Happy Valley Pride: March 28, 2009

I just returned from a funeral in southern California and it seems nobody there has heard of a drought in California. They are amazed that wild life will get 75 percent of the available water, M&I get 50 percent and the farmers get 0 percent when I tell them what is happening in northern California. Seems like everything south of the San Francisco Bay Delta gets all the water they want. Of course, we took Interstate 5, so I do not know what is happening along Highway 99.

Last week, I started sharing with you what I learned at the Small Farm Conference in Sacramento. The following are Web sights you can go to in order to learn about agriculture and drought resources for conserving water.

Estimating soil moisture by feel and appearance: http://www.mtnrcs.usda.gov/technical/ecs/agronomy/soil moisture/index.html

Water quality, conservation, drought and irrigation: http://www.attra.org/water_quality.html

Drought tips: http://www.owue.water.ca.gov/drlinks/drlinks.cfmand

California irrigation management information system: www.cimis.water.ca.gov.

I hope by next week to have these publications available at the Clear Creek Community Service District library for those who do not have e-mail. The publications must be returned, but you may make copies.

The Happy Valley Farm Trail meeting is Thursday, March 19. The subject will be on irrigation. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Happy Valley Community Center, 5400 Happy Valley Road. You do not have to be a member of the Farm Trail to attend.

I will be going to the legislative meeting in Sacramento later this month. It is a conference where all the water users throughout the state come together and learn what new laws they are proposing about water. We also get a chance to visit with our representatives, so I will report back to you.

Keep praying for rain. Miracles do happen every day! Don't forget to recycle. Volunteer and smile! It will make people wonder what you are up too.