San Joaquin County farmers seeing benefits from persistent tule fog
San Joaquin County farmers are calling the foggy days a return of the Central Valley winter, something they haven't seen in decades.
"When I wake up and I have that coffee in the morning and everything looks bright for the rest of the day, that's what springtime looks like for us out here," Lodi Blooms Owner and Chinchiolo Farming Company Manager James Chinchiolo said.
According to Chinchiolo, that's how his walnut orchard is going to feel come this spring.
"When the tree is able to go into full dormancy and really take in this cool weather, it is able to wake up brighter and with more vigor," Chinchiolo explained.
It's all thanks to the tule fog.
"The cooler weather like this allows for what we call chill portions to accumulate," he explained. "Chill portions is kind of just a fancy calculation to suggest that it's really, really cool. This high humidity helps out with that and the fog layer keeps things cool in the afternoon."
The fog also allows more moisture to continue to be locked in the ground and more time for farmers to work in the fields, as opposed to when it's raining.
While this weather has been great for most San Joaquin County farmers, it's been a bit more challenging for those in the rice fields.
"Things were going great around harvest time, until those rains came through and basically shut everything down right when the ground gets that wet," San Joaquin Farm Bureau Executive Director Andrew Genasci said. "You can't really get out there. With the rice guys, it's a little different concerns, but they saw a hit to quality and production."
If this weather continues, farmers are hopeful for a good crop.
"We're really hoping we'll get afternoons like this where it's beautiful, the sun's out, the bees are flying and pollinating, and we can look forward to a good crop come the end of the year," Genasci said.
"All the stars at this point are aligning," Chinchiolo continued. "As an industry, I think we're asking for a little bit more rain in February and March and then a mild summer, just like we did last year, and we'll have another beautiful year."
There are some concerns with applying herbicides on the fog, which limits its efficiency, or having to apply multiple times, which costs money.
Overall, this fog is a net positive for San Joaquin County agriculture.