Two new UC Cooperative Extension viticulture advisors are the subject of a lengthy Q&A in Growing Produce. The juxtaposition of Allison Ferry-Abee, who serves Kings and Tulare counties, and Ashraf El kereamy, who serves Kern County, makes for interesting reading.

Ferry-Abee has deep valley roots. She is a native of Easton and her great-grandfather was a pest inspector for Sun Maid. Ferry-Abee earned a bachelor's degree at Fresno State and a doctorate degree at UC Davis.

El kereamy hails from Egypt. He visited the San Joaquin Valley on a scientific tour organized by the Egyptian ministry of agriculture and dreamed of one day working there. El kereamy graduated from Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, and earned a Ph.D. in Toulouse, France.

Both new viticulture advisors expressed their interest in the extension and research aspects of their jobs.

"I love both doing research and working with growers. Growers inspire me to ask questions and define issues, and research helps me to solve those questions and issues," Ferry-Abee said.

Said El kereamy: "The relation between the two activities is tight and I enjoy being in the vineyard to help the growers, design my experiments and carry the research at the same time."

A new UCCE viticulture advisor for Fresno County has also been hired. George Zhuang, whose first day was Monday, Jan. 5, was introduced to wine, table and raisin grape farmers at the annual San Joaquin Grape Symposium Jan. 7 in Easton.