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First the trucks arrived, carrying armed men toward the mist-shrouded mountaintop. Then the flames appeared, sweeping across a forest of towering pines and oaks. After the fire laid waste to the forest last year, the trucks returned. This time, they carried the avocado plants taking root in the orchards scattered across the once tree-covered summit where townspeople used to forage for mushrooms. “We never witnessed a blaze on this scale before,” said Maricela Baca Yépez, 46, a municipal official and lifelong resident of Patuán, a town nestled in the volcanic plateaus where Mexico’s Purépecha people have lived for centuries.

Persons: ”, Maricela Baca Yépez Locations: Patuán

☆ Why apple prices plunged in October
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But apple prices plunged 7.9%. A Goldilocks year for applesIn general, apple prices dip in the fall, because that’s when they’re harvested and flood the market. An apple orchard near Leavenworth, Washington state. “We have a lot of volume, but I don’t know if we’re gonna be making any money this year.”Though gas prices have fallen, apple farmers have other rising costs, including labor. To cope with rising costs and improve sustainability, many farmers have been making adjustments to how they operate, said Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission, which promotes the state’s apple industry.

Persons: it’s, ”, Chris Gerlach, ” Gerlach, “, Jon DeVaney, Gerlach, Lynsee Gibbons, we’ve, Association’s DeVaney, …, Craig Campbell, Campbell, DeVaney, “ I’ve, Jonathan Haines, Todd Fryhover, “ We’re, “ They’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Apple Association, Gro Intelligence, Tree Fruit Association, USDA, “, ” Farmers, Harmony Orchards, Washington Apple Commission Locations: New York, United States, India, Leavenworth , Washington, Washington, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, East, South Asia, Yakima, Wenatchee

An Israeli military spokesman indicated on Friday that the military operation against Hamas would advance into southern Gaza but gave no indication of timing. "They asked us, the citizens of Gaza, to go to the south. With Palestinians now effectively cornered, the second stage in Israel's military campaign is fraught with even more risks than the first. Assessing Israel's gains till now, Eiland said he believed the IDF had dealt with "something like 50%" of Hamas' military capacity. "I'm not sure that all foreigners understand the Israeli mood: Israel will not stop the operation before the hostages are back," said Eiland.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Gazans, Israel, Abu, Giora, Daniel Hagari, Hagari, Matthew Miller, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, Ahmed, Eiland, Osama Hamdan, Al Mawasi, I'm, Jonathan Saul, Nidal, Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Matt Spetalnick, Edmund Blair, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Gazans, Israel Washington, Israel's National Security Council, Reuters, U.S, U.S . State Department, United Nations, IRNA, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, GAZA, Israeli, Gaza City, United States, Washington, U.S, Beirut, U.N, Egypt, Rafah, Eiland, London

Bipin Joshi watched the two grenades skid across the cement floor of the windowless room where he was hiding, shoulder-to-shoulder with 16 other student farmers from Nepal. Outside, the Hamas gunmen marauding through the orchards and dairy barn of Kibbutz Alumim were killing anyone they could find. The Nepalis had arrived in Israel just three weeks earlier, on a college program to tend orange and lemon groves. They were two days short of their first paycheck. Now, somehow, they were huddled against a wall, bracing for impact.

Persons: Bipin Joshi, Alumim, Nepalis Locations: Nepal, Israel

☆ The Apple-Picking Apocalypse of Upstate New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Elizabeth G. Dunn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon in the Hudson Valley, 70 degrees in October and not a cloud in the sky: perfect weather for apple picking. A small crowd awaited a pig race, some of them clutching little checkered flags they had purchased for a dollar. “That’ll be eight weekends in a row,” Mr. Barton said. “It’s absolutely, absolutely unheard-of.”According to Mr. Barton, this has been, without question, the most miserable fall tourism season since he converted the family apple orchard to a pick-your-own outfit in the 1990s. In recent years, he said, the property has drawn more than 10,000 visitors on peak weekends.

Persons: Peter Barton, “ That’ll, Mr, Barton, “ Organizations: Barton Orchards Locations: Hudson, Barton, Poughquag, Beacon

The January contract of frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) hit an all-time high of $4.17 per pound during the session, before falling back to $3.83 per pound. Did anyone predict $4.00 orange juice? As a comparison, the most traded contract among the soft commodities, ICE's raw sugar, had over 435,000 lots in open interest. Ibiapaba Netto, executive director at CitrusBR, the association representing Brazilian juice producers, said that a reversal of the current tight supply situation would take time, and is not certain to happen. Brazil has a 75% share of the global orange juice trade.

Persons: Mohamed Abd El Ghany, Dave Reiter, OJ, Darin Fessler, Ibiapaba Netto, Netto, greening, Marcelo Teixeira, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Intercontinental Exchange, Reiter Capital Investments, CitrusBR, Thomson Locations: El Nobaria, Cairo, Egypt, New York, United States, Brazil, Mexico, U.S

But for companies like Soergel Orchards in western Pennsylvania, a slowdown is nowhere in sight. “People love to pick — people will pick anything.”Sales are up even though a string of rainy weekends have held back attendance at the farm’s annual fall festival. And the owners are bracing for a strong season in their store selling Christmas decorations. Consumer demand has unexpectedly boomed in 2023, defying widespread expectations for a slowdown and helping to fuel strong overall growth. The economy expanded at an eye-popping 4.9 percent annual rate in the third quarter, far faster than the roughly 2 percent pace officials at the Fed think of as its standard growth pace.

Persons: ”, Amy Soergel Organizations: Federal Reserve, Consumer Locations: Pennsylvania

[1/5] English sparkling wine, brand Coates and Seely, is pictured at the Tate Modern art gallery in London, Britain, October 6, 2023. But with vineyards now dotted across hills in southern England and sustainability concerns growing, local fizz is emerging as the drink of choice. Quality has improved, and English wine is no longer mocked by continental neighbours who once joked it tasted of rain. English sparkling and still wine feeds into that narrative," he said. In the UK market for sparkling wine, English fizz accounts for 3% of volumes compared to Champagne's 12%.

Persons: Coates, Seely, Susannah Ireland, Winston Churchill, Josh Donaghay, Henkell Freixenet, Geneva Guerin, Seely Brut, Hectarage, Ned Awty, Awty, Hamish Anderson, Anderson, Champagne Martin, Sarah Young, Catherine Evans Organizations: Tate, REUTERS, UK, Seely, Seely Brut Reserve, Tate Enterprises, Searcys, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, England, Champagne, Boxley, Kent Downs, Bolney, Hampshire

He added that it took eight hours for the Israeli military to arrive to his kibbutz and start fending off the Hamas fighters. The last time he heard from his mother-in-law was at 10:30 a.m., he said, when she called him, panicked and distraught, to say that Hamas militants had shot and killed her husband. A fortified border fence, equipped with sophisticated sensors, proved no match for the heavy explosives unleashed by Hamas militants as they burst into Israel. Other footage captured moments of terror and desperation: Hamas fighters paraded a disoriented-looking elderly woman in a golf cart down a dusty Gaza street while Palestinian crowds cheered. Witnesses told Israeli media that Hamas militants sprayed bullets into the crowd of revelers, who just moments earlier had been drinking, laughing and dancing.

Persons: ”, Jehan Berman, ” Berman —, —, Adele Raemer, Nir Am, Janet Cwaigenbaum, Nir Yitzhak, “ I’ve, Moshe, Berman, “ Organizations: JERUSALEM, Hamas, Gaza, Israel's, Palestinian Locations: Gaza, Israel, Avshalom, Israeli, Kfar Azza, Palestine

☆ Secret spots on Croatia’s famous Dalmatian coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Mary Novakovich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —To many, the southern Dalmatian coast is Croatia. The Adriatic coast is undeniably beautiful, with the forbidding Dinaric Alps as a dramatic backdrop to the heavily indented coastline and dozens of islands scattered about. Until 2022, reaching it from the north meant crossing into Bosnia, whose 12.4 miles of coastline sits below the Neretva delta, before giving way once more to Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast. Elaphiti islandsWander along Dubrovnik’s old port and in seconds you’ll be offered a day trip to the Elaphiti islands, north of the city. Cavtat, about 15 miles south of Dubrovnik, has been steadily growing in popularity as an alternative to the city.

Persons: you’ve, Ivan Meštrović, Poelzer Wolfgang, Alamy, it’s, Pušćica, Klesarska, Goran Bogicevic, It’s, Mamma Mia, ”, laze, Baška Voda, Croatia’s, Korčula, Mali Ston Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Stari Grad, Hvar Town, Zipline Locations: Croatia, Split, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Poelzer, Split’s, Brač, Senjska, Maslinica, Bol, Dalmatia, Washington ,, Stari Grad, Vrboska, Zaklopatica, Vis, Komiža, Tučepi, Biokovo, Hardy, Sveti Jure, Zipline Croatia, Bosnia, Rogotin, Croatian, mali, Dalmatian, Orebić, Mljet, Prapratno, Mali, Ston, Cavtat, robertharding, Slano

Production of the chocolate-making ingredient is expanding outside of the main growing area in West Africa as farmers in places such Brazil, Ecuador and Colombia see potential profit in the crop. The rally in prices to the highest level in nearly 50 years is boosting that trend, which could alleviate the current supply tightness in the global cocoa market. The country was once the second only to Ivory Coast in cocoa production, but a devastating fungus in the 1980's known as Witches' Broom sharply reduced production. "I believe that the new profile of cocoa production will be large-scale," said Moises Schmidt, one of the owners. "If you plant cocoa trees there (Amazon region), it is considered reforestation," said Douglas.

Persons: Schmidt Agricola, Moises Almeida Schmidt, Handout, Moises Schmidt, Jeroen Douglas, Douglas, Jose Garcia, IFAD's, Alvaro Lario, Marcelo Teixeira, Maytaal Angel, Simon Webb, Anna Driver Organizations: REUTERS, International Cocoa Organization, Reuters Graphics, Ivory, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Thomson Locations: Bahia, Brazil, West Africa, Ecuador, Colombia, Africa, South America, Ivory, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Asia, United States, Europe, Guayaquil, Para, Netherlands, Medicilandia, New York, London

The latest hurdle comes from a slow-moving threat — a mass influx of salt water from the Gulf of Mexico that is creeping up the drought-stricken Mississippi River. The issue is forcing farmers to brainstorm other ways to irrigate their crops with fresh water — including storing the little rain water they’ve gotten this summer, hauling in fresh water and establishing makeshift salination treatment facilities. Typically, the mighty flow of the Mississippi is enough to keep mass amounts of salt water from reaching too far inland. While officials believe adult citrus trees will be okay, seedlings are much more sensitive to salt water. Over the years some citrus farmers have focused on seedlings — shipping them to garden centers across the country and as far north as Canada.

Persons: They’re, ”, Joey Breaux, John Bel Edwards, Joe Biden, ” Biden, Belle Chasse, satsumas, Anna Timmerman, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Timmerman, “, ” Timmerman, Kim Dillon, Ben, Ben Becnel Organizations: Army Corps of Engineers, Orange Festival, Louisiana State University, Inc Locations: BATON ROUGE, La, Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi, Belle, Plaquemines Parish, Florida, California, Belle Chasse, Canada

☆ A private island near San Francisco with storied connections to Silicon Valley billionaires is on the market for $75 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Point Buckler Island in Solano County, California, last sold for $150,000 in 2011. The 50-acre private island was a kiteboarding hotspot frequented by tech giants. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisement"I've run out of money to fight and the island is worth a lot of money," he said. The shipping container clubhouse on Point Buckler Island Courtesy of John SweeneyThe island's ritzy history is part of the reason for its $75 million price tag, Sweeney explained.

Persons: It's, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, John Sweeney, Sweeney, Flannery, Marc Andreessen, Laurene Powell, John Sweeney Flannery, Solano Organizations: Service, SF, Flannery Associates, Laurene Powell Jobs, New York Times Locations: Buckler, Solano County , California, Wall, Silicon, San Francisco Bay, Point Buckler, San Francisco, Bay, Solano County, Suisun

Spanish farmer Miguel Moreno was an early adopter of so-called cover crops. Spain's drought-hit olive oil production slumped to 663,000 tonnes last year, less than half the average of 1.45 million tons recorded in the previous four harvests, according to the government. In January, it began subsidising farmers who use cover crops as part of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). She said the company was pushed both by customers such as Walmart in the U.S. and by regulation to buy olive oil from producers using sustainable practices. Ecology professor Manzaneda is also coordinator of EU-funded project SOIL O-LIVE and is testing methods for coaxing Albacete's degraded earth back to health.

Persons: Chiclana de Segura, Jon Nazca, Andrea Ronca, Miguel Moreno, Angel, Dcoop, Gonzalo Delacamara, Emilio Gonzalez, Antonio Manzaneda, Manzaneda, Olive, Syngenta, Luis Miranda, Domingo, Marco Trevisan, Dean, Simone Rech, Catalonia's Cava, Sebastiano Conti, Charlie Devereux, Antonella, Corina Pons, Keith Weir, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: REUTERS, Companies Southern, VILLANUEVA DEL ARZOBISPO, Farmers, European Union, of Nutrition, Plant Science, IE, Water, University of Cordoba, University of Jaen, European, Walmart, Swiss, Syngenta, EU, TECH, Smart, Milan Polytechnic, University of Brescia, of Agricultural Sciences, Catholic University of Piacenza, Thomson Locations: Olive, Chiclana, Jaen, Spain, ROME, Italy, Madrid, European, France, Germany, Mantua, Andalusia, European Union, U.S, ITALY, Treviso, Venice, Sicily

☆ Khosla Ventures backs effort to make orchards of lung-like material to absorb CO2 from air
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Spiritus has built a novel approach to direct air carbon capture that relies on a material that absorbs carbon dioxide passively. When the lung-like "fruit" have been collected from the carbon "orchard," they will be put in a container, where low heat will be applied to remove the carbon dioxide. That's important because while carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are at record high levels, carbon dioxide is still diluted and makes up a relatively small percentage of the air. That third component — economical — is critical in the direct air carbon capture field, and is part of what drew Khosla Ventures to make its first direct air capture investment in Spiritus. "We're able to remove about 1,000 times more carbon dioxide than a forest can.

Persons: Charles Cadieu, Matt Lee, Spiritus, Lee, Lee hadn't, Cadieu, Melinda Gates, she's, Leonardo da Vinci, We've, Rajesh Swaminathan, Swaminathan, what's Organizations: Silicon, Khosla Ventures, Page One Ventures, CNBC, Los Alamos National Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Melinda Gates Foundation, GE Healthcare, Yahoo, Ventures, U.S . Department of Energy Locations: Western U.S, Spiritus

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated Vermont a natural disaster area from the catastrophic July flooding, making farms eligible for emergency federal loans, Republican Gov. It's the second USDA disaster declaration for Vermont this summer. In July, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack approved Scott's request for a disaster declaration for the May frost that hit many growers, including vineyards and apple orchards. Since the July flooding, farmers have reported over $16 million in damage and losses, according to Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts. “This designation can provide a lifeline to these important farm and food businesses with resources until next year’s growing season.”The latest designation makes farms hit by the flooding eligible for emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency, Scott said.

Persons: Phil Scott, It's, Tom Vilsack, Anson Tebbetts, ” Tebbetts, Scott Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Republican Gov, Farm Service Agency Locations: Vermont

☆ Datça: The beautiful Turkish peninsula forgotten by time
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Feride Yalav-Heckeroth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —With untouched and natural rugged scenery, forested with pristine bays on both sides, the Datça peninsula feels a world away from the touristy towns of this popular corner of the Med. Strict laws about construction have protected Datça from large-scale tourism projects, leaving its eponymous small port town, located around midway on the peninsula, rooted in the past. Where to stayThe Palaia Hotel, a modern take on traditional Datça architecture and culture. Ayhan Altun/Moment RF/Getty ImagesIn downtown Datça, shops such as Pehlivan and Datça Köy Ürünleri sell local almonds in every form imaginable. “Datça is a peninsula, but it’s more like an island, we’re very isolated and have our own way of life,” says Boylu.

Persons: Furkan Uyan, “ I’ve, ”, Ismet Tekinalp, Almond, Kurabeyicisi, Kaya Balları, badem, Datça, Hestia, Hestia Mey, Yücel, Ali Somer, Ayça Boylu, Axel Korf, “, Feride, Conde Nast Organizations: CNN, ”, Getty, Kaya, Usta, Winery, Culture, Art Academy Locations: Turkey, Marmaris, Knidos, Caria, downtown, Turkish, “, Datça, Cumalı, Yaka, Knidia, Değirmenbükü, Istanbul, Lake Constance, Kinfolk

☆ How does Storm Idalia compare to the most powerful hurricanes in US history?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here is a list of some of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the mainland U.S. based on minimum atmospheric pressure, which scientists use to rate storm intensity. A lower pressure, measured in millibars, or mb, means a more powerful storm. UNNAMED FLORIDA KEYS HURRICANE, LABOR DAY 1935 (892 MB)The hurricane struck the Florida Keys as a Category 5 storm, the highest ranking on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. After ravaging the Keys, the storm moved north off the western coast of Florida before turning inland. Ian almost hit as a Category 5 storm, with the wind speed falling just short of the threshold of 157 mph (252 km).

Persons: Ian, Marco Bello, Idalia, Florida . HURRICANE CAMILLE, Camille, MICHAEL, Michael, HURRICANE KATRINA, HURRICANE ANDREW, Andrew, HURRICANE IAN, Hurricane Ian, Rich McKay, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, National Hurricane Center, Florida Panhandle, U.S, HURRICANE, Texas Gulf, Hurricane, Thomson Locations: Fort Myers Beach , Florida, U.S, Florida, Florida , Georgia, Carolinas, FLORIDA, Florida . HURRICANE, Mississippi's Gulf, Central America, HURRICANE, New Orleans, South Miami, Dade County, TEXAS GULF, Texas, Texas Gulf Coast, Indianola, Galveston, Atlanta

☆ Why New Zealand's golden kiwis are so expensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Irene Anna Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Golden kiwis are a pricey kiwi variety known for their yellow flesh and sweet taste. Created by Zespri, New Zealand's kiwifruit cooperative, golden kiwis saved the island nation's local kiwi industry after a disease destroyed most of its kiwi orchards back in 2010. Despite costing nearly twice as much as standard green kiwis, golden kiwis have proven more popular — and more profitable. Zespri's SunGold kiwi strain is so valuable that its sprouts have been smuggled overseas and sold in lots for 60,000 New Zealand dollars. And what makes this particular kiwi so expensive?

Persons: Zespri Organizations: Golden kiwis, kiwis, New Locations: Zespri ,

☆ Why orange juice futures are spiking
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Orange juice futures are hitting record highs because of bad weather and a nasty citrus disease. “Record-high orange juice prices in 2023 are a consequence of a very tight market, with smaller-than-expected production and low inventories,” he added. Spiking futures prices could mean higher prices at the grocery store, he said. On Walmart’s website, a 52-ounce bottle of Tropicana Original orange juice currently goes for about $4. Shoppers may not tolerate prices getting any higher, especially when they don’t see orange juice as a staple.

Persons: ”, Billy Roberts, Hurricanes Ian, Nicole, Chandan Khanna, Citrus, Mathew Joyner, Roberts, “, Andrés Padilla, Jack Scoville Organizations: New, New York CNN, OJ, Hurricanes, Getty, US Department of Agriculture, Citrus Mutual, Rabobank, Price Futures Group, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, Florida, America, Brazil, Mexico, United States

☆ The secret side of the Mediterranean – by boat in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Rob Hodgetts | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Tropez of Turkey,” but there are plentiful nooks and crannies to discover away from the crowds. Jetties jut into the emerald water enticing boat crews to dine at the small tavernas, including Captain Ibrahim’s and Rosemary Restaurant. Across the gulf on its own peninsula is pretty waterfront town Bozburun, known for its thyme honey, sponge fishing and traditional boat builders. Bestas Limani is known as Cold Water Bay as it's fed by chilly mountain springs. To the south of Fethiye is Bestas Limani, more commonly known as Cold Water Bay because of the cold springs that flow from the mountains.

Persons: Ada, Tropez of, Captain Ibrahim’s, Rosemary, Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Aphrodite, Sleepy Selimiye, Marmaris, Bükü, Mattia Sobieski, St, Nicholas –, – Organizations: CNN, Baba, Q Locations: Coast . Gulf, Gökova, Yalıkavak, Gümüşlük, Kalymnos, Fenerci, Kos, St, Tropez, Tropez of Turkey, ”, Bodrum, Orak, Maldives, North Africa, Kedrai, Değirmen, Knidos, Hisarönü, Simi, bougainvillea, Turkey, Palamut, Bençik Bay, Loryma, Hellenic, Çiftlik, Marmaris, Ekinçik, Kaunos, . Gulf, Fethiye, imageBROKER.com, Telmessos, Turkish, Tersane, Ottoman, Ruin, Wall, Kayaköy, Lausanne, Gemiler

It left us with nothing," Zuhaira told Reuters. The speed of the wind was a factor in the excessive spread of the fires," Qatna told Reuters during a tour of the area. [1/5]A firefighter attempts to extinguish a wildfire, in the northern countryside of Latakia, Syria July 29, 2023. Syria has been severely impacted climate change in recent years, including rising temperatures and erratic rainfall which have led to forest fires and poor harvests. "Syrians were already especially vulnerable because of the impacts of more than 12 years of conflict, which makes it even harder for them to deal with the impacts of climate change," Zakkout told Reuters.

Persons: Izzadin Zuhaira, I've, Zuhaira, Mohammad Hassaan Qatna, Qatna, Suhair Zakkout, Zakkout, Firas Makdesi, Maya Gebeily, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Reuters, Firefighters, REUTERS, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Syria, Latakia, Homs, Hama, Damascus, Beirut

☆ Italian farmer battles frost, floods, heat and hail in epic year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Claudia Greco | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A farmer stands next to a greenhouse in a field covered with cracked solidified mud, in the aftermath of deadly floods in Emilia-Romagna, in Forli, Italy June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Claudia Greco/File PhotoFORLI, Italy, July 20 (Reuters) - Farmer Andrea Ferrini is on the frontline of climate change in Italy and it is hurting. The following month, rains and floods swept the region, killing 15 people, causing billions of euros' worth of damage and hitting agriculture particularly hard. According to the Coldiretti agricultural association, more than 5,000 farms were left under water in the region, which accounts for a third of Italy's fruit harvest, including Ferrini's smallholding. "A farmer prepares all year round for the harvest and then sees his crop destroyed in just a few minutes or a few hours.

Persons: Claudia Greco, Farmer Andrea Ferrini, Ferrini's, Ferrini, Crispian Balmer, Janet Lawrence Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Emilia, Romagna, Forli, Italy, FORLI, Po

☆ New Zealand’s Real Fruit Ice Cream Gets an American Makeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Priya Krishna | More About Priya Krishna | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In New Zealand, one of summer’s great pleasures is known as real fruit ice cream: a scoop of vanilla blended with fruit in a machine that produces an airy, barely sweet twirl with a buttery texture. In the United States, it’s just beginning to catch on in cities like Boston, Portland, Ore., and Austin, Texas. But along the way, the no-frills treat has undergone a full-bore makeover. At most American shops that sell it, real fruit ice cream can be mixed with graham crackers and Oreos; drizzled with hot fudge, caramel or chamoy; and enjoyed atop a chocolate- and sprinkle-dipped cone. (“It’s almost healthy” is the unofficial slogan at Nico’s Real Fruit Ice Cream in Portland, Ore.)

Persons: it’s, graham Locations: New Zealand, United States, Boston, Portland, Austin , Texas, Portland , Ore

☆ Space photos show over 1 trillion gallons of water flooding crop fields in California, and it could mean higher food prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Rebecca Strong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Tulare Lake used to be the largest lake west of the Mississippi River. This year's rain and snowmelt have replenished the lake, flooding many of the region's farms. And here's what it looked like on April 30:This is how the area looked on April 30, after Tulare Lake flooded. As of June, the flooded parts of Tulare Lake spanned about 178 square miles, or 113,920 acres — almost the size of Lake Tahoe. Tulare Lake began to reappear this March, before the Sierra Nevada snowpack started meltin.

Persons: Lauren Dauphin, NASA EOSDIS LANCE, Brad Rippey, Rippey, Dennis Hutson, Hutson, Nicholas Pinter, University of California Davis, — Organizations: Farmers, Service, NASA, U.S . Geological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture, Atmospheric Administration, TAC Farm, for Watershed Sciences, University of California, Agriculture Assembly, Southern Sierra, Southern Sierra Nevada snowpack, San, Sierra, Sierra Nevada snowpack Locations: Tulare, Mississippi, Wall, Silicon, California, U.S, San Joaquin, Tulare Lake, Lake Tahoe, Tulare County, San Joaquin Valley, Tulare Lake ., Southern Sierra Nevada, Joaquin Valley, Sierra Nevada, Central

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