- Author: Chris M. Webb
On May 17 USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced an initiative to help California agricultural produces transition to more energy efficient operations. This will allow producers to become more energy independent while saving money as they reduce energy consumption.
Funding is available for on-farm energy audits. The audits will be individually-tailored to reduce primary energy uses at each location.
Examples of primary energy uses are: heating and cooling of livestock
facilities, grain drying, irrigation pumping and other on-farm activities.
This program is part of the 2008 Farm Bill Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). California is one of 29 states receiving funding this year.
The cost of the initial audits and associated Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), which provides producers a roadmap for future implementation of energy-efficient practices, will be funded by NRCS.
In addition, producers may have an opportunity to apply for cost share funding through EQIP to implement some of the plan’s recommendations.
Applications are due on or before June 18, 2010. Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To apply or to find out more, please contact our local NRCS office at 805.386.4489, or stop by at 3380 Somis Road in Somis.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The USDA-NRCS is now accepting applications for Farm Bill programs.
Cost-share assistance is available through the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program to help farmers and ranchers achieve water conservation objectives and other resource concerns such as soil erosion reduction and soil and water quality.
Incentive payments are available for irrigation evaluations and furrow to micro-irrigation conversions, as well as other practices for improvements in irrigation management.
Applications are received on a year-round basis. Applications received by June 1, 2010 will be considered for the 2010 funding cycle.
To apply or to find out which program(s) might work for you, please contact the NRCS office at 805.386.4489, or stop by at 3380 Somis Road in Somis.
Tensiometer with vacuum pressure gauge and
microirrigation sprinkler emitter
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Whiteflies are tiny, sap-sucking insects that damage leaves of many plants. Their populations develop rapidly in warm weather and populations can build quickly when natural enemies are not present.
Whiteflies cause damage by sucking plant juices from leaves and excreting excess liquid as honeydew. The leaves of an affected plant can cause leaves to turn yellow, appear dry, or fall off the plant. The honeydew attracts ants that interfere with the activity of natural enemies.
To find out more about whiteflies in your home garden, including ways to manage them, please see our UC IPM Whiteflies pest note.
To manage them in the field, please see UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Katie Trockey, Conejo Valley 4-H president has submitted the following “Featured Club Happenings” article.
Conejo Valley 4-H currently has 20 members enrolled in the program. With the coming of the Ventura County Fair, many projects are working hard on activities including our most popular projects: Rabbits, Poultry, Cake Decorating, Foods and Nutrition, Dog Therapy, Cavies, and Urban Birding.
Our 4-H’ers have participated in a number of community service opportunities. In October, we contributed to the TOTSOCE program, donating twenty bags to Food Share. We also partook in Project Linus, where our club made ten No-Sew Fleece Blankets that were given to children affected by disasters.
With demonstration speeches upcoming, our recent February meeting not only included the making of many holiday and get well soon cards sent to the Senior Concerns day care center, but also the members were able to do a Demo-in-a-Bag. Two or three members would take a bag enclosed with supplies to do an impromptu mini demonstration with a project the members do not participate in. For the new members who have never done a demonstration speech, the older members helped them to complete their first speech in front of the club
Featured Club Happenings are a part of our Cloverlines Newsletter. These articles offer a glimpse of what happens within 4-H clubs throughout the county. Past issues are available on our office website.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is considered a partnership between farmer and consumer. CSAs are gaining in popularity and numbers as consumers become more involved in where and how their food is grown.
To help CSAs stay strong and viable, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) has written a handbook to help farmers best market their produce. The handbook includes subjects such as:
- Distribution
- Legal topics
- Marketing
- Planning
- Organizational process
- Sample documents
Local Harvest: A Multifarm CSA Handbook can be downloaded for free. To order print copies visit their webstore or call (301)374-9696.