If this were a normal year, the pastures of Pescadero would be clover-green and the grass would be ten inches tall. Erik and Doniga Markegard, of Markegard Family Grass-Fed, would be moving their stately Belted Galloways in a feeding rotation over 3,500 acres of prime munching grounds. Everywhere they roamed, the cattle would encounter thirst-quenching ponds and reservoirs with enough water to last through the summer.   That’s what would happen in a normal year. But this has been anything but a normal year. California is reeling from a drought so severe it has no precedent in the state’s recorded history, and two separate storms in February did not solve the problem. On the South Coast, many pastures are covered with twisted, dry straw. The ponds and reservoirs are mostly empty. In an area whose economy so profoundly depends on a healthy farm sector, all the talk in town is about the drought. Anxiety is high, and morale is low. “It’s been pretty scary and it still is,” says Doniga Markegard. “We’ve been having to bring in a lot of purchased feed, which is setting us back in our trajectory of growth. And we’re not in a position where we are willing to sell off our herd because of the investment we’ve put into it.” In short, the Markegards are … Continue reading Drought crisis threatens South Coast livelihoods