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What a gorgeous fruit. Slice it cross-wise and you have a star-shaped garnish for salad or cooked dish. But you need to find a buyer for it. The star fruit, or carambola, is a member of the oxalis family.

Who a thunk it, but coffee can grow in coastal California, because our latitude approximates the climate found in high altitude coffee growing areas found in Central America. And now there is a "small" industry growing here.

Its that time of year when citrus and avocado growers need to collect leaf samples for nutrient analysis to guide fertilizer applications. Leaves are collected between August 15 and October 15 and sent to the lab for analysis.

(This article summarizes California Department of Pesticide Regulations online VOC information.) Its that time of year again when hot weather fuels the creation of ground-level ozone, also called smog. High levels of ozone can harm people and crops.

UCCE Farm Advisor Gary Bender finally has his 14 chapter book on avocado history, botany and cultural practices on the San Diego County web site. Check it out: http://ucanr.