Tree in a drought and dry land vs. tree in green, lush vegetation

Will the Drought Cause a Shortage in Fruits & Veggies?

We dove into the research and reports to see what we could find. Now we’re here to share what we found out and give you some knowledge and solutions that we hope will help you and your family out. 

 

Where is the Drought Occurring within the U.S.?

Currently, the 2021 drought is impacting the entire western United States, as well as the north-central United States. The states that are being impacted worst are California, Oregon, Utah, and Arizona. Conditions are bad throughout the western and north-central United States, but these four states are in a particularly severe situation. It’s not fun to say, but it’s true. 

California is of particular concern, as it is the 5th largest supplier of food to the entire nation. According to the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture, California produces over 30% of the nation’s vegetables and over 60% of the nation’s fruits annually. That is a lot of fruits and veggies!

With the drought being so severe in these areas, we may not be able to buy some fresh produce for much longer. This is a very difficult situation for us all. Hopefully things get better and we are all able to continue purchasing fresh produce, because we love fresh fruits and veggies and we don’t want them to go away! However, we understand the current situation, and so we are stoking up! 

One of the best ways to stock up on fruits and veggies (without them going bad on you) is to buy Ruvi. If you’d like to make sure you always have fresh fruits and vegetables on hand, head over to our store. Ruvi is freeze dried fruits and vegetables in the form of a powder that you can mix with water to make an instant smoothie. Each individual packet contains 4 servings of fruits and vegetables and 8-10 different fruits and veggies.

Drought Map showing exceptional drought, extreme drought, etc. from climate.gov

How Bad is the Drought?

    According to the drought maps published by NOAA, most of the western U.S. is in 'extreme drought' and above right now. Most of California is in 'exceptional drought' and much of Oregon as well. This is especially problematic, as we get much of our produce from these states. 

    Hundreds of farmers are out of work as crops are dying or unviable. These are truly trying circumstances for many of those living in small towns who make their livelihood farming.

    Woman being handed a plate of fruits and veggies in a soup kitchen

    How Will the Drought Affect Food Security?

    Many are saying this could impact our ability to get fresh produce for a year or more. This seems especially true when you consider that California produces 99% of artichokes, 97% of kiwis, 71% of spinach, and high percentages of other fruits and vegetables. 

    Many farmers have been forced to abandon crops, such as crops of almonds, asparagus, and melons, to conserve water and use it for other crops.

    If you don’t have any food stocked up, now may be a good time to start doing so! We are all thinking about this and deciding how to prepare. One thing we all have some extra of is Ruvi. It lasts a very long time and will provide you and your family with quick access to fruits and veggies that pretty much never go bad. Though, again, we do recommend using it within the first year, as it will get very clumpy after that due to all of the fiber.

     

    When Will the Drought End?

    Conditions have been getting dryer and dryer over the years. Meteorologists say that this drought will continue throughout the summer. (1) There is hope that the fall months will be wetter and bring some relief, but that may not be the case if previous years are any sign. Southwest monsoons would hopefully bring relief, but those have been so small in 2019 and 2020 that many referred to them as “nonsoons”. (1)

    We will need some really good snowfall in the coming winter seasons to pull us up out of this drought. Let's hope for some extra snow this season!A man using a shovel to pull carrot roots out of the soil representing regenerative agriculture

    Are There Any Solutions to the Drought?

    There are many things that we can do to improve our current situation and to prepare for the future.

    Regenerative Agriculture

    We want everyone to have access to whole fruits and vegetables. It is our mission to end the mass deficiency of fruits and veggies, which is why we provide Ruvi as an easy way to get 4 servings every day.

    If you are involved in farming at all, look into regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is one of the most popularly searched topics on the internet right now, and it is revolutionizing the agricultural industry and farming as we know it.

    Stock Up

    With things the way they are right now, we recommend stocking up on some extra food. Ruvi is a perfect thing to stock up on, as it lasts up to a year and is a convenient way of getting whole fruits and veggies during a time when you may not have access to any.

    If there is an emergency and you can’t get food, you do not want to be suffering from a lack of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and enzymes. Adding low mood and low energy on top of everything else would not be fun. So stock up! We’re ready to send you Ruvi to help you out! Shop Now

    Use Less Water

    During this time, it is a good idea to use less water. Here are some simple ways to do this:

    • Take showers rather than baths. For all of you bath-takers out there, this is a tough one, we know. But you can do it! 
    • Run the water slower or turn it off frequently when washing dishes.
    • Select a lower water setting and shorter cycle when using the washing machine
    • Check faucets for leaks, and repair them
    • Water your lawn less, or not at all. It isn’t as pretty, but hey, it's worth it given the circumstances

    Ferment Your Vegetables

    If you want your fresh vegetables to stay good for longer, ferment them! Sounds weird, right? It's actually very simple, and extremely healthy! 

    Fermentation creates completely new nutrients and benefits and actually increases the amount of vitamins and other nutrients in vegetables. 

    Organic vegetables have naturally occurring beneficial bacteria on their surface. These beneficial bacteria are called "probiotics." When you 'ferment' a vegetable, you are enabling this good bacteria to grow and increase their populations. Then, you can eat that vegetable with the beneficial bacteria to experience wonderful health benefits to your gut and brain! Plus, fermented vegetables can last up to a few months in the fridge, giving you 'fresh' vegetables for a much longer period of time. 

    Fermentation can be done in your own home, often with nothing more than a vegetable, some filtered water, and a bit of salt. You can ferment many different vegetables including cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, and radishes.

    You may know fermented cucumbers by the name of 'pickles', or fermented cabbage by the name of 'sauerkraut'. One thing to keep in mind though, is that typical store-bought pickles or sauerkraut are not fermented. 

    So give it a try! Look up a short YouTube video on making your own fermented carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, or radishes. It's so easy and so healthy for your body! Just make sure that you use filtered spring water, as chlorinated water will kill the good bacteria and make fermentation impossible.

    Canning

    Canning is another way of preserving your fresh fruits and vegetables. You can buy cans at the store, or you can purchase mason jars and do your own canning at home. Or, if that's not something that appeals to you, you can skip the canning and just get Ruvi

    Ruvi

    Ruvi is freeze dried fruits and veggies, crushed into a powder. You simply open up a packet, pour it in a shaker bottle, add water, and shake. In about 30 seconds, you have a smoothie with 4 servings of fruits and veggies and 8-10 different fruits and vegetables per blend. Clean nutrition has never been so easy. Go to our store and order Ruvi now to ensure you and your family always have whole fruits and veggies on hand. 

    We wish you and your family the very best during this time. We’re all in this together!


    Sources:

    1. The Western Drought Is Bad. Here’s What You Should Know About It. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/article/drought-california-western-united-states.html
    You’ve probably heard about the severe drought in the U.S. this summer, right? We were curious about what this could mean for the nation and our access to fresh food, especially fruits and veggies. 
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