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| Farming is the only profession that Al Bonturi has ever known - and he loves doing it. Al grew up on the farm that he still farms today. He took over the responsibility for running the family farm at age 14, when his father past away and left ten children to raise. He has been working that farm ever since. Currently, Al has about 30 acres, all planted in walnut orchards. He sells what he produces to a larger local farmer in Hollister who resells them to chain stores across California. | |
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| Al has implemented a number of water quality protection practices. One of these is to save the entire pruning from the trees and leave them down in the center of the rows between the trees. This stops any flow of water during a rain event. He covers the tree prunings with seeds and watches it grow. Al says that the cover crop gets really high and pretty. Once the season is over, he discs it under and starts the cycle all over the following year. |  Tree trimmings hold the soil in the row between trees |
 Hollow weeds |
One of the weeds he used has a hollow steam, like a straw. Al found that, when he cuts the weeds, the stem sticks up and water goes through the opening at the top and into the soil, which is an extra bonus because the soil in the orchard is not very porous. After he discovered this side benefit, he has been using that type of weed ever since. Al’s orchard is on a micro sprinkle system and has been for a while. Before he switched to drip, he considered all the options and decided that drip would work the best for his operation. Since he has switched to drip, he seen the reduction in the amount of water that he uses, which is always a good thing. |
 Micro Sprinkler in the orchard |
Al says that one of the useful things that was stressed in the class was that, when you work cooperatively with your neighbors, you are more likely to get problems solved. Al's property is right next door to a large-scale nursery, which has also taken the Water Quality Short Course. Al and his neighbors have been talking and they have solved many problems together. We are lucky to have so many proactive growers like Al Bonturi preserving agriculture and protecting water in the Pacheco watershed! |
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