We need a strong farm bill that gives assistance to farmers during times of drought, creates markets for local goods, protects our environment, and helps struggling families bridge the gap between hard times and a full dinner table.

– Keith Ellison

I’ve heard about the drought in California since childhood. Playing with the water hose was a favorite pastime for neighborhood kids, especially me. As I grew older, watering the lawn became a weekly chore, increasingly stressful with the added responsibility of water conservation. “Only water the grass for a few minutes, honey,” “Don’t leave the hose unattended in the yard, son,” and other instructions echoed from the doorway where my mother stood. I didn’t understand the big deal, but I complied, albeit reluctantly.

Years passed, and I became an adult. I haven’t had to water a lawn in ages, but talk of water conservation and drought persists like a dark cloud over Los Angeles and California as a whole.

Just before receiving an invitation to join the California Farm Water Coalition‘s Farm Tour in Northern California’s Sacramento Valley, I shared an article on Facebook about the drought. Ignorantly, I ranted about hearing about this supposed drought since childhood but never really seeing its effects in L.A. How small my world had been in a big city that spends vast sums to shield me from the severity of California’s drought.

I boarded a plane to Sacramento, the rendezvous point for our two-day tour. Our itinerary included Lundberg Family Farm, Wil-Ker-Son Ranch, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Lucero Oil, the Oroville Dam, and Lester Farms. The informative adventure these

places offered challenged my mind and awakened me to the critical need for water that city life had hidden from me. I’ve always known water is essential to all life, but I took it for granted. I wake up, turn on a faucet, and water flows. I go to the grocery store, buy juice, meat, rice, and other food, not really considering how it’s produced. The California Farm Water Coalition pulled back the curtain, enlightening me to the fact that one of the things I take for granted is one of the world’s most important and scarce commodities, affecting everything.

Note: This is the first of a series of blogs on the California Drought, and my eye-opening adventure on the California Farm Water Coalition’s Farm Tour. To stay updated with the farm tour, please follow the tag on my blog, CFWC Farm Tour. Thank you.