- Author: Robert J Keiffer
The UC Hopland Research & Extension Center has quite a medley of oak species at the Center with over a dozen species occurring (19 species currently accepted as native in California). The Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii) is a deciduous (looses its leaves in winter) oak, and this photo shows the bright, new foliage that has just emerged. Found in mixed evergreen forests, oak woodlands, and coniferous forests in California and Oregon, this oak produces acorns that were historically a favorite food of Native American tribes because of lesser amounts of tannins as compared to other oak species' acorns.
- Author: Robert J Keiffer
Bowltube Iris (Iris macrosiphon Torr.) vividly displays the familiar colors of the UC ...blue and gold. This flowering plant is endemic to California and the flower color varies from golden yellow to cream or pale lavender to deep blue-purple. It occurs in sunny grasslands, meadows, and open woodlands including the oak woodlands which are common at UC-Hopland REC. They are in full bloom now as you can see from this pale lavender specimen.
- Author: Robert J Keiffer
There are several vernal ("relating to the springtime") pools located around the UC Hopland Research & Extension Center. Past research has shown that each harbors a unique community of plants and invertebrates and amphibians, with no two having the exact same mix of species. "Hog Lake", as you see pictured, is the largest vernal pool on the property. This pond hosts a high percentage of malformed Pacific tree frogs with severe limb deformities, caused by trematode (Ribeiroia ondatrae) parasite infections upon early-stage developing frog embryos (developing tadpoles). Ribeiroia has a complex life cycle involving pulmonate snails, amphibians, and amphibian-eating birds.
- Author: Robert J Keiffer
Wool piled high on a skirting table adjacent to the Wool baler and shearing floor at HREC. Whole fleeces are placed on the table. The belly portion (valued at roughly $1.20/lb.) as well as the tags (wool saturated in feces, mud, etc. and valued at roughly $0.88/lb.) fall to the floor and are packed separate from the premium fleeces.
- Author: Robert J Keiffer
Each spring HREC shears the fleece (wool) off the sheep flock ...about 1000 head in all. The wool is removed for several reasons, 1) to market the wool... and this year's wool price is high, 2) to reduce problems of "fly-strike" (myiasis - a disease caused by a parasitic dipterous fly larvae that feeds on living tissue), and 3) and to remove the "wool sweater" from the sheep for the hot summertime period. HREC has slowed the shearing process down this year, having only one contract shearer instead of a "crew" of shearers. Here you see the shearer just releasing a ewe that was shorn and the resulting fleece.
