Time to build the ark

Well, the skies opened up last night and I actually saw water running in the roadside ditch this morning for the first time in several months.  While it is too late for some crops, the water should make the later plantings of cauliflower and broccoli mature and certainly will help fall plantings of greens and cabbage.  I see good chances of rain in the forecast through Sunday, so maybe the drought is broken.  But it has been a wakeup call for me and for many growers who have heretofore depended on the vagaries of the rain gods to make their crops.  One grower is already planning new irrigation ponds for next year.  I'm thinking about drip irrigation, especially for long season crops which will be in the ground for months.  We are entering a more challenging climate regime and new strategies will be necessary to deal with it.  One harbinger is  new greenhouse company in New York which is selling turnkey greenhouse systems to large chain grocers.  The plan is to set  the greenhouses in the area serviced by the chain and hire a local grower to run the operation and deliver the produce to the chain.  I am somewhat sceptical this will be a viable business model, but controlling the growing environment may become necessary in the future.