- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
This event came about when Emma Sandoval, a UC CalFresh nutrition educator suggested “We should have a kick off for the new garden on Earth Day”. Emma has been working on the new garden project to fulfill the practicum requirement for her master's degree at Cal Baptist University. The members of the CSA garden coalition were wholeheartedly supportive of this idea. The Coalition is made up of members from two units of University of California Cooperative Extension (UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program and Master Gardener Program) and members of the Heal Zone Project. The Bermuda Garden expansion was funded by a $10,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente through its Heal Zone Project, currently headed up by Ninfa Delgado, vice president of Riverside Community Health Foundation. 
It took five months of hard work to put up fencing and turn the lawn area into 17 garden plots. Kudos to three people who were instrumental in making this garden happen: Emma Sandoval (project lead), Claudia Villegas (UC Riverside Global Food Initiative student fellow) and Fortino Morales (UCCE Master Gardener and UCR community garden coordinator). A total of 55 volunteers helped out at various times. Thank you all! 
- Author: Sonia Rios
The macadamia is native to Australia and has been grown in California continuously since 1879 (Arpaia 1994). In addition to the commercial growers, macadamias make excellent back yard trees, are beautiful as landscaping, and can be grown in tubs on your patio. There will be a great opportunity for all that are interested to learn about growing macadamia nuts in California.
The University of California Cooperative Extension in conjunction with the California Macadamia Society and the Gold Crown Macadamia Association will hold their Annual Field Day on on Saturday 24 September 2016, 8:45 A.M. to 1:30 P.M at the home of Jim and Jane Zeimantz, 3410 Alta Vista Drive, Fallbrook, California. There will be classes on topics relevant to the current macadamia industry, with plenty of opportunities for you to ask questions, both general in nature and about the specifics of your operations. We will also be serving a continental breakfast and a delicious lunch. Please plan to join us for a fun and information filled day.
Cost: $20.00 per person with pre-registration, $25.00 at the event. That includes a continental breakfast and delicious lunch.
Contact Person: Jim Russell, (760) 728-8081 e-mail russellfarms@Roadrunner.com
Visit www.macnuts.org/fieldday.htm for a registration form.
The Objectives of the California Macadamia Society are:
To furnish authoritative and timely information on Macadamia culture.
To assist growers with harvesting and marketing data.
To advise nurserymen on varieties and propagation.
To encourage the University to assist the industry with research.
To formulate policies, where indicated, for presentation to the state legislature.
The Objectives of the California Macadamia Association are:
To assure a reliable market to our growers.
To provide the highest return to our growers for nuts delivered.
To explore new and developing markets for macadamia nuts.
Directions:
From I-5 take exit 54a (east) onto Ca-76, Pala Road. Go 13.5 miles and turn left (north) onto Via Monserate. Go 1.3 miles and turn right on Alta Vista Drive. Go 1 mile to 3410 Alta Vista Drive, on the right.
From I-15 take exit 46 (west) onto Ca-76, Pala Road. Go 3.4 miles and turn right (north) onto Via Monserate. Go 1.3 miles and turn right on Alta Vista Drive. Go 1 mile to 3410 Alta Vista Drive, on the right.
- Author: Chutima Ganthavorn
It has been a year since the bare root fruit trees were planted at Community Settlement Association (CSA) in Eastside Riverside as part of the fruit tree planting project, funded by a mini-grant from Wood Streets Green Team in Riverside County. “The trees are dormant right now since it is winter time, but this is a good time for pruning” said Larry Dodson, a Master Gardener with UC Cooperative Extension. On this cold, crisp morning (February 4, 2016), Larry brought his pruning tools to conduct a class for local residents, followed by a pruning demonstration. We learned that it is important to sanitize the tools before pruning each tree to prevent any chances of spreading disease. We pruned the peach, nectarine, and plum trees that we planted last January, but not the pluot or the aprium, hybrids of plum and apricot. Larry said it is best to wait until late spring to prune apricots or any related hybrids since they are susceptible to Eutypa fungus infections. The fungus can enter the pruning wounds during wet conditions. Several local residents said they have a variety of fruit trees at home. One shared that she had previously been afraid to prune her fruit trees because she thought they would produce less fruit. None of the participants knew what a pluot was, so UC CalFresh plans to do a pluot tasting in the future. The CSA Garden Club is hosted by UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program every first Thursday of the month from 9:00-10:00 a.m. The Club offers nutrition and gardening workshops to help local residents grow and consume more fruits and vegetables for good health.
Wildlife and people have been in the news lately. Perhaps you've heard of coyotes wandering in your neighborhood. You might have also read about how you shouldn't feed wildlife. Did you know they are connected? It's a problem when people feed coyotes either intentionally or unintentionally through uncovered garbage and outdoor pet food. Available food may encourage coyotes to associate closely with humans and to lose their natural fear of us. These interactions will be discussed during a special symposium on urban coyotes at the 27th Vertebrate Pest Conference.
The Vertebrate Pest Conference is held every two years, mostly in California. This year, the meeting will be Monday through Thursday, March 7to 10 in Newport Beach. Meetings are held in cooperation with the Pesticide Applicators Professional Association (PAPA). The leading authorities with vertebrate management expertise from around the world congregate to present the latest research and extension information. Are you an animal control official, wildlife manager, agricultural producer, pest control adviser, consultant, educator, researcher, or natural resource manager? Then this meeting is for you. California Department of Pesticide Regulation and California Department of Public Health continuing education units are available for participants.
Special symposia include bird management, wild pig management, and urban coyotes. In Cooperative Extension Advisor Niamh Quinn's backyard of extremely urban Southern California, these coyote-human conflicts occur. With over 3 million people in Orange County, 8 state parks and beaches, countless city parks and 19 county parks and wilderness areas, conflicts with urban coyotes are bound to happen. Managing coyotes includes managing people's behavior too.
Quinn says, “We can't manage what we can't measure. This conference provides a unique opportunity to discuss ongoing conflicts, especially those related to urban coyote management. Research is needed to understand urban coyote behavior and if these behaviors are changing as a result of the way we are currently living. Outreach is needed to instruct urbanites on appropriate behavior where coyote conflicts are occurring, and managing coyotes is everyone's concern. We need better and improved strategies for measuring and managing these conflicts.” At the Vertebrate Pest Conference, hear from the experts on the latest information about coyote attacks on humans, coyote conflicts, and several talks on coyote management, including hazing.
Vertebrates are also problematic in commercial agriculture. A 2011 survey of wildlife damage by Cooperative Extension Specialist Roger Baldwin, stated agricultural losses from wildlife damage in California is likely in excess of $1billion annually. Based on the survey results, economic losses were greatest for voles and pocket gophers in alfalfa; and wild pigs, birds, and ground squirrels in nut crops. One talk at the Vertebrate Pest Conference will be a North American overview of bird damage in fruit crops. Other talks cover field rodent repellents, food safety, and trapping.
UC IPM has information on vertebrate pest management for urban and communities, as well as commercial agriculture.
- Author: Sonia Rios
The University of California Cooperative Extension in conjunction with the California Macadamia Society and the Gold Crown Macadamia Association will hold their Annual Field Day on Saturday 24 September 2016, 8:45 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. at the home of Jim and Jane Zeimantz, 3410 Alta Vista Drive, Fallbrook, California. There will be classes on topics relevant to the current macadamia industry, with plenty of opportunities for you to ask questions, both general in nature and about the specifics of your operations. We will also be serving a continental breakfast and a delicious lunch. Please plan to join us for a fun and information filled day.
Cost: $20.00 per person with pre-registration, $25.00 at the event. That includes a continental breakfast and delicious lunch.
Contact Person: Jim Russell, (760) 728-8081 e-mail russellfarms@Roadrunner.com
Visit www.macnuts.org/fieldday.htm for a registration form.
The California Macadamia Society has members all over the world.
The Objectives of the California Macadamia Society are:
To furnish authoritative and timely information on Macadamia culture.
To assist growers with harvesting and marketing data.
To advise nurserymen on varieties and propagation.
To encourage the University to assist the industry with research.
To formulate policies, where indicated, for presentation to the state legislature.
The Objectives of the California Macadamia Association are:
To assure a reliable market to our growers.
To provide the highest return to our growers for nuts delivered.
To explore new and developing markets for macadamia nuts.
Directions:
From I-5 take exit 54a (east) onto Ca-76, Pala Road. Go 13.5 miles and turn left (north) onto Via Monserate. Go 1.3 miles and turn right on Alta Vista Drive. Go 1 mile to 3410 Alta Vista Drive, on the right.
From I-15 take exit 46 (west) onto Ca-76, Pala Road. Go 3.4 miles and turn right (north) onto Via Monserate. Go 1.3 miles and turn right on Alta Vista Drive. Go 1 mile to 3410 Alta Vista Drive, on the right.
