Alert
It seems as though I write about something “environmental” almost every week. I think it is becoming increasingly obvious to many people that the “green revolution” is exactly what it says it is. It is a revolution against all that we hold dear, our values, what we have worked for and our land. Every day I read about another assault on not only our rights but also our way of life. Let me give you a few examples if you think I am making this up. Politics, and in particular corruption in politics, has many of us of both political parties questioning where our country is headed. The Valley Journal began to wonder ... On the basic foundation principles of America, how far apart are liberals and conservatives? Don’t miss the interview of David Crosby, a longtime social activist, on his thoughts about politics and the Constitution. At least ten years ago the assault on farmers and ranchers began with daily ads about how we were ruining the environment. We were dumping foul and dangerous chemicals into the ground and the streams. We were polluting the air with cow burps and other animal emissions. We were allowing our animals to eliminate on the ground so that it fouled our land and eventually the rivers and lakes. Our plowing habits had to be changed because they impacted the earth and certain desirable plants. Our irrigation habits had to be changed because we used too much water and it was polluting the waterways. Now we are told that all of our diesel trucks and farm equipment must be either retired or refitted to meet new standards. There is legislation coming soon that will curtail the production of dust for your breathing pleasure. I’m not sure how this will be applied to our dirt roads that we all have but I am fairly sure that it will be expensive if not cost prohibitive. Then there is the proposed cap-and-trade bill and the Clean Water Restoration Act currently under consideration in Congress. As soon as the “health care” debacle is over, they will begin to deal with those issues. The cap-and-trade bill is, like so many of these proposals, based on suspect science produced either in universities by people who have no long term understanding of farming or ranching and have a definite agenda coloring their evaluations. While everybody wants clean air and water, it is clear that while there might be some small indirect benefits to those resources, the farmers and ranchers will derive nothing more than a smaller income. Unfortunately, the nature of the business is that people in agriculture themselves do not and cannot control the market for their products and therefore not only can they not pass along the added expenses to the consumers, they cannot cut back on what it costs them to produce the items. The Clean Water Restoration Act is especially egregious because it takes away any remaining ability for a property owner to determine the use of their land. By removing the all-important distinction of “navigable” versus “non-navigable” water and declaring that any water wherever it may be found is now “waters of the United States” makes any pothole, gopher hole, backyard pond or stock pond subject to Federal regulation. This is the biggest “taking” of private property in American history and I would strongly urge you to start calling, writing, emailing and contacting by whatever means all of your legislators to stop this huge theft from happening. This bill would apply to intermittent streams and rivers like the ones we have here in the valley. It would also apply to groundwater that is part of the value of one’s property. If one has no control over one’s property or the water that is contained on or under it, there doesn’t leave much of value for the property owner. Of course, this is what one pays property taxes for so will there be a reduction in the taxes because of the loss in value? Santa Barbara County has had a problem with this issue for the last few years. They have tried hard to ignore the fact that the legal determination according to Interstate law of the Santa Ynez River is that it is NOT a “navigable” river therefore not subject to rules that govern “navigable” rivers. Those rules include high water mark issues regarding ownership with anything below the high water mark being public and accessible to the public. Our river, being “non-navigable”, is privately owned, has APN numbers identifying parcels of land by the assessor’s office and is taxed the same as non-river land. This very issue was adjudicated two years ago in court when I donated a conservation easement of two parcels, one bordered by the river parcel. This issue has come up a number of times when hunting or fishing has occurred in the riverbed without the permission of the owner. Down by Lompoc, there are continuing problems with people driving in the riverbed and having parties down there without the permission of the owners. When the Sheriff’s Department has been asked to intervene, until recently, the deputies have been very helpful in removing those persons, citing them for trespass and admonishing them from returning. Recently, however, there has been some misinformation spread around to deputies some of whom now believe that the land is public and access is fine even for hunting as long as proper licenses are obtained. Let me be very clear! Some people discovered last year that this is NOT true. This IS private property and wishing it were different is not going to make it so. I have been approached by a number of property owners who are recent residents here who are very upset that people are hunting on their property without their permission. They would not give it even if they were asked because of children or animals nearby. They were outraged when Sheriff’s Department deputies refused to do anything and cited their belief that the riverbed was public. Belief is one thing; law is something else and perhaps we need law enforcement who are willing to follow the law. There are Interstate Commerce laws that apply here but in this county, the intent to expand one’s influence seems to be more important. I suspect that soon the river property owners will have something to say regarding use of their properties. I would suggest that the county either buy them at market rates that they can’t afford or go back to following the law. Ever since we’ve had a “progressive” majority on the board, this has been a problem. That will be changing soon and we can go back to a nation that follows the laws instead of the current ever-reaching, grabbing hands of Washington and Sacramento. nancy@syvjournal.comA time to celebrate
Despite the disturbing trends we all see in government behavior and there is plenty of it to go around, this is the time of year to celebrate the year past and to hope for a better year to come. I find myself being nostalgic as though I just discovered that summer was finally forever over and winter was about to begin. I am a huge fan of summer because I can swim every day and I do enjoy the sun a lot but the winter offers its own brand of good moments. There seems to be more time to visit with friends, enjoying great meals together, snuggling with your best friend whether human or otherwise and keeping warm with fires and other devices. I especially enjoy watching the birds go by who are going further south for the winter. I also like watching the little yellow finches who depend on our supply of Niger seed to keep them warm during the winter months. It is time to switch crops in the vegetable garden. I will need to first remove the remnants of the summer garden and place them in my compost bins to produce that wonderful deep brown soil that grows the best of everything. It is time to plant peas, carrots, radishes, potatoes, onions, garlic and shallots. You may notice that I have left out the cole crops like cabbage, brussel sprouts and broccoli but that is only because the bugs here always get to it first and as a result there are certain crops I do not normally plant. This is also a time for holiday gathers large and small. No matter what holiday you celebrate or for what reason, it is joyful time to share with friends and family. It is a sad and difficult time for some who have recently lost loved ones and to them I ask that you try to remember some special happy time they shared together. Over the years I have had some lonely times where friends and family were not available and I had to fend for myself. I managed to get through it all by reminding myself that it was only one day and things would return to normal. I am very lucky to now live in the most beautiful place on earth, to be surrounded by wonderful friends, and to have a wonderful family some of whom will be able to join us here at the ranch. Merry Christmas to all and here’s to a happy, healthy 2010!