New York Times food writer Mark Bittman reports in the paper’s magazine that California’s Central Valley contains the world’s largest stretch of Class 1 soil, the most nutrient-rich soil there is. Such high-quality substrate, more than 300 sunny days a year and the 25° temperature swing from day to night combine with a variety of other factors to make the valley a production house for fruits and vegetables for the entire world.
Because of the aforementioned environmental factors, Bittman writes, the Central Valley’s bounty has made a few very large farmers very wealthy while exploiting the region’s natural resources as well as the farmworkers who work the fields. To read more, click here.