- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
On the way to and from the California Farm Conference in Visalia this week, I couldn't help but notice that many peach and almond orchards are coming into beautiful pink and white bloom. The fact hasn't gone unnoticed by the press. Last week reporter Heather Hacking of the Chico Enterprise contacted UCCE farm advisor Joe Connell for his take on the season. Many San Joaquin Valley counties have mapped out Blossom Trails, a great way to appreciate the presence of agriculture in the community.
Speaking of community, even as farmers from around the state were meeting in Visalia to map out strategies for boosting...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Over the next two days, the California Small Farm Conference is being held in Visalia. The Fresno Bee included a detailed roundup of the conference in last Friday's paper, giving high mention to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, a sponsor of the event.
The conference was established in 1982 by the UC Small Farm Program. The program is still involved, but the conference has taken on a life of its own. More than 400 small-scale farmers from around the state are expected to be on hand today for a presentation by "Dr. Broccoli" of Kaiser, plus numerous workshops and an awards banquet this evening.
The Fresno Bee article notes that UCCE small farm...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Media interest in the Haagen-Dazs gift of $100,000 to fund UC Davis honey bee research is incredibly strong. The story was picked up by 167 outlets, according to Google News.
Kathy Keatley Garvey, a writer in the UC Davis Department of Entomology, said the Haagen-Dazs gift points to the value of media communications. The donation is the direct result of a release
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A story distributed by UC Davis news service and posted on the ANR news Web site about a $100,000 gift from Haagen-Dazs to study colony collaspe disorder of honey bees was picked up widely by the news media.
Associated Press reporter Julianna Barbassa included information about the gift and an effort by personal products maker Bert's Bees to raise awareness...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
When a new health fad hits the airwaves, reporters know they can turn to UC Cooperative Extension for sound, sensible input. That's what Barbara Feder Ostrov of the San Jose Mercury News did for a story on chia, a food best known for the fact that it grows, curiously, on the outside of pots. Who hasn't see the television commercials showing pots shaped like animals or even a human head spouting the green grass-like growth of chia seeds?
According to Ostrov's article, chia seeds are the newest health rage. They are are high in protein, fiber, calcium and higher in omega-3 fatty acids than flax seeds, the story says. Online retailers report rising sales and the...
