There are several Instagram handles that highlight the agricultural range of the area surrounding Discovery Bay. These representations stand in contrast to the aerial views that seemingly ask the question over and over “What is a town like you doing in a place like this.?”

How do I resolve the agricultural economic and ecological reality of Discovery with its boating and marine culture more familiar to Florida Coastal waterway than East-central California? Below I list some IG handles that represent Discovery Bay as “livable” and “visually appealing” and “sustainable” but in radically different ways.

Agriculture, Instagram & Discovery Bay

One of the results of engineering the local ecosystem has been a range of flatlands, a set of islands if you will, covered in rich loam. The Ohlone marshlands that ranged from north near Sacramento, south to what is now Altamont Pass, west to Mt Diablo and east to Stockton, have been systematically dredged and engineered into channels called locally sloughs.

The land left dry, rich in nutrients, easily irrigated by the accompanying slough, feed a diverse agricultural economy.

Some of this diversity can be seen in these profiles and pictures:

FGF is s a subunit of one of the largest family farms in and around Discovery Bay. They have an established record of bringing in folks from across the world to educate first-time farmers in the skills needed to be successful.

A stone fruit agri-business along a strip of road between Mt Diablo and Discovery Bay proper.

Vermicompost has become a cutting edge way to make soil as productive or more productive than chemical treatment.

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Like many of the surrounding agribusinesses, Urban Edge & Knoll Organics highlight their woman-led ownership and long-term year over year bounty of success in the community.

A unique organic Spirulina farm literally dug in the earth a quarter mile down the road from my home. A newer venture just across the street from the embattled Tess’ Community Kitchen.

And rumor has it maybe Tess’ Community Kitchen is returning to life. In the year ahead Tess believes her Farm-to-Table cafe may return.

Now, if your not looking for worms, or stone fruits, or organic radishes, or spirulina and just want a place to u-pick Cherries during the infamous Cherry season there an app for that. Try “Find a Farm.”

City Planning, Drones and Discovery Bay on the Delta

By contrast perhaps browse these views of Discovery Bay:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMyeSYaDY4Y/?igshid=oh1cwdticc0a

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https://www.instagram.com/p/CMpdwTZDUE6/?igshid=8nt78szmtp2i

  • DailyOverview:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CD4FiSfFCKD/?igshid=18lgfi0w1sjwa

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BF4Dmv5iUC1/?igshid=13z1yzmzpwa28

I found surfing Instagram to get an outside-in impression of Discovery Bay useful. How do folks see Discovery Bay. This way of seeing is in some ways revealing and some ways deceiving. Social media reveals what folks commonly associate with our town. That said social media, Instagram in particular, doesn’t necessarily reveal the challenges.

I encourage folks to “tag surf” images related to Discovey Bay. To “stalk” Discovery Bay. This spelunking can lead to all kinds of discoveries.

Some related Discovery Bay collections to consider browsing...related to Property, Citizenry, Community, Sustainability, and Health:

  • Sunsets: e.g. https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/discoverybaysunset/

  • Boats: e.g. https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/deltaboating/

  • Fish: https://www.instagram.com/discoverybayfishing/

  • Birds: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/deltabirds/

  • People: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/discoverybaycalifornia/

    #livablecities #citylab #megaregion #nextcity

Feel free to add links to your finds and related resources in the comments…

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