are one of the few products that this country can export successfully. Unlike Kentucky Bluegrass lawns growing in suburbia, farming and ranching in Colorado actually produce a product that is both useful and necessary.
Why must a somewhat arid state be so agricultural? We live in a large country with large sections receiving plenty of rain. Why not have agriculture based in areas with abundant rainfall instead of in places like Colorado and in much of the west?
A valid question. Why Colorado and agriculture? Well, once upon a time not that long ago most everything due necessity was locally sourced.
In example, then Lieutenant Colonel Dwight Eisenhower was part of the contingent in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy. Bear in mind that this well after the continent had first been formally spanned when the last spike of the Transcontinental Railroad was driven at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869. But back to travel by then rudimentary vehicles on even more rudimentary roads. That expedition left Washington, D.C. on July 7, arriving after many travails and hardships in Oakland, California on September 5, the next day ferried to the final destination of the Presidio of San Francisco. Or in other words about 2 months to cross this country, and that with a well equipped expedition.
Back to Colorado out in the middle of nowhere. Where else would one be getting their agricultural produce from, if not here? For a long time it was the only option.
But one that still makes sense in balance. This is an ideal climate for some crops, lots of sun and so forth, but always in consideration of the water needed in a semi-arid climate. With certain adjustments much the same scenario in the California Central Valley, where so much of this nation's fruits and vegetables are grown. Water needs to be diverted and imported there as well to make it work, but otherwise a good and unique climate for this not found to the same degree anywhere else in this nation.
Something like the micro-climates of the Napa Valley of California which are ideal for growing wine grapes. Various varieties of grapes can be grown across this nation, but in each instance only within certain narrow limits. So if not always done so, there are specific regions across this nation—and globally—each best for specific crops. Some significantly better across a wider spectrum than others.
But Colorado and all others may relatively soon need once again to look to their needs more locally. The days of heedlessly using petroleum resources to transport anything, even just at whim, are coming to as close.
Far from a sideline using a disproportionate share of water resources, agriculture in Colorado will likely in future be seen as vital as it once was. Even at the expense of, and priority over, ever larger encroaching suburban communities and overall population growth.
A valid question. Why Colorado and agriculture? Well, once upon a time not that long ago most everything due necessity was locally sourced.
In example, then Lieutenant Colonel Dwight Eisenhower was part of the continent in the 1919 Motor Transport Corps convoy. Bear in mind that this well after the continent had first been formally spanned when the last spike of the Transcontinental Railroad was driven at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869. But back to travel by then rudimentary vehicles on even more rudimentary roads. That expedition left Washington, D.C. on July 7, arriving after many travails and hardships in Oakland, California on September 5, the next day ferried to the final destination of the Presidio of San Francisco. Or in other words about 2 months to cross this country, and that with a well equipped expedition.
Back to Colorado out in the middle of nowhere. Where else would one be getting their agricultural produce from, if not here? For a long time it was the only option.
But one that still makes sense in balance. This is an ideal climate for some crops, lots of sun and so forth, but always in consideration of the water needed in a semi-arid climate. With certain adjustments much the same scenario in the California Central Valley, where so much of this nation's fruits and vegetables are grown. Water needs to be diverted and imported there as well to make it work, but otherwise a good and unique climate for this not found to the same degree anywhere else in this nation.
Something like the micro-climates of the Napa Valley of California which are ideal for growing wine grapes. Various varieties of grapes can be grown across this nation, but in each instance only within certain narrow limits. So if not always done so, there are specific regions across this nation—and globally—each best for specific crops. Some significantly better across a wider spectrum than others.
But Colorado and all others may relatively soon need once again to look to their needs more locally. The days of heedlessly using petroleum resources to transport anything, even just at whim, are coming to as close.
Far from a sideline using a disproportionate share of water resources, agriculture in Colorado will likely in future be seen as vital as it once was. Even at the expense of, and priority over, ever larger encroaching suburban communities and overall population growth.
^Idunn makes the point quite well. Here are some facts that have become lost on most of the current Colorado population, including a lot of transplants:
Colorado once had one of the most diverse number of agricultural crops grown in any one state in the Union, second only to California. Vegetables, fruits (except for citrus), beans, potatoes, sugar beets, and grains of many types were once grown in Colorado. There is a far less diverse number of crops grown in Colorado now compared with near a century ago. Not only that, but some of the highest quality agricultural products grown anywhere were once grown in Colorado. Of course, Colorado was also a leader in livestock production, as well. Colorado still has some prowess in agriculture, but it is a shadow of what it once was, much of the decline caused by prime ag land being eaten up by land development and by having irrigation water expropriated for largely non-productive suburban sprawl (read: stupid-ass lawn irrigation).
Within Colorado, several counties were considered some of the most agriculturally productive counties in the United States. Unfortunately, a couple of those--Weld and Larimer--are counties that have lost the most prime agricultural land to suburban sprawl. Weld County, especially, used to be recognized as a leading agricultural county nationwide.
Few of today's Coloradans know any of this because they either haven't been here long enough to know almost ANY of the history of the state, or a lot of people just don't care. Both are tragic. Sadly, many suburbanites are fools who won't figure out just how important local and regional agriculture should be them until they're going hungry. Then, maybe, they'll "get it." This, from Idunn's post above is especially salient:
Quote:
But Colorado and all others may relatively soon need once again to look to their needs more locally. The days of heedlessly using petroleum resources to transport anything, even just at whim, are coming to a close.
People need to be informed and aware of what is happening downstream on the Colorado as well as what is happening in their own state. Some interesting facts about the Imperial Valley where my family on my mother's side has farmed since before the turn of the century, (1900).
From Imperial County, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of three inches (seventy-five mm) per year, the economy is heavily based on agriculture due to irrigation, supplied wholly from the Colorado River via the All-American Canal.
From Imperial County Farm Bureau | Imperial County Agriculture
In 2011, Imperial County farmers produced 1,736,000 tons of hay, including alfalfa, Bermuda grass, Sudan grass and klein grass hays, making the region a vital producer of food for the state’s vast dairy industry. Dairy is the number one agricultural commodity in California, with 20% of the nation’s dairy production.
Imperial Valley is one of California’s top five producers of spinach, potatoes, cauliflower, sweet corn, broccoli and onions.
Imperial County is home to California’s only cheese processing plant producing Swiss and Muenster cheeses.
Imperial County is California’s number two producer of aquaculture, and is home to one of the largest catfish farms west of the Mississippi.
Imperial County Farm Bureau is has been an integral part of Imperial Valley’s rich agricultural landscape for nearly 95 years.
Imperial County is among the nation’s top sheep and lamb producing counties. Approximately 150,000 sheep pass through the county each year. In the 1950s and again in the 1990s, close to 350,000 sheep passed through the Valley annually.
Economic Impact
California produces about 13% of the nation’s total cash receipts from agriculture, but only receives about 4% of direct government payouts to agriculture. (Note: This figure does fluctuate some from year to year.)
Imperial Valley agriculture production in 2011 generated an estimated $1,175,000,000 in personal income for California families, and an estimated $5.3 BILLION in total economic impact.
People are aware of the mega production agriculture areas like the the Central Valley but there are many smaller regions like the Imperial Valley, Palo Verde Valley and farming in Arizona that also provide many of our fruits and vegetables. If it comes to a water shortage in the Colorado watershed and the region it serves then areas like the Imperial Valley that produce the most efficiently will also be higher on the water priority list. Some fields in the Imperial Valley get up to eleven--11--cuttings of alfalfa a year where some areas in Colorado get 2 or maybe 3 if they're lucky.
Last edited by GStone777; 07-31-2014 at 10:05 AM..
Reason: grammar
But one that still makes sense in balance. This is an ideal climate for some crops, lots of sun and so forth, but always in consideration of the water needed in a semi-arid climate. With certain adjustments much the same scenario in the California Central Valley, where so much of this nation's fruits and vegetables are grown. Water needs to be diverted and imported there as well to make it work, but otherwise a good and unique climate for this not found to the same degree anywhere else in this nation.
Getting all of your water for practically free is also a huge benefit. The Central Valley's wonderful tradition of receiving hugely subsidized water is a big reason that agriculture is so successful there. All paid for by city utility customers and federal pork. Granted, the cost of produce in the United States would be a bit higher if the cost of production in the Imperial Valley, and other subsidized water districts, was higher, but we could then see the true cost of food.
The same agricultural water subsidy applies to parts of Colorado as well. The San Luis Valley has been a good recipient of these water subsidies over the years.
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