- Author: Bruce A Linquist
- Editor: Consuelo Baez Vega
As I write in late March, no one is out in the fields yet. It is too wet. This suggests that planting will be later than normal. On a positive note, I did see that NOAA has forecast a drier than normal April. Anyways, with this I would like to suggest some thoughts for planning.
First, from our Yield Contest data, we have seen that it is really important to ensure good stand establishment. In late years, it is easy to get in a rush and skip steps. While this may be necessary, make sure you do your best to get a good stand. You want an evenly spaced 25 established plants per square foot.
Second, a late planting will probably mean a later harvest. With late harvests, one risks fall rains which can further delay harvest and reduce grain quality. On your late fields, think about planting earlier maturing varieties such as M105, M-206 and M-210. These varieties have good yield potential but are about 5-7 days earlier (more in the southern part of valley) the M-209 or M-211. These longer duration varieties should be planted in earlier fields if possible.
Third, do not over fertilize with nitrogen as this can further delay harvest. For more on this, see the other topic I have written on for this newsletter.
- Author: Alyssa Sankey
The CA 4-H State Horse Classic takes place August 2-7, 2016 at Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, CA.
The date and location of the 4-H Equine Field Day are TBD.
The Equine Planning Team is responsible for planning, conducting, and over-seeing both the Equine Field Day and the Horse Classic. 4-H Members, Adult Volunteers, and 4-H Staff are encouraged to apply. Conference calls will be held every three-four weeks and a working dinner will take place on August 2, 2016. For the Horse Classic, the team will be broken into 4 sub-teams: Education, Western, English, and Gymkhana. All efforts will be made to assign volunteers to the planning area of their choice, but in some cases, this will not be possible. Each sub-team will consist of 3-4 volunteers and the entire team will consist of 10-12 members. Resumes MUST be uploaded for your application to be considered.
Applications are Due by October 30th and the planning team will be determined by 4-H staff and will be announced the second week of November.
Objectives of the Planning Team
- To strengthen the education quality of the CA 4-H Horse Classic and the Equine Field Day
- To incorporate and strengthen citizenship development, leadership development, and life skill development at the Horse Classic and the Equine Field Day
- To ensure that the CA Horse Classic and the Equine Field Day have adequate volunteer support to carry out the event
Roles and responsibilities include:
- Attend the 4-H Equine Field Day (Date is TBD)
- Attend the CA State 4-H Horse Classic August 2-7, 2016.
- Maintain good communication with State 4-H Office staff and the planning team
- Prepare and coordinate your specific part of Horse Classic and Equine Field Day
- Help secure demonstrators and judges for the events
- Attend all conference calls
- Assist the team with obtaining sponsorships, including acquiring at least 1 donor
- Remain as a team throughout the events and provide assistance to fellow team members
- Uphold and enforce CA State 4-H Values and Code of Conduct.
Those who are planning on being coaches and are parents of participants are welcomed to apply and can be on the team but will have restricted access so as to prevent any youth from having advantages.
Reimbursement
- Committee members will be allowed to claim travel reimbursement up to $250 dollars total for the year for their participation in helping to plan and implement the Equine Field Day and the Horse Classic.
For more information about the Horse Classic visit: http://4h.ucanr.edu/4-H_Events/Horse_Classic/
For more information about the Equine Field Day visit: http://4h.ucanr.edu/4-H_Events/State_Horse_Field_Day/
Any further questions please contact: Alyssa Sankey, ajsankey@ucanr.edu
Submit your application today at http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=16296
- Author: Hannah Meyer
Local fire agencies have warned that fire season is not over. Cooler temperatures are a relief but not a stop sign for wildfire. As of last week, according to Chief Marc Bashoor at FireChief.com over 50 fires still rage in the Western United States, at varying degrees of containment, California taking the brunt of the damage. It is important that local farmers and ranchers continue to take necessary precautions against wildfires and other disasters. How can you be prepared? The following blog was written by Livestock and Natural Resource Adviser, Dan Macon.
Fire Preparation for Ranchers - Writing Down Your Plan
- Author: Dan Macon Posted: July 11, 2018. Updated Aug 27, 2018.
“In June, I wrote about preparing our ranches for fire (Fire Season is Here: Is Your Ranch Ready?). Since that time, we've seen large fires in ranching country. Each of these fires is a stark reminder that we live and raise livestock in a fire-prone landscape.
In July, a number of ranchers from Placer County met with law enforcement, fire and animal control officials to discuss the emergency preparation and response issues unique to commercial-scale ranching operations. As we talked, I realized that there are several factors that make planning for and responding to wildfire (and other emergencies, like flooding) challenging for these kinds of ranching businesses:
- Many ranches have livestock in multiple locations.
- Many leased pastures are simply pastures; there is no landlord or other resident on site.
- Because of this, the physical address of the pasture may not be readily apparent.
- Often, the number of livestock at a particular site may be more than can be easily evacuated in a single load in a stock trailer.
- Access during a fire may be difficult due to law enforcement road blocks. Since many of us lease pastures, gaining access (as opposed to staying at our home places in the event of an evacuation) can be problematic.
There are several things we can do to help address these issues. First, we should write down the locations where our livestock are grazing at least on a seasonal basis. What's the address? How many animals are at each location, and what classes of animals are there? What are the evacuation routes you'd be likely to use to get animals out of harms way? If you couldn't evacuate the animals, are there safe zones on or nearby the location where animals could be moved? Is there an on-site landlord or resident, or perhaps a neighbor, that you could call in an emergency situation? Finally, are there 2 or 3 nearby ranchers who could help you? Here's a sample of my one-page plan:
Access to leased pastures during a large-scale fire or other emergency may be more problematic. On Monday, we learned from CalFire that there is a liaison officer within the agency's incident command structure who can help facilitate access to livestock during a multi-day fire. Short-term access may be more difficult - we're working with our local emergency responders to find ways to address this while also protecting public and fire fighter safety.
What steps do you take to prepare for the possibility of wildfire? I hope you'll share your ideas and questions in the comment section below!
And finally, I'm working on organizing similar meetings with first responders in Nevada, Yuba and Sutter Counties. If you operate a commercial ranch, or lease land to a rancher in one of these counties, and would like to get involved, please contact me at dmacon@ucanr.edu.”
Watch for a follow-up blog that will focus on farmer preparation for wild fire or other emergency threats.
- Author: Sarah Watkins
Want to help plan the 2015 State 4-H Horse Classic?
Apply here: http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=13572
The California 4-H State Horse Classic takes place June 24-28 2014 at Brookside Equestrian Center in Elk Grove.
The team is responsible for planning, conducting and over seeing the entire event. Multiple conference calls and a working dinner on June 23rd are planned. The team will be broken into 4 sub-teams: Education, Western, English, and Gymkhana. All efforts will be made to assign volunteers to the planning area of their choice, but in some cases, this will not be possible. Each sub-team will consist of 3-4 volunteers and the entire team will consist of 10-12 members. Resumes may be uploaded if you choose to do so.
Save the date:
- In-person Meeting-March 14th -Location TBD
- Horse Classic June 23-28, 2014-Brookside ShowPark
All applications are Due by January 5th and the planning team will be determined by 4-H staff and will be announced the first week of February.
Objectives of the Planning Team
- To strengthen the education quality of The CA 4-H Horse Classic
- To incorporate and strengthen citizenship development, leadership development, and life skill development at the Horse Classic
- To ensure that the CA Horse Classic and all its events will have adequate volunteer support to carry out the event.
Roles and responsibilities include:
- Attend all of CA state 4-H Horse Classic June 23-28th
- Maintain good communication with State 4-H Office staff and the planning team
- Prepare and coordinate your specific part of Horse Classic
- Attend all conference calls
- Assist the team with obtaining sponsorships, including acquiring at least 1 donor
- Remain as a team throughout the event and provide assistance to fellow team members
- Uphold and enforce CA State 4-H Values and Code of Conduct.
Those who are planning on being coaches and are parents of participants are welcomed to apply and can be on the team but will have restricted access so as to prevent any youth from having advantages.
For more information about the show visit: http://www.ca4h.org/Projects/SET/EquineEducation/Horse_Classic/
Any further questions please contact: Sarah Watkins, spwatkins@ucanr.edu
/span>- Author: Marissa Palin
- Posted by: Susie Kocher
California forests aren’t natural anymore. Over time, human impacts such as logging and fire suppression have left forests more prone to diseases, insects and wildfires. UC Cooperative Extension received a competitive grant from Cal Fire to launch a forest management training program for private landowners to help protect California’s forests.
There are approximately 33 million acres of forest in California. Forty percent of those acres are owned by families, Native American tribes, or private companies and 27 percent are owned by individuals. According to a report by the National Woodland Owner Survey, 99 percent of family-owned forests are in parcels of 500 acres or less. Less than 1 percent of them had written management plans when surveyed.
Management plans are important — they lead to healthier forests. And healthier forests benefit everyone in California. They protect against devastating wildfires, make for healthier rural communities, better wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and increase carbon sequestration, among other benefits.
The UCCE Forest Stewardship Training Series makes it easy for landowners to create a forest management plan. By creating a written plan, landowners are forced to sit down and think about their goals and objectives, and essentially create a business plan. It’s also an important document when communicating with other professionals, such as bankers, accountants, granting agencies, etc. A management plan lays out the background of the forest, the landowner’s objectives, and the steps the landowner has taken or is taking to achieve those objectives.
Landowners are encouraged to start the process through an online e-learning site. Through the webinar, landowners learn how to set goals and objectives for their forest land and become familiar with their forest land by learning to understand tree management, wildlife, and water quality, recognize insects and diseases, and understand safety and roads. Once the landowner has set their goals and gone through the basic understanding training, they are connected with a professional forester to continue the land management plan process.
Upon completing the online training, landowners are invited to an all-day workshop for a more in-depth understanding of forest land management. Workshops will take place in Ukiah on May 18, Redding on May 29, Berkeley on June 15, and Auburn on June 22. Visit www.ucanr.edu/forest_learning for more information, or contact Rick Standiford, UC Cooperative Extension Forest Management Specialist, at standifo@berkeley.edu.