NC Bound

Last day in CA spent in San Francisco.  Clam chowder, Alcatraz tour, Bubba Gumps, then a LONG walk through China Town to the Ferry House--truffle salt is great but expensive.  Glad and lucky to have such great friends to share this experience with--thank you, Farm Bureau, for this opportunity to learn and grow in my knowledge of the agriculture industry and to meet and bond with others.
One really fun thing we did today was skype with our children while at Alcatraz--how cool is that!  To be so far away, yet they were still almost with us. The weather could not have been better.  Leaving tomorrow-at 4:15!!!--will be hard, but I am excited to get home again.
I hope some of you have enjoyed this blog and my travels this week!

Water, water, everywhere but California.

Today we visited a water pumping plant.  Sounds boring, but was very enlightening about CA water issues.  I am not sure I will ever see water the same way.  Not letting water run when I brush my teeth has taken on new meaning.  I am so thankful that we do not have the same issues in NC...yet.  Visited the CA Farm Bureau today.. The host of California Bountiful--RFDTV is so funny--the entire PR department was.  Everyone was great and wonderful hosts.  Tomorrow we visit San Francisco--clam chowder!!! then leave around 4:30am on Saturday.  I have been to CA on three previous occasions, but have seen an entirely different side or  perspective.  Urban encroachment, water issues, prices of land and water, regulations, anti-agriculture terrorists(they set fire to 14 tractor-trailors that haul beef cattle--luckily there were no drivers who routinely sleep in their trucks), these are real-life daily issues facing farmers in CA.  We need farmers.  We must do whatever it takes to support them.  They are some of the best stewards of land and animal.

Same but Different

As I visit different areas, educational talk is never far away.  I have asked informal questions about the various school questions and have found that everyone is positive, but can name the problems...large class size, lack of sufficient funding, state mandated assessments.  Sound familiar?  When asked about diversity--these are frming communities--I got a few strange looks.  Diversity has always been here-it is nothing new.  It just is a part of the schools.  I was told that the hispanic people want their children to succeed and support the schools anyway they can.  Different state, same concerns, same desire by teachers to "change the world".  A difference will be made, because we will work in whatever situations presented to he lp these children.

Diversity is Everywhere

We have seen such a diversity of agriculture, weather, soil, and people.  Today we met Tom.  He is athird generation farmer who is only farming today because of the kindness of his neighbors.  During WWII, his entire family was placed in an internment camp because they were Japanese.  The neighbors took care of the land, paid the taxes and kept all in working order.  What a great story!

California, Here We Are

We have arrived without any delays.  We started at 7:30 this am in Raleigh; with time change, it is now 3:30 in Los Angeles ( it is 6:30 to my body)!  Great day listening to farmers talk farming on the plane as they starred out the windows!  My education friends and I have found some common conversations also!  Looking forward to a great dinner then Pyramid Flowers in Oxnard and Reagan library in Simi Valley in the am.  Avacado and lemon ranch after lunch.  Can't wait to hear from these farmers!

California Bound

NC LEAD class leaves for California tomorrow.  Looking forward to experiencing CA agriculture practices.