Human nature is to protect one’s own or one’s own beliefs, which is what led me to my red-faced experience while reading a Monday article written and posted on the front page of the Press Democrat.
I ponder the following: The media is a powerful driver that influences readers and viewers alike. One eye-catching headline peaks the curiosity … drawing in even the strongest willed. Each line can lead you to wanting more, and can even lead you to changing your stance on certain subjects.
Being careful to state facts precisely, the journalist is generally considerate of all sides in an effort to relate to their target audience, creating interest in which the reader fully engages in the dialogue.
However, my experience when reading the Press Democrat had me angry, emotional and, above all, ready to defend the county in which I live.
The day before Lake County vintners were hyped in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, two weeks ago Shannon Ridge was named one of the “hot” California wine brands in 2009 at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium. As far as the wine business goes, there are a lot of good things going on in Lake County. Our fruit is favorably modeled to be a sustainable North Coast ultra premium wine region.
Yes, it’s tough out there, it’s tough everywhere! And, in general, as I ponder, let’s focus on the bright things in life and in our county, not just on one person's experience in The Dollar Store. Let me remind you all that there is a Dollar Store in shi shi Healdsburg (which is where I am from) and I know some pretty shi shi people that shop there!
But back to business, the bright things. As vintners we have affordable land, affordable sites for tasting rooms, incredible soils, perfect climate to grow high end grapes, and WATER! We also have a progressive and supportive population with a county seat that actually knows how to and can successfully balance our budget within the county.
As a citizen who resides in Lake County I can proudly say we have the following: water, water, water, clean air, clean air, no pollution, no traffic, great hospitals, and affordable land, homes and home sites.
I question comments about unemployment. It is the change in unemployment that is a concern to me. Because it is affordable to reside in Lake County and we have many retired folks it may appear as a 9 percent increase, but this is the same rate as the balance of the USA.
It’s tough everywhere, but the way I was mentored growing up is, don’t throw rocks, don’t sucker punch, always give and be positive. What we should not be doing is bad-mouthing, this is no help for anybody. “Say something nice or don’t say anything at all.”
Sure, people are struggling, people are out of jobs everywhere in the US. We don’t have a lot of industry in Lake County, but people travel to work everywhere. The effect of Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa closing is bad and good; it needed to be remodeled, out-of-county people stayed there and, in time, it will come back.
Bottom line, I am sick and tired of people bad-mouthing my home and the place I live. They talk about the lake, have you ever been out there? It’s beautiful and healthy, and yes sometimes it smells, have you ever smelled the ocean?
Talk about the mercury. I had my first bass barbecued last summer and it was fabulous. They talk about the trailers. Folks, there are trailer parks in St. Helena and all over Napa Valley and Sonoma County. They talk about unemployment. For me I don’t see a difference here in comparison to any other place.
They talk about foreclosures. That is sad, nothing to tease about, people are losing their homes. People are starving in this country and others, let’s help them. They talk about Colusa County being bad, too. Have you ever been there, it is a thriving agricultural community; not sure where the numbers are coming from there.
Business being down 30 to 50 percent is normal through the country. There are always bright spots … our January tasting room business is up 30 percent from last year.
Tourism will get better. Where else can you go water skiing, wakeboarding and fishing, and breathe some affordable, clean air? The US is in a bad cycle, times will change. Lake County wines are being accepted and recognized in the US marketplace as high value, quality wines that people can enjoy and afford in these tough times.
For now I am staying up here in Lake County, so I can watch our bald eagles fish from our creeks, our bears feed on the manzanita berries and a few grapes, our elk graze on the grassy range, our beavers try to build dams in Clear Lake, our bobcats chase gophers and jack rabbits.
Lake County is where I can drive 30 miles to anywhere and never be stuck in traffic, where new resorts are being built on the Northshore and our neighbors from the south are vacationing and enjoying our lakes and purchasing weekend retreats, where I can watch our valuable and abundant water go down our creeks to feed Yolo and other counties and our valued red rocks travel over the hill to the south to landscape yards and build roads, a much needed infrastructure for an ever crowding landscape.
Here we have a beautiful lake that can be seen filling and flooding our wetlands so the otters and beavers, ducks and geese can reproduce.
I am staying here where I can watch my sprinklers operate during frost protection season because we have water. I am staying here where when you look up into the evening sky you can truly appreciate the brightest shining stars you have ever seen.
Where else can I breathe fresh, clean air and think to myself, “God, life is great!”
Clay Shannon and his family live and farm in Clearlake Oaks.
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