(The following appeared on the Bakersfield Californian website on March 13, 2011.)
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Bees at work hummed from one almond bloom to the next across thousands of acres just north of Shafter Wednesday afternoon.
Every few minutes, a train sounding its horn broke up the din, a not-so-gentle reminder that this farming area so prized for its Kimberlina fine sandy loam soil also serves as a transportation corridor linking north and south.
How peacefully these dual roles can coexist may soon be put to the test as the California High-Speed Rail Authority prepares to decide whether to run 220-mph trains along existing tracks through Wasco and Shafter — or take what could be a less complicated route through prime Kern County farmland.
The full story is at www.bakersfield.com.