UC Blog
Los Angeles invokes its agricultural past
Urban Farming magazine gave its readers a "whirlwind introduction" to a few Los Angeles residents and programs that are working to bring back a modicum of the metropolis' agricultural past. The first vignette in "Urban Farm Road Trip, Los Angeles" featured Yvonne Savio and the UC Cooperative Extension Common Ground Program she coordinates.
Most counties in the country have a Cooperative Extension service that dispenses agricultural, horticultural and nutritional information, the article said. But the program in Los Angeles County is unique. Common Ground trains Master Gardeners to teach low-income individuals and families how to grow their own food, wrote Erik Knutzen.
"We give people the tools to change their lives -- beautification, culture, emotional, physical and psychological health -- all the good stuff comes through gardening," Savio was quoted in the story.
Because of the tough economic times, LA County Cooperative Extension has launched the "Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative," which encourages citizens to adopt the last century's wartime tradition of growing food to help ease the burden on the nation's food production and distribution infrastructure.
The Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative helps new gardeners start their own gardens quickly and easily in a container, in the backyard or at a community garden.
Yvonne Savio
Rain soaks California farms
People involved in agriculture rarely complain about rain, but the latest series of winter storms has folks talking.
The San Joaquin Valley Viticulture Facebook page, maintained by UC Davis viticulture specialist Matt Fidelibus and Fresno County UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Stephen Vasquez, reported on the drenching in the center of California.
"We've received more than two inches of rain at Parlier in the last 48 hours, and rain is likely for 7 of the next 10 days," read a post made at 4 p.m. on Monday.
Sacramento Bee reporter Loretta Kalb got commentary about the wet weather from the director of UC Cooperative Extension for Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties, Chris Greer. He said the effects of this year's late-season soaking raised concerns for some row crops and tree crops. The wet ground will make it difficult to plant some crops such as rice during the traditional late April or early May schedule.
"If we don't get the ground dried out completely, it warms up, the weeds start growing, and they get a head start on the crop," Greer said.
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Flooded San Joaquin Valley vineyard.
Dooley discusses budget, video posted
On March 8, VP Dan Dooley met with the county directors to discuss the budgets for the UC system and for ANR, multi-county partnerships and recruiting for advisors and specialists.
The governor has proposed a $500 million cut to UC’s budget. Dooley said that the governor won’t sign a budget that isn’t structurally balanced so if the tax extensions don’t get on a special June ballot and approved, UC may be faced with a $1 billion cut.
Referring to the state budget allocation, Dooley said, “The reality is we’re not going to know what our next fiscal year’s budget is until after the June election.”
A 15-minute video recording of excerpts of Dooley’s talk can be viewed at http://ucanr.org/sites/ANRUpdate/Vice_President/County_Directors_Meeting_3-8-11.
View or leave comments for the Executive Working Group
This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.
UC helps farmers identify profitable specialty crops
California small-scale farmers have an ally in their corner when it comes to specialty crop production - UC Cooperative Extension small farm advisors, noted a recent article in Capital Press.
In Fresno, UCCE small farm advisor Richard Molinar is working with Southeast Asian farmers on such crops as Chinese long beans, gailon, eggplant and jujubes, the story said.
He's also helping growers produce Uzbek-Russian melon, which is said to be more flavorful than cantaloupe or honeydew. And for the past seven years, he's been experimenting with miniature watermelons, another specialty crop well suited for small-scale production.
"We're taking a little twist off big watermelons," Molinar was quoted. "We're looking at varieties that growers can obtain and plant."
UC small farm advisor Mark Gaskell helps coastal farmers grow crops for niche markets.
"That's the kinds of things we do," Gaskell was quoted. "We get these things out in trials and get them in growers' hands."
The story said Gaskell, Molinar and other UC farm advisors are now working with Hidden Valley Salad Dressings to identify unusual vegetable varieties that will get elementary school students excited about eating right.
“We’re looking for vegetables that are not on everyone’s radar yet,” Gaskell said. “In some cases, a new crop is one that’s been grown by another culture for hundreds of years and is just ‘new’ to us.”
For more information the "Great Veggie Adventure," view the video below or see the UC news release.
View a 90 second video about the Small Farm Program and the Great Veggie Adventure. |
CDFA secretary discusses the future of California ag
The newly appointed California secretary of agriculture, Karen Ross, outlined her department's California Ag Vision 2030 during a presentation at Fresno State University Sunday. The Business Journal announced the event, but apparently no media outlets attended.
The event was part of Fresno State's 100 year anniversary celebration, which culminates with a Centennial Gala on May 14.
Two years in the making, the CDFA Ag Vision 2030 defines 12 strategies for California's agriculture and food sector. Ross said the Ag Vision is a collaborative effort that involved a diverse group of stakeholders who focused on what they could agree on, rather than fighting about what they can't.
"When you read this, you have to be optimistic about California agriculture," she said.
Ross took the helm at CDFA just as the department faces a $15 million reduction in general fund support this year, a $32 million cut for its fair system and another $15 million funding cut for next year.
Even in the face of these budget cuts, Ross said she is determined CDFA will continue to engage in new and positive programs. That challenge, Ross said, will take ingenuity. She invoked a famous admonition from Winston Churchill, which is also quoted in the Ag Vision 2030: "Gentlemen [and ladies], we have run out of money. Now we have to think."
During the Q&A session, CSUF soil scientist Sharon Benes expressed concern about UC Cooperative Extension, saying UCCE programs have "taken more than their share of the (budget) hit." She said UCCE has played a critical role in creating California's thriving agricultural industry and budget cuts are reducing intellectual capacity.
In responding, Ross said she is working with executives at UC and CSU to see where to fill in the gaps.
"We need to rethink regional deployment," Ross said. "We can't give up the specialists. But maybe you extend information in different ways. I always say, 'Extension is a verb, not a person.' Status quo is not an option anymore."
Karen Ross spoke at CSUF Sunday.
CSUF president John Welty introduced Karen Ross.