|
 |
|
(C) CROWN PACKING
CO.
|
|
 |
Our Area
 |
Salinas Valley in the heart of California's Central
Coast
|
|
 The
Farm is located in the Salinas Valley in the central coast
of California. The Salinas Valley is a fertile and productive
agricultural valley that opens onto the Pacific Ocean to the
northwest and extends southeast for approximately one hundred
miles. The valley is roughly twenty miles wide and is bounded
by the El Gabilan mountains to the east and the Santa Lucia
mountains to the west. The Salinas River runs through the valley
and empties into the Pacific Ocean near the fishing town of
Moss Landing. The river is often dry, or partly dry, due to
an average rainfall around Salinas of thirteen inches.
 Cold
ocean air blows down the valley almost daily and morning fog
is common. These factors create a mild weather pattern for
the valley, making the area ideal for salad vegetable crops
and strawberries. This moderate weather, combined with excellent
soils, good drainage and a reliable groundwater basin, makes
the Salinas Valley an agricultural powerhouse. Lettuces, broccoli,
strawberries, cauliflower, celery, spinach, artichokes and
wine grapes are among the valley’s important crops. Iceberg
lettuce in particular put Salinas on the map. As eating habits
change, however, romaine and mix leaf lettuces now rival iceberg.
Salinas is
the county seat of Monterey County and is also the largest
city at approximately 150,000. Agriculture and tourism are
the economic engines of the county, with agriculture centered
in the Salinas Valley and tourism predominant in the coastal
towns of Carmel, Monterey and Pacific Grove. Monterey County
is usually the second or third most productive agricultural
county in the state, topping two billion dollars in gross sales.
The agricultural economy includes more than farmers and farm
workers, as there is a plethora of support industries in such
fields as banking, accounting, computers, cooling, trucking,
fertilizers, pesticides, agronomy, packaging materials, trucks,
tractors, sales and marketing, irrigation and food processing.
 Visitors
are attracted to Monterey County from all over the world for
its beautiful scenery and ideal weather. Many people retire
to the region. Others purchase second homes for vacations and
a retirement goal. The wealth of the Monterey-Carmel area and
the healthy tourism industry also support a large number of
cultural events and institutions, many fine restaurants, as
well as other activities involving sports and recreation.
As tourists
and locals explore the area, many show increased interest in
agriculture and the Salinas Valley. This brings guests to The
Farm, one of the few facilities that offers an opportunity
to learn about farming in our beautiful valley.
|
|
|
|