, here in San Diego County — long one of the largest producers of avocados in the world—

show total acreage of avocado trees in the county dropped from roughly acres in 2008 to about . The report lists a variety of reasons why, including the spread of urban development.

Jennifer and Kurt Bantle are among those still growing avocados in the North County. Jennifer said she and her husband thought their Bantle Farm in Fallbrook would be a good investment when they started farming 14 years ago.

“But we learned the trees were too tall. We had to stump the trees and start all over again, which meant waiting seven years for a full crop,” she said.

Bantle said that’s when they realized Kurt would have to keep his job as a wireless engineer to afford farming.

And growing time was not the only

See Full Page