Agricultural Core vs. Theme parks

As stated previously in this blog, Carlsbad has a modest agricultural center. The greater San Diego area does have a notable agriculture industry. However, one industry that is big in the San Diego area is theme parks. Sea World and the San Diego Zoo are the top attractions. A relative newcomer is Legoland which is located in Carlsbad. It is one of four Legoland parks with the other three located in Europe; England, Germany and Denmark. The US Legoland opened in 1999 and is geared toward younger kids. The average attendance is estimated at 1.4 million each year. It has stiff competition in this industry with the aforementioned parks a few minutes south and Disneyland, Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain to the north. It does fit a niche with its focus on smaller children with scaled down rides and exhibits.



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The Southern Coastland - Gulf Coast

The Southern Coastlands of the United States has a rich and diverse tradition in jazz, food, agriculture, tourism and petroleum. From the border town of Brownsville to the large port city of Houston, to the Mississippi delta town of New Orleans, through the panhandle of Florida and down to the Florida keys, this region and its people are as varied as any in the world. Contrast this with my city of Carlsbad, CA that has little to no diversity, forgettable food, only the thoughtful alternative indie rock group "Switchfoot" can be claimed as its native sons.

Agriculture and Demographics

In Carlsbad, there is primarily only small scale agriculture. Due to the sandy soil conditions which aids in drainage and the temperate weather, flowers are grown in and around the Carlsbad area for nearly a century. As one travels southward on Interstate 5, especially during the spring months, fields of flowers can be seen. There a few organic farms scattered about the town.

The demographics in the area are overwhelmingly caucasian accounting for 85% of the population. About 12% is Latino, with less than 1 % being African American. The population demographics and agriculture are much different than that of the Changing South.

Mining vs. Golf

The Appalachians and the Ozarks have little in common with Carlsbad, CA. However, there are a few similarities. First, both areas we late to develop in relation to the surrounding areas close in proximity. The Appalachian Mountains acted as a natural barrier to the original colonies regarding westward movement. No such barrier exists in Carlsbad but the natural ports of San Diego and Los Angeles attracted more settlers and traffic than the nondescript coast of Carlsbad. Also, both regions tend to be more politically conservative. Of course, there are huge disparities as well. The Appalachia and the Ozark are known for extreme poverty while Carlsbad is considered one of the wealthiest areas in the United States. There does not seem to much of a native Indian presence in Appalachia and the Ozark while San Diego County has 18, more than any other county in the United States.

Nothing Like the Bypassed East

Carlsbad, California is the antithesis of the northern New England area of our country. Carlsbad is known for its sand, sun and warm ocean waters. On the other hand, New England is known for its lack of the aforementioned properties. Carlsbad and its surrounding areas have little to no forest while New England, once had extensive forests, was over-forested and now that has become a new second growth forest. New England has 40 to 60 inches of precipitation with a average midwinter temperature of 5 to 10F. Carlsbad has a typical Southern California Mediterranean like mild climate. Much of New England has rugged terrain and chilly ocean waters due to the Labrador Currents flows. On the contrary, Carlsbad draws thousands of swimmers and surfers each year to its warm and inviting beaches.

Carlsbad's Manufacturing Core

Carlsbad has a varied manufacturing commerce. Its largest employer by far is the Callaway Golf Company which makes golf clubs, golf apparel and other related golf items. Another golf company Taylor Made also resides in Carlsbad. It's next biggest manufacturer is Invitrogen which is a bio science company. There are other notable companies in this field with BeckmanCoulter being another. BeckmanCoulter makes analytical machines like the Coulter Counter with performs cell counts on blood and other products. In my current line of work, we use these counters to count yeast cells as we monitor the fermentation process at our brewery. Isis Pharmaceuticals is also in Carlsbad. This company uses the latest RNA gene technology to discover new drugs with many different applications. The Gemological Institute of America resides in Carlsbad. Their world headquarters are here with a research lab, a school and instrument making division.

As you can see, Carlsbad offers many different manufacture items from local companies.

Urbanization

Carlsbad is located in the suburbs of the greater San Diego metropolitan area. It is situated below the two large California counties of Los Angeles and Orange.

It is not quite the Megalopolis of the eastern seaboard although it does share many similar properties. It has several large interconnected urban areas with several suburban and rural towns in close proximity. Southern California has extensive coastal access. It has many cities extended from the coastal area into deeper inland regions. Southern California also has elaborate import and export trade via the Pacific Rim. The larger cities were developed near good harbors that facilities trade. Southern California has urban cities that have spread out through suburbs that have begun to coalesce into one larger populated area. It is quite possible that someday SoCal might be declared the "Megalopolis of the West Coast".