In Gustine, California, almond farmer Erich Gemperle clears a wind-felled tree with his tractor.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/BloombergCalifornia’s Drought Is So Bad That Almond Farmers Are Ripping Out Trees
The famed farming valleys of California are being swept into what feels like permanent dryness, raising the specter of food inflation.
Christine Gemperle is about to do what almond farmers fear the most: rip out her trees early.
Water is so scarce on her orchard in California’s Central Valley that she’s been forced to let a third of her acreage go dry. In the irrigated areas, the lush, supple trees are dewy in the early morning, providing some relief from the extreme heat. Walking over to the dry side, you can actually feel the temperature start to go up as you’re surrounded by the brittle, lifeless branches that look like they could crumble into dust.