California cherry farmer loses trees, livelihood in drought

LEONA VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- For decades, Southern California families have headed to Leona Valley in June to go cherry picking. But the pickings have been slim the last few seasons, because of the drought.

Retired firefighter and cherry farmer Dave Shields is giving up. He's digging up more than 200 cherry trees on his 2.5-acre orchard.

"Four years ago, we sold 8,500 pounds of cherries across our little stand. This orchard did put out," Shields said. "This year, we did about one-third (of that)."

Water is the main reason Shields made the painful decision to close up shop.

"It's not cost effective," Shields said. "Last year, I had -- in July, August and September -- I had $900 water bills, 1,600 gallons a day to water these trees."

According to the California Cherry Association, the state would produce on average 160 million pounds of cherries a year before the drought. In 2014, the state produced 54 million pounds.

This year's crop was better, yielding just under 120 million pounds, but the California Cherry Association says production in Southern California was noticeably down.

Some growers, like Shields, are tearing down their trees for lack of production.

"A lot of memories: grandkids, running the stand, talking to people, a lot of customers," Shields said. "This year, I had to say no more. No more."

Shields says the only way he can sell his property is by digging up every single tree. The land, he says, is more valuable without them.

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