The Geographic Dynamism of California Market Gardening

28Yearbook of the AssociationVol. 1 8 THE GEOGRAPHIC DYNAMISM OF CALIFORNIA MARKET GARDENING Howard F. Gregor San Jose State College Captain John Smith once said that geographical study without historical perspective "seemeth a Carkasse without motion, . . ." That thought is particularly appropriate in any consideration of California geography, particularly from the economic side. Rapid and continually shifting regional emphasis on economic activities has accompanied transformation of the landscape. The general historical sequence of economic landscapes in California is well known. Some of the more recent, and important, changes have been less studied. The geographic nature of California market gardening during both its earlier and later stages has been given only slight attention. Such study has usually come only as a small adjunct of the relatively more impressive truck gardening industry of the state. Early History The distribution pattern of market gardening in California was far different in the mid-1800's than now. Major centers concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the small, but more numerous, sections around the towns of the Sacramento and Stockton areas. A much smaller proportion of local demands was satisfied than now. Lack of interest in farming, unfamiliarity of easterners with the California climate, and the very recency of settlement all contributed to the small amount of local produce production in relation to the rapidly burgeoning population. Primary dependence for supplementary supplies during the gold rush period was on the Willamette and southern coastal valleys of Oregon. Development of the industry in southern California was even more backward at this time. No large influxes of population stimulated production here. Although kitchen gardens and orchards were integral parts of the earliest ranchos, the variety and quality of products was low. Also contributing to the overall poor status of market gardening in the southern area (as well as the north, prior to the gold period) was social antipathy toward agricultural labor in general. Indians furnished most of the labor supply during Spanish and Mexican rule. It is interesting to note a similar, but more diluted, social hostility that exists today in California. Now it is the Mexican national and MexicanAmerican who contribute most of the field labor. Typical of the market gardening picture in southern California as late as 1872 is this commentary by a Ventura County newspaper: ". . . Outrageous—There is no county on the face of the earth where vegetable can be produced more easily or abundantly than this; and yet our markets find it necessary to ship from San Francisco onions, cabbages, and many other kinds of vegetables. These are brought here by people who have the finest garden lands imaginable and for which vegetables they pay from five to nine cents per pound (!). A sad commentary on the industrial habits of the population."1 1956of Pacific Coast Geographers29 At the turn of century, the north-south contrast had already reversed itself (Fig. 1) with southern California replacing Oregon as the major source of supplementary fruits and vegetables for the northern section of the state. Market gardening production expanded rapidly in both sections of California, however. It was only that the rate of expansion in the south was much greater. Farming techniques also improved considerably. Meanwhile, truck farming—the supplying of eastern markets with fruits and vegetables—had become the dominating economy of the state. Present Areal Pattern The rising importance of both truck farming and market gardening make it difficult to sharply define the current areal boundaries between the two economies. Areal specialization, which capitalizes on the numerous small, but highly significant, local variations in the physical environment of the California lowlands, makes it unprofitable for a particular market gardening area to raise great quantities of all the fruits and vegetables the local urban area needs. There are extremes within this average, of course. An analysis of fruit and vegetable statistics shows such examples as the San Francisco Bay Area producing more lettuce for its needs than the contributions of either the Salinas or Imperial valleys, while all of the oranges for the Bay Area are obtained from the Los Angeles area and the San Joaquin Valley. Many truck farmers also regularly send a portion of their produce to local markets as...