Big Sur

Lovers' Point in Monterey (See the mountain peak across the bay? That's where I live.)

I drove to Big Sur (again, lucky me) on Wednesday. It was a beautiful sunshiny day, the water sparkled!

While driving through Watsonville and Moss Landing to Monterey I tried to snap pictures from my car of the fields where migrant farm workers were out in the strawberry fields. Several fields had recently been tilled, ready for planting and there were rows and rows of bushy artichoke plants.






This agricultural area supports farm workers, many from Mexico. How many are illegal? I don't know but it has become an issue in our state of many illegals from Mexico coming to work these fields. If we can't figure out how to make them citizens and instead send them home then who is left to toil in the fields? Do we have citizens willing, able, and prepared to do this work? Just a thought.

Here are some staggering statistics of the percentage of food produced in California:

Food Facts
California has been the number one food and agricultural producer in the United States for more than 50 consecutive years.

More than half the nation's fruit, nuts, and vegetables come from here.
California is the nation's number one dairy state.
California's leading commodity is milk and cream. Grapes are second.
California's leading export crop is almonds.
Nationally, products exclusively grown (99% or more) in California include almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts.
From 70 to 80% of all ripe olives are grown in California.
California is the nation's leading producer of strawberries, averaging 1.4 billion pounds of strawberries or 83% of the country's total fresh and frozen strawberry production. Approximately 12% of the crop is exported to Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Japan primarily. The value of the California strawberry crop is approximately $700 million with related employment of more than 48,000 people.
California produces 25% of the nation's onions and 43% of the nation's green onions.
Gilroy, California, "Garlic Capitol of the World," has hosted 2 million at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival.


I passed through Monterey, Carmel and after driving through Carmel Highlands I came around a bend and there is the beginning of the Big Sur coastline. See how the water sparkles?







I arrived at the Local Color gallery where I met with the owner Ondine and Francesca to leave more scarves for them and then drove to Nepenthe. Approaching I could see the fog bank rolling in and the temperature had dropped enough I put my jacket on. A definite line of sun and fog.




After leaving Nepenthe I started back home with a stop at Andrew Molera for a short walk but it had become breezy and the fog rolled in so I headed home.






It is a rugged and awe inspiring bit of coast everyone should experience if given the chance.