- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
To promote specialty crops and strengthen the industry through agritourism, California Department of Food and Agriculture has awarded nearly $450,000 from its Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for the California Open Farm Passport project. Rachael Callahan, statewide agritourism coordinator for the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, is leading the project, working with regional partners throughout the state to promote farmers through Open Farm events.
The California Open Farm Passport will invite the public to explore the bounty of local farms during regionally coordinated events throughout the year. Farm guests will have opportunities to learn about, taste and buy a diversity of crops from participating specialty crop farmers around the state.
California produces more than 400 commodities.
Starting in 2025, project partners will host 20 Open Farm events, featuring over 130 farms in nine counties, anticipated to reach over 10,000 consumers. Through these events, the public can visit farms to participate in activities such as farm tours, demonstrations and workshops that will increase their awareness of the diversity of California agricultural products and producers. Events will be posted athttps://calagtour.org/California_Open_Farm_Passport.
Locally based groups throughout the state that support agritourism in their region have come together to collaborate on this project. Partners include Community Alliance with Family Farmers, FARMstead ED/SLO County Farm Trails, Open Farm Tours, Pleasants Valley Agricultural Association, Sierra Oro Farm Trail, Sonoma County Farm Trail, and UC Cooperative Extension advisors in Lassen, Modoc and Siskiyou counties.
“Partners on this project have been supporting agriculture in their regions through promoting agritourism and hosting Open Farm events for years, if not decades,” said Callahan. “This project provides the opportunity to enhance their work, create a space for them to learn from each other, and expand their reach by collaboratively marketing events as the California Open Farm Passport.”
This project will also build capacity by fostering a statewide network of agritourism groups to support local farmers and bolster the agritourism industry. Agritourism groups will receive trainings and learn from one another as they share best practices for hosting Open Farm events and other marketing strategies to promote agricultural producers to the public.
Importantly, the project will also document the benefits of Open Farm events for producers and visitors. The project will track product sales during and after the events to assess the impact of visiting a farm on purchasing behavior as well as measure any increase in visitor knowledge about California specialty crops.
“This project holds the potential to provide great benefits to specialty crop producers and the California agritourism industry,” Callahan said. “Producers will have opportunities for direct product sales and increased name recognition through marketing activities. At the same time, project partners will develop a statewide network to support their work and build towards a strong agritourism industry in California.”
For more information about the 2024 Specialty Block Grant Program funding, read the CDFA press release: California agriculture leads the nation in funding for specialty crops.
To learn more about agritourism in California, visit UC SAREP's California Agritourism website.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Martinez joins UCCE in Kings County
Vanessa Martinez joined the CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Kings County team as a nutrition educator on March 1. In this position, she hopes to bring success to the program and motivate individuals to make positive changes and create a healthier lifestyle by making good nutrition choices.
In her free time, Martinez loves to take hikes with beautiful sceneries, preferably with a view of the ocean. She also loves to spontaneously take trips and be able to cross off places off of her travel bucket list.
With a bachelor's in psychology, in the near future Martinez hopes to continue her education in graduate school to enhance learning and skills needed to dedicate the best of herself to her career with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC in Kings County. Martinez can be reached at vammartinez@ucanr.edu.
Purdy joins UCCE in Shasta County
Margaret Purdy joined CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Shasta Cluster as an administrative assistant on March 22. She recently relocated from the Bay Area, where she had over 13 years of experience working in nonprofit and theatre arts administration.
Purdy brings a combined background in customer service, database management, digital and arts marketing and communications, and radio production and promotions. She has been a volunteer staff member at KFJC 89.7 FM in Los Altos Hills since 2006, where she won a College Radio Award for Outstanding Spot Production in 2011.
Purdy earned a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Humboldt State in 2004, and an Associate of Arts in radio production from Foothill College in 2012.
She will be based in the nutrition education program building in Redding and can be reached at mpurdy@ucanr.edu and (530) 224-4301.
Spalding joins KARE as ag supervisor II
Dan Spalding joined the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center staff as an agricultural supervisor II on March 22.
Previously, Spalding worked as a field scout in row crops and as a pest control adviser in fruits and nuts. More recently, he worked as a farm supervisor for Wonderful Citrus and Sun Pacific Farming.
Spalding's family roots run deep in agriculture. He grew up working on his family's farm and studied agriculture from high school through college, earning an A.S. in Plant Science from College of the Sequoias in Visalia and a B.S. in fruit science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Spalding is based at KARE and can be reached at dspalding@ucanr.edu.
Callahan named SAREP agritourism coordinator 
Rachael Callahan joined the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program SAREP team as the statewide agritourism coordinator on March 29. She has devoted her career to strengthening vibrant and sustainable food systems.
Over the past 10 years, Callahan has worked for nonprofit organizations promoting urban farming and food security in Washington, D.C., building a robust local food system on the island of Nantucket, Mass., and showcasing sustainable agroforestry techniques in southern Belize. In each of these settings, she has seen the power of agritourism to provide resiliency to farmers, inspire and educate the public, and connect the community.
Callahan holds a bachelor's degree in international affairs from the University of Georgia, a master's degree in global environmental policy from American University, and certificates in agroecology, permaculture design, and urban agriculture.
She is eager to connect with, learn from, and share ideas with California farmers and ranchers. Callahan is based at the UC ANR building in Davis and can be reached at rmcallahan@ucanr.edu.
Avery King joined UC ANR as senior artist on April 5. He brings 16 years of graphic design experience. Most recently, he was the graphic designer for Mariani Packing Co. in Vacaville, where he managed their package design and marketing materials.
Throughout his career, King has engaged in design projects tailored to a wide array of audiences, ranging from home appliance companies and electronics to dried fruit consumers. He has also supported several nonprofit organizations with his design skills.
Avery earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science at UC Berkeley. He will be based in the UC ANR building in Davis and can be reached at awking@ucanr.edu.
Quinn-Davidson honored with ANREP Early Career Award
In presenting the award, ANREP stated “Quinn-Davidson has shown outstanding leadership in advancing the practice of prescribed fire in her region, California, and across the nation. As the first fire advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension, she has kickstarted the practices of prescribed fire on private land in California by organizing workshops, the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council, training exchanges, and the first prescribed burn association in the West. She developed the first women's training exchange to increase female leadership in wildland fire and continues to coach organizers nationwide. She co-founded the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, which helps landowners build skills in burn plan development, permitting and implementation. She influenced state policy by helping craft successful legislation and joining CALFIRE's cadre of experts developing the California Certified Burn Boss program. Her success has been demonstrated by adoption and dissemination of practiced and extension methods she pioneered throughout California and the West.”
