Californians bet farming agave for spirits holds key to weathering drought and groundwater limits

[JacksinPA]

Californians bet farming agave for spirits holds key to weathering drought and groundwater limits

Some California entrepreneurs and farmers are betting agave could be a promising crop for the state.

apnews.com

MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) — Leo Ortega started growing spiky blue agave plants on the arid hillsides around his Southern California home because his wife liked the way they looked.

A decade later, his property is now dotted with thousands of what he and others hope is a promising new crop for the state following years of punishing drought and a push to scale back on groundwater pumping.

The 49-year-old mechanical engineer is one of a growing number of Californians planting agave to be harvested and used to make spirits, much like the way tequila and mezcal are made in Mexico. The trend is fueled by the need to find hardy crops that don’t need much water and a booming appetite for premium alcoholic beverages since the COVID-19 pandemic.
==========================================
Whatever their problems are, tequila is the answer.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

I love how California is now completely waterlogged with full reservoirs and they’re still maintaining the drought narrative

 

[Exquisitor]

Californians bet farming agave for spirits holds key to weathering drought and groundwater limits

Some California entrepreneurs and farmers are betting agave could be a promising crop for the state.

apnews.com

MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) — Leo Ortega started growing spiky blue agave plants on the arid hillsides around his Southern California home because his wife liked the way they looked.

A decade later, his property is now dotted with thousands of what he and others hope is a promising new crop for the state following years of punishing drought and a push to scale back on groundwater pumping.

The 49-year-old mechanical engineer is one of a growing number of Californians planting agave to be harvested and used to make spirits, much like the way tequila and mezcal are made in Mexico. The trend is fueled by the need to find hardy crops that don’t need much water and a booming appetite for premium alcoholic beverages since the COVID-19 pandemic.
==========================================
Whatever their problems are, tequila is the answer.

Great, this will feed millions.

 

[Fledermaus]

Great, this will feed millions.

The land he is using wasn't used for crops IIRC.

 

[JacksinPA]

The land he is using wasn't used for crops IIRC.

I'll drink to that.

In a bar in Tijuana one of their employees was going around with a bottle of tequila with a pour spout, trying to get obvious gringos like me drunk so that they could take advantage of them. Tequila is one liquor I can't drink. I think it has radioactive isotopes in it.