It’s been a wet week. Ojai and its mountains had the highest rainfall totals in all of California. Hydrographers call this precipitation pattern “flashy” – years of very low rainfall followed by a spectacular deluge when the conditions set up right. The Transverse Mountains sitting next to the Pacific. A perfect setup for orographic lift.

How do the trees and their precious fruit survive? The Ojai Valley was formed by this same weather pattern, so the “soil”  is very rocky, and has a thick layer of rock underneath, especially in the higher eastern end of the valley where Churchill Orchard sits. Seasonal floods have pushed the rock downstream for millions of years, so the drainage is excellent.

Mike and the crew covered the Kishu trees in plastic sheeting – protection against the moisture, but also against the raindrops hammering the delicate skins. Yes, we have done this before. The covers will come off as soon as we have some sun.

We stashed the tractors in the barn.