- Author: Saoimanu Sope
UCCE scientists study feasibility of specialty crops for small urban growers
The vacant lots around your neighborhood could be growing fruits and vegetables and making local produce more accessible – while reducing energy needed to transport and distribute the food. Could turning those empty lots into small farms also become opportunities for economic development?
To answer this question, a team of researchers from University of California Cooperative Extension in San Diego County are investigating the economic feasibility of growing high-value specialty crops in urban settings like vacant lots. The project – led by Eric Middleton, UCCE integrated pest management advisor for San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties – is currently in progress at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, a seasonal attraction for locals and tourists.
Tucked away in the back of the field is the Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site where Middleton and his team established a small farm on approximately 17,000 square feet, starting fall 2023. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the farm is designed to evaluate containerized production both outdoors and under high tunnels.
Growers don't necessarily need land, just space
High tunnels, also referred to as hoop houses, are semi-permanent structures that act similarly to greenhouses in providing a controlled environment. For the experiment, Middleton will compare cost, effort and durability of two types of high tunnels: one made of steel and the other out of PVC pipes.
“We want to give interested growers information on as many options as we can,” said Middleton, who explained that the project is motivated by the challenges of urban settings, including limited space and lack of arable land.
In the trial, they are growing turmeric, ginger and blueberries. The high-value crops were selected because of their potential to earn a profit. Data evaluating plant variety, soil mix, fertilizer, growth performance, yield and pest and disease pressures will be collected and reported when the project concludes in 2026.
As the crops develop in containers – blueberries in pots and turmeric and ginger in grow bags – Middleton pointed out the mobility aspect of the study, noting that growers don't necessarily need land, just space.
Whether it's a backyard or a rooftop, containerized production means easier transport, especially since vacant land doesn't always remain vacant forever and urban lots may often need soil remediation. Growing in containers solves the anticipated problem of having to relocate.
Where to set up shop in San Diego County
Jan Gonzales, project coordinator and community education supervisor for UCCE San Diego County, is leading the effort to identify available urban land in San Diego County as well as the policies and procedures for growers to access these spaces.
Gonzales is collaborating with community members who are working on similar projects to identify space for prospective growers.
“This has been done before for different objectives and for specific areas in the region, but the information was either project-specific and not publicly available, or not easy to find,” Gonzales said.
Having spoken with people associated with previous or ongoing agricultural land mapping projects, Gonzales has agreed to coordinate and facilitate an advisory work group to discuss areas of potential collaboration and develop project efficiencies. She anticipates holding the first group meeting before the end of the summer.
A production guide to help community members re-create the project
The ideal audience for a study like this is anyone who wants to grow specialty crops, according to Lindsey Pedroncelli, interim director of UC South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, who worked on the project alongside Middleton when she was a staff research associate with UCCE San Diego.
“If you're a new grower or a grower who wants to diversify your crop production, what we're learning here can be applied to you,” said Pedroncelli.
Pedroncelli has been instrumental in bringing the experiment to life and documenting its step-by-step workflow thus far. The production guide, which is being created as the study unfolds, will include instructions detailing how to replicate the experiment from the ground up. Currently, it contains information on how to design your farm, the materials to buy, building structures, irrigation setup and crop management.
The most intriguing open question, whether the operation is profitable, is the driving force behind the production guide and will certainly be addressed, Pedroncelli said.
Book a tour and visit the farm
When visiting the farm, you'll encounter three varieties of blueberries: Star, Snowchaser and Misty. Snowchaser has been a top producer since it was planted in January, but the variety is known to be an early season producer.
Using only one variety of each, the turmeric and ginger were planted in late March-early April. With some unanticipated cold weather in San Diego County, both crops struggled when transitioning out of dormancy, leading to very slow progress, which the team is still navigating today.
Visually, Middleton and his team have noticed differences between the crops growing under the high tunnels versus those grown outdoors, although the data has not been analyzed to confirm or explain notable differences.
Attempting to demonstrate how to profitably grow high-value crops in urban settings using limited space and resources, Pedroncelli said she hopes this study will also encourage people to grow culturally significant crops for their communities.
To tour the Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, email Eric Middleton at egmiddleton@ucanr.edu with "Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site Tour" in the subject line.
To learn more about the project and its progress, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/socalIPM/Small_Scale_Urban_Agriculture_Project_/.
/h4>- Posted by: Gale Perez
Our friend Lynn Sosnoskie (at Cornell University) shared the following announcement with us:
A free (downloadable) resource
Manage Weeds on Your Farm – A Guide to Ecological Strategies
Manage-Weeds-on-Your-Farm.pdf (sare.org)
Manage Weeds On Your Farm - SARE
“I am most pleased to share the good news that our long-awaited SARE-sponsored book “Manage Weeds on Your Farm – A Guide to Ecological Strategies” by the late Chuck Mohler, John Teasdale, and me has now been published online and is freely available for download from the SARE website link below. This is a great resource that took Chuck and I (and many student assistants) numerous years to complete. The coming onboard of John Teasdale as a co-author during the last two years was enormously helpful especially given Chuck's failing eyesight and his untimely passing.”--Toni DiTommaso, Professor and Chair, School of Integrative Plant Science Soil and Crop Sciences Section, Cornell University
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT SARE
PART I CONCEPTS OF ECOLOGICAL WEED MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
- Purpose and Philosophy
- How to Use This Book
CHAPTER 2 HOW TO THINK ABOUT WEEDS
- What is a Weed?
- The Origins of Weeds
- Weed Populations are Dynamic
- Weed Density Affects Weed Death and Reproduction
- Vegetative Propagation of Perennial Weeds
- Seed Weight
- Seed Germination: Why Tillage Prompts Germination
- Season of Weed Emergence
- Seed Longevity
- Depth of Seedling Emergence from the Soil
- Growth and Competition for Light
- Photosynthetic Pathway
- Sensitivity to Frost
- Drought Tolerance
- Mycorrhizae
- Nutrient Use
- Allelopathy
- Response to Soil Physical Conditions
- Response to Shade
- The Timing of Reproduction
- Pollination
- The Magnitude of Reproduction
- Dispersal
- Natural Enemies
- Palatability
- Summary
- References
CHAPTER 3 CULTURAL WEED MANAGEMENT
- Many Little Hammers
- Crop Rotation and Weed Management
- Crop Competitiveness
- Cover Crops
- Organic Mulch
- Continuous No-Till Vegetable Production Using Organic Mulches
- Synthetic Mulch
- Weed Management During Transition to Organic Production
- Solarization
- Natural Product Herbicides
- Livestock for Weed Management
- Preventive Weed Management
- Preventing the Arrival of New Weed Species
- Summary
- References
CHAPTER 4 MECHANICAL AND OTHER PHYSICAL WEED MANAGEMENT METHODS
- Essential Concepts of Mechanical Weed Management
- Types of Tillage and Their Effects on Weeds
- Using Tillage Against Perennial Weeds
- Tillage Effects on Weed Seedling Density
- Ridge Tillage
- Tilled Fallow
- Stale Seedbed
- Principles of Mechanical Weeding
- Cultivators and Cultivating Tools
- Other Physical Weed Control Devices
- Cultivator Guidance Systems
- Matching the Implement to the Task
- Hoeing Weeds
- Cultivation and Tillage in the Dark
- Soil Tilth and Cultivation
- Energy Use in Physical and Chemical Weed Management
- Summary
- References
CHAPTER 5 PROFILES OF FARMS WITH INNOVATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
- The Martens, Penn Yan, N.Y.
- Paul Mugge, Sutherland, Iowa
- Eric and Anne Nordell, Trout Run, Penn.
- Scott Park, Meridian, Calif.
- Carl Pepper, O'Donnell, Texas
- References
PART II MAJOR AGRICULTURAL WEEDS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
- How the Species Chapters Were Developed How to Find Ecological Information and Develop a Management Plan for Species not Covered in this Book
- References
WEED CHARACTERISTICS SUMMARY TABLES
GRASS WEEDS AND THEIR RELATIVES
- Annual bluegrass
- Barnyardgrass
- Bermudagrass
- Downy brome
- Fall panicum
- Foxtails
- Goosegrass
- Italian ryegrass
- Johnsongrass
- Large crabgrass
- Purple nutsedge
- Quackgrass
- Sandburs
- Shattercane
- Wild garlic
- Wild oat
- Wild-proso millet
- Witchgrass
- Yellow nutsedge
BROADLEAF WEEDS AND THEIR RELATIVES
- Annual sowthistles
- Bindweeds
- Canada thistle
- Catchweed bedstraw and false cleavers
- Chamomiles
- Common chickweed
- Common cocklebur
- Common groundsel
- Common lambsquarters
- Common milkweed
- Common purslane
- Common ragweed
- Common sunflower
- Dandelion
- Deadnettles
- Docks
- False cleavers (see “catchweed bedstraw and false cleavers”)
- Field pennycress
- Flixweed
- Galinsogas
- Giant ragweed
- Hemp sesbania
- Horsenettle
- Horseweed
- Jimsonweed
- Kochia
- Morningglories
- Nightshades
- Palmer amaranth
- Perennial sowthistle
- Pigweeds
- Plantains
- Prickly lettuce
- Prickly sida
- Russian-thistle
- Shepherd's-purse
- Sicklepod
- Smartweeds
- Velvetleaf
- Waterhemp
- Wild buckwheat
- Wild mustard
- Wild radish
- Yellow woodsorrel
GLOSSARY
INDEX
/span>
- Author: Laura J. Van der Staay
This year, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center participated in both the Kings County Farm Day and the Fresno County Farm and Nutrition Day. KARE's mini workshop discusses what it takes to be a healthy plant and what it takes to be a healthy person. The students plant leaf lettuce to take home so that it can grow and they can eat it. The Kings County event attracted over 2700 students and the Fresno County event attracted over 3500 students. Left over lettuce transplants were used by different FFA programs. These events were made possible by generous donations from Greenheart Farms, The Plant People, and Valley Soil & Forest Products. Our ability to deliver these workshops are in great part due to the wonderful volunteers who come and work hard at the events. Fresno's lettuce planting was featured on the KMPH Channel 26 Great Day morning show. We also thank the respective fair staff and Farm Bureau staff.
![Julie Sievert discussing what it takes to be a healthy plant and a healthy person with Kings County students. Julie Sievert discussing what it takes to be a healthy plant and a healthy person with Kings County students.](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/29575.jpg)
![Kings County student planting lettuce with a volunteer. Kings County student planting lettuce with a volunteer.](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/29574.jpg)
![Fresno county students enjoying being on the Great Day morning show. Fresno county students enjoying being on the Great Day morning show.](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/29576.jpg)
- Author: Alda Pires
A University of California-Davis research team is enrolling organic and conventional farms to participate in a research opportunity for small to medium size farms. The researchers are looking for volunteers to participate in the study to identify on-farm food safety practices that are specific to the unique conditions and needs of small to medium size farms, including operations that integrate livestock and fresh produce production systems. The long-term goal of the study is to develop innovative, cost-effective, scale-size appropriate food safety metrics and recommendations for risk reduction for farms producing fresh produce and animal products. Fecal-borne pathogens can be spread to fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables through animal intrusions, or indirectly through contaminated water, or soil.
Project leaders, Dr. Michele Jay-Russell, Program Manager at the Western Center for Food Safety and liaison to WIFSS, and Dr. Alda Pires, Urban Agriculture and Food Safety Extension Specialist in the School of Veterinary Medicine, encourage farms with livestock and fresh produce production to volunteer. Dr. Pires (530-754-9855 or apires@ucdavis.edu), primary contact for the study, welcomes inquiries.
More Information on Study
- Author: Sam Urie
Have you filled up your vehicle's fuel tank recently? Have you eaten a carrot, a pickle, sweet corn, onion, broccoli or melon recently? Had a nice crisp salad with fresh romaine lettuce and some pasta, then dipped some bread in olive oil? How about a stir-fry with tender beef and cooked cabbage or a nice steak?
What does all of this have to do with the UC Desert Research and Extension Center (DREC), known by many in our Valley as the “Meloland Station” between Holtville and El Centro? All of these are crops and issues being worked on by researchers and support staff at the here at DREC. The 255-acre Center is part of a larger network of nine similar locations throughout California called the Research and Extension Center under UC's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This Center is an amazing resource for our Valley; it's here to support our most important industry and one that affects us all – agriculture!
Just outside my office door, my colleagues are weighing and categorizing wheat grown here at DREC that will be essential to meet European regulations in the future. 90% of wheat grown in our Valley has levels of cadmium (a non-essential metal) too high for the EU. This jeopardizes the export of our wheat to Europe. Wheat breeders are hard at work creating new varieties with lower cadmium levels. Work is also being done to increase disease resistance and salt tolerance. Approximately 150 new hybrid wheat varieties will be created at DREC this year!
All of us worry about fuel prices and how they affect our families and local businesses. Researchers at DREC are working with a variety of plants to find viable sources for biofuels. Imagine an Imperial Valley that not only produces geothermal and solar energy, but biofuels as well! We have a suitable growing environment for crops such as sorghum, sugarcane, so-called “energy canes” (Saccharum grasses), and oilseed crops like canola, camelin, and lesquerella. We just lost National Beef; what if we could replace it with facilities that process our local crops into biofuel that powers our vehicles, and do it in an environmentally friendly way? All of these questions are being worked on at DREC!
Did you know carrots don't just come in orange? You may soon start seeing shades of purple, red, and other colors at the grocery store. These varieties also carry more antioxidants that our bodies need. Every year in February the carrot plots at DREC are harvested and a rainbow of carrots is analyzed together with researchers from the University of Wisconsin and the USDA.
FARM SMART is the outreach arm of DREC. Over 104,000 people have toured the Center since the program began in 2001. We are passionate about educating youth and their parents through our K-12 programs. Every year thousands of Valley youth come to the Center to learn about agriculture, natural resources, and scientific research. We send them home with produce they pick themselves; we hope we send them home with seeds of knowledge and understanding for the future. FARM SMART also partners with CalFresh to deliver nutrition education to our youth.
FARM SMART also hosts thousands of “snowbirds” in January and February through our Winter Visitor Program. We educate visitors about Valley agriculture and water issues, and send them home with a sandbag full of fresh produce from the Center. Make sure to sign up for one of our tours next winter if you'd like to experience a day on the farm and learn more about our Valley's amazing agricultural bounty.
The Center is here to serve the Valley – not just farmers, but the whole community. DREC is vital to the Valley's future. We'd love to share our research with you. Take a tour next winter. Check out our new website at drec.ucanr.edu and find our research on the research tab to the left. Follow us on Twitter @UCfarmsmart and on Facebook at facebook.com/UCfarmsmart. A strong Valley agriculture doesn't just help growers, it helps us all and it helps our nation. So next time you pick up a fork to eat that delicious meal, thank all those who did so much to get it there on your plate. And think, next year, your carrots might just be purple.
Sam Urie is the manager of FARM SMART at the UC Desert Research and Extension Center in Holtville, CA. He can be reached at surie@ucanr.edu or 760-356-3067.