Blog post by Brian McKenzie: Improved Outlook

The unusually dry month of January left me optimistic that spring was going to arrive early in 2011. However, February and March could not have been more to the contrary. Typically, rice fields this time of year are composed of a few puddles amidst mostly dry ground. However, several fields throughout the valley are still filled with water, as though it is still winter.

Happily, things have taken a literal sunny turn. A clear forecast and rising temperatures are good news for farmers like myself. Even though we plant our fields with water in them, we need it to be dry in order to work the soil. With a little luck and some north wind, our fields will dry out and planting will commence. If the weather holds, we will be able to get into the fields and till the soil in preparation for planting in about two weeks.

Downtime in the winter months is generally utilized to make repairs, fabricate new implements, and prepare for the upcoming rice season. Currently, our shop is running low on repairs to be made and we are eager to get into the fields to keep on schedule. This is an exciting time, as a new season is about to begin and I am ready hit the ground running!

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Brian McKenzie proudly represents the fourth generation of rice farmers in his family. Following his graduation in 2005 from The University of Nevada Reno where he earned bachelors degrees in Economics and Marketing, Brian returned to the family farm in South Sutter County to farm full-time alongside his father, Chris. Brian and his wife, Ashley, grow several varieties of conventional and organic rice. Brian enjoys the challenges that farming brings and takes pride in producing food for the world.