orchard

However, those artificial habitats are shifting too, as the area moves away from rice production and toward orchards and dry farmland.

Years of flooding and trade agreements like Nafta made it harder to make money from raising fruits and vegetables, giving the region’s farmers more reasons to convert fields and orchards to vineyards.

The orchard’s 16 heirloom varieties, older cultivars passed down by generations of farmers, are fenced to keep out the crowd.

In the right conditions an orchard could produce up to 20 kilos per hectare.

Sandoval, a former member of the Kerman City Council and longtime teacher in nearby Tranquility, scoffed at the piano lessons and tree donation, noting that Cantua Elementary is across the street from an orchard.