If California Cows Could Talk

Much Like Their Human Counterparts, Cows Around the State Are Being Asked to Do More With Less

I am a California dairy cow. Mmmm—oo.

Surprised to hear from me? In normal times, I wouldn’t be inclined to cooperate with the anthropomorphic scheme of a writer desperate for a mid-summer column.

But today so much is being said about agriculture here in the Central Valley, and dairies in particular, that I felt the need to—if you’ll pardon the pun—milk the moment. Too many of you city slickers have the wrong impression of the cows you pass along the 5 or the 99.

In the stories and headlines, we cows are …

by Joe Mathews | August 7, 2014

All California’s Problems Lead to the San Joaquin Valley

From Water Shortages to High-Speed Rail, the State’s Most Overlooked Region Is at the Center of Its Most Important Debates

by Joe Mathews | July 10, 2014

It’s not clear if Governor Jerry Brown and his challenger Neel Kashkari will debate each other this fall. But if they do, there should be no doubt about the proper …

Can California’s San Joaquin Valley Conquer Urban Sprawl?

A Law Demanding Long-Term Planning Will Only Work If Communities Change How They See Growth

by Alex Karner | July 1, 2014

I studied to become a civil engineer with the goal of building grand things, like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, and interstate freeways. Thanks to two inspiring professors, …

Why California’s Trails Are Disappearing From Our Maps

The Sierra Once Provided Refuge for the Central Valley; Now, Access to These Forests Is Being Threatened

by Ken Murray | January 24, 2014

One of the great things about living in California’s Central Valley is the easy access to one of the great mountain ranges of the world, the Sierra Nevada, and its …

Could Cesar Chavez Deliver Immigration Reform?

A Student of Chavez Is Leading a Fast on the National Mall; History Suggests the Tactic May Work

by Miriam Pawel | December 3, 2013

Forty-six years ago, Cesar Chavez huddled in Delano, California with a group of farmworkers he had launched on an improbable mission: to stop the sale of grapes until California growers …

Westlands Water District’s Jason Peltier

He’s Not a Fan of L.A., But He Likes Feeding Angelenos

October 22, 2013

Jason Peltier is chief deputy manager of the Westlands Water District, which provides agricultural water for over 600,000 acres in the western San Joaquin Valley. Before participating in a panel on …

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