The Humboldt County UC Cooperative Extension office has a new service for consumers and growers in the rural enclave. A Web site at redwoodag.com was designed to help local farmers find local markets for their products, according to a story posted today in Capital Press.

Written by Sacramento freelance writer Wes Sander, the story details the efforts of UCCE farm advisor Deborah Giraud, who received grants from the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program to explore options for farm-to-institution marketing and to develop the Web site.

"This first season will be a tough one, until it evolves and catches on more," Giraud was quoted. "We will be working with (producers) to get their photos up, that kind of thing."

The story noted that the region's isolation, limited roads and high fuel prices give the northwest corner of the state a particular need to develop local markets for small scale farmers' products.