Author: COOP

Cooperative Extension, University of California
Water & Land Resource Manager
TEHAMA, GLENN, COLUSA, AND SHASTA COUNTIES
1754 WALNUT ST, RED BLUFF, CA 96080
(530)-527-3101 Email: aefulton@ucdavis.edu July 2011
COUNTIES

A newsletter from the University of California Cooperative Extension seeking to support productive and judicious use of limited water and land resources in the Northern Sacramento Valley.
Announcing Tailgate Meeting Series for Orchard Crops

Solar Power at Work on the Farm and Buried Drip Irrigation in Prunes– 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 28, 2011, Lindauer River Ranch.
Irrigating Prunes on Marginal, Capability Class II and III Soils – 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 3, 2011, Loretta and Brad Taylor Farm.
Irrigating Walnuts on Deep Alluvial, Capability Class I Soils – 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 10, 2011, Nick Sohrakoff Farm.

Invitation to Attend 2011 Tailgate Meeting Series:
You are invited to attend a series of three short field meetings in late July and early August 2011 before harvest season begins. A variety of experiences related to irrigation management in orchard crops will be shown and discussed at these meetings.
Field Meeting #1 – Thursday, July 28, 2011, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Topic: Solar Power at Work on the Farm and Buried Drip Irrigation in Prunes
Host: Ken Lindauer and Michael Vasey, Lindauer River Ranch
Location: 12030 East Canal Road, Red Bluff, CA
Directions: Nearest major intersection is Highway 99 West and Altube Avenue just south of Red Bluff. From Highwayy 99 West travel abut 0.5 miles east on Altube Avenue and then 0.3 miles north on Healy Avenue. From Healy Avenue turn east on East Canal Road. East Canal Road bends south. Watch for field day signs. You have passed the field meeting location if you travel more than 1.5 miles on East Canal Road.
Meeting Content:
In 2010, Lindauer River Ranch installed a 260 kilowatt solar power system comprised of three fixed panel arrays. The system powers electric irrigation pumps and provides some of the power for a prune dehydrator. You will have an opportunity to view and learn about the various components of this farm solar power system (ground and roof fixed panel arrays, variable frequency drives that regulate power to the turbine pumps, power inverters and controllers for the irrigation pumps and dehydrator, and a computer system to routinely monitor the performance of the solar power system). You will also have the opportunity to discuss various incentives that may influence the decision to invest in solar power for a farm operation. Also, for several years, Lindauer River Ranch has been innovative with their irrigation practices. They will share their experience with using buried drip irrigation in prunes.

Field Meeting #2 – Wednesday, August 3, 2011, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Topic: Irrigating Prunes on Marginal, Capability Class II and III Soils
Host: Loretta and Brad Taylor
Location: 5425 Hall Road, Corning, CA
Directions: From the intersection of Highway 99 West and Finnel Road. Travel north on Highway 99 West 0.3 miles. Turn east on Orangewood Road and travel 3.0 miles. Turn south on Hall Road and travel 0.3 miles. Prune orchard and field meeting location is on the west side of Hall Road. Watch for signs.
From the intersection of South Avenue and Hall Road turn north on Hall Road and travel 3.4 miles. Prune orchard and field meeting location is on the west side of Hall Road. Watch for field day signs.
Meeting Content:
This approximate 28 acre French prune orchard was planted in 1996 and 1997 on marginal, capability Class II and III soils. The predominant soils are the Hillgate, Kimball, and Perkins series. They are characterized for slow infiltration, sloping topography, and other properties that make farming the orchard a challenge. This was also the first experience with farming prunes for the Taylor family. In about 2006, they sought help to improve the orchard’s overall performance. Their goal was to develop a better decision making process for how they managed the orchard nutrition and irrigation that would result in more vigorous trees and improve the consistency of prune yields and size from year to year. This meeting will address experiences with a few irrigation management tools that they began using in 2008 to help them achieve these goals. This year, there is also a small fruit thinning experiment being conducted that will provide a chance to view and discuss the role of thinning in achieving a balance between prune yield and fruit size.
Field Meeting #3 – Wednesday, August 10, 2011, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Topic: Irrigating Walnuts on Deep Alluvial, Capability Class I Soils
Host: Nick Sohrakoff
Location: Walnut orchard is in southwest quadrant at the intersection of Highway 99 East and 5th Avenue. Park along 5th Avenue and meet midway down 5th Avenue along the north edge of the orchard.
Directions: From the intersection of I-5 and Antelope Boulevard in Red Bluff travel approximately 14 miles south on Highway 99 East to 5th Avenue. Turn west on 5th Avenue. The walnut orchard is located on the south side of 5th Avenue.
From the intersection of Aramayo Way and Highway 99 East in Los Molinos, travel about 3 miles north to 5th Avenue. Turn west on 5th Avenue. The walnut orchard is located on the south side of 5th Avenue.
Meeting Content:
This 18 acre Chandler/Paradox walnut orchard was planted in 2006 and is in its sixth growing season. Initially it was inter-planted among an existing prune orchard. The prunes were removed by 2007. This orchard is located within about 0.75 miles of the Sacramento River on a deep alluvial, Capability Class 1 Vina soil series. The grower has previous experience growing walnuts in close proximity to river influences and became concerned with some tree loss in this orchard. He was concerned that at times irrigation management decisions may be contributing to the tree loss. The pressure chamber and midday stem water potential measurements have been used since 2009 as a tool to give added confidence when making irrigation management decisions. This meeting provides an opportunity to discuss the irrigation management strategy used on these deep alluvial soils and observe how the orchard is performing. Use of a pressure chamber to monitor orchard water status will be demonstrated. Beginning in September 2009, an Eddy Covariance station was installed above this orchard to directly measure the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) or water use in this orchard. Data from the orchard is being used to re-evaluate crop coefficients (Kc) that are commonly used to estimate crop water use for English walnut statewide. The results from this orchard will also be compared to a second station currently in operation above a mature Chandler walnut orchard located northwest of Corning on Capability Class II and III soils. The crop coefficients currently used to estimate evapotranspiration for English walnut were developed in the early 1990’s for the Chico variety grown in the central San Joaquin Valley.
WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN ATTEND THESE FIELD MEETINGS. TO HELP US PREPARE, WE’D APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD RSVP BY CALLING 530-527-3101 OR SENDING AN EMAIL TO clmcclain@ucdavis.edu. THANKS!

Cooperative Extension, University of California
Water & Land Resource Manager Newsletter
TEHAMA, GLENN, COLUSA, AND SHASTA COUNTIES
___________________________
Allan Fulton
UC Farm Advisor
The University of California prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender idenity, pregnancy (including childbirth and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, martial status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (covered veterans are special disabled or any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized) in any of its programs or activities. University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612-3550. (510) 987-0096. To simplify information, trade names of products may have been used but no endorsement of named product is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products, which are not mentioned.
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of California, and County of Tehama Cooperating.

Cooperative Extension PRSRT STD
University of California US POSTAGE
Walnut Street Paid
Red Bluff, CA 96080 Red Bluff
“52” Permit No. 112

#