SKY Drone 5: Drought-Busting Winter Proves A Setback For Central Coast Farmers
SALINAS (KPIX) -- This year's extraordinarily wet winter has destroyed or delayed several staples of the local agriculture industry like strawberries, which have temporarily disappeared from the Espinosa roadside produce stand in Salinas.
"I'm all out of strawberries right now. I tell my customers I don't have them because of the rain," owner Carlos Sanchez said.
In the meantime, fruits and vegetables are being shipped in from other parts of the country, like Arizona.
But some customers say they feel as if they're paying more for produce that's not as good as what's produced locally.
"I just got strawberries yesterday from Safeway but they don't taste the same because obviously they're being sent from somewhere else," said grocery store customer Josette Manzo.
Local farms will eventually catch up once Mother Nature finally gives them a chance to dry out. Until then, the wet weather is both a bounty and a bitter harvest for Californians.