I went north from town to see the ag area and because the incoming weather permitted, through the mountains. There are orchards of fruit trees similar to the Yakima Valley: apples, pears, peaches, cherries, but on a tiny scale comparatively. Some walnuts and pecans. No trees are budded out or showing blooms yet; workers were still pruning.
Most impressive were the miles and miles of greenhouses, which I gather are used for growing row-crops destined for the table. Open land seems to be used to grow cattle feed and cotton, and what is likely the area’s specialty, pinto beans. I do not know why greenhouses are the preferred growing technique here. I’ll try to find out the answer to that.
The mountains around here are called “sky islands”, very similar to the archipelago of the San Juan Islands, for instance, but in air, not water. They are distinct eco systems, and support a variety of flora and fauna. Take a road into a sky island and you’ll see all kinds of plants and trees that remind you of someplace else.
I came down out of the mountains for lunch at the local BBQ place, which is Texas style, not great but good. Great potato salad, and a side of pinto beans was required which was excellent. I had wanted to try out a place that made a green chili cheeseburger, but it recently closed up.
The RV park is great. No freeway noise, just a tiny bit of train noise, a very quiet place. There’s a rooster nearby set for 3 AM, but the park’s rooster is set for 6, dawn hereabouts right now.
High winds and rain came in this afternoon, I stayed in and read while rocking around in the wind. No end in sight to the erratic and unsettled weather.