- Author: Annemiek Schilder
In this weekly blog, Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Director, UCCE Ventura County and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center, shares her observations about the natural world across the seasons. As she says:
"Gently observing your surroundings with curiosity will teach you some amazing things. There are so many fascinating things happening under our noses, only wanting for an observant eye."
As I was poking around my garden and looking at flowers, my eye suddenly fell on an odd-looking green spider carrying a honey bee on the spadix of a calla lily. My first thought was “poor bee”, working so hard to pollinate flowers and then getting caught by a spider – life is not fair!
A spider and a bee: eat or be eaten. Photo: Annemiek Schilder
Of course I was fascinated by the little scene and was wondering what was going on, what kind of spider was that? It was green with a large patterned abdomen and looked like one of those spiders that hang out in flowers. The spider hung on to the bee for a while, walking this way and that, it almost seemed too big for it to handle. The next day, I saw the dead bee lying at the bottom of the flower and no sign of the spider. I wondered if it had given up on the bee. As I looked into it, I discovered a much more sinister thing had taken place…
The spider turned out to be a flower crab spider (genus Misumena). These spiders are harmless to humans and often take on the color of the flower background to camouflage themselves. They have long “arms” like crabs to capture their prey and can walk forwards, backwards and sideways.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation: “Crab spiders don't use webs to capture their prey; instead, they hide in flowers and wait for insects to come to them. Crab spiders often look like part of the flowers they inhabit. Unlike spiders that spin webs, crab spiders have good vision. When a bee, fly, or other prey lands on the flower seeking nectar, the crab spider attacks, injects venom into the prey, then holds it while drinking its juices.”
Flower crab spider feeding on honey bee blood, like a vampire! Do you notice another insect in the picture? This is an ant looking for nectar. Photo: Annemiek Schilder
So there we have the answer! The crab spider obviously sucked out the hemolymph (insect blood) and then discarded the bee corpse after dinner.
The next day it looked like the tables were turned: to my surprise, I saw a motionless brown spider being dragged by a blue-black insect into a hole in the ground. Before long, the same insect was walking nervously, zigzagging and fluttering its wings, over the ground. It was difficult to photograph since as soon as I approached, it would fly away.
However, I got a closer look at it by zooming in on the photograph: it turned out to be a spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, which often have a bluish-black body with a metallic sheen. They have long spiny legs and curved antennae. Spider wasps are solitary and the adults feed on flower nectar. The female wasps hunt spiders which they sting and paralyze, then drag to their burrows in the ground. Next, the female wasp lays a single egg in the spider and as the larva grows, it eats the insides of the still-living spider. How's that for a horror story to keep you up at night?
Spider wasp looking for a spider to attack among wood chips and leaves. Photo: Annemiek Schilder
I then remembered seeing a giant wasp over 2 inches long in Costa Rica. That wasp was a Tarantula hawk, which hunts and lays eggs in tarantulas. They are not aggressive towards humans but can give one of the most painful insect stings in the world when handled!
Did you know that Dr. Justin Schmidt, an entomologist (someone who studies insects) from Arizona, devised a scale known as the Schmidt Sting Pain Index? To develop this scale, he allowed himself to be stung by a variety of wasps, bees and ants. He rated the Tarantula hawk's sting as a “4” on a 0-4 scale and described it as "blinding, fierce, and shockingly electric. A running hair dryer has been dropped into your bubble bath. A bolt out of the heavens. Lie down and scream."
So look, but don't touch, is the best strategy!
Authors: Alli Fish and Niki Mazaroli, Strategy Research Science
Silvopasture is the intentional and intensive combination of trees, forage, and livestock on the same piece of land. The applicability and potential benefit of silvopasture to both ranchlands and orchards – two agricultural landscapes that dominate the region – adds to its promise as a climate-smart agriculture practice in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
Over 80% of land in Ventura County and over 90% in Santa Barbara County is either being grazed or has the potential to be grazed. [1] And while silvopasture systems will not be suitable for all of the nearly 2 million acres of rangeland, silvopasture has great potential to support both livestock production and ecological health in the region.
What qualifies as silvopasture?
To put it simply, there are two approaches to establishing a silvopasture system: adding trees to pasture or adding animals to tree systems. Tree systems can include natural forests, timber plantations, and orchards.A key piece to the definition of silvopasture according to the USDA is that the combination of pasture, trees, and animals must be intentional and managed as a system, as opposed to “individual practices that occur coincidentally together or managed independently.” [2]
A key piece to managing a productive silvopasture system is rotational grazing, a livestock and pasture management practice that has been shown to greatly improve soil health when implemented correctly. Rotational grazing is also essential to maintaining the health of the pasture and minimizing damage to trees, especially young trees. Once trees are established and above browsing height, which varies depending on the grazing animals, this is less of a factor. However, the combination of animal and edible tree crops triggers important food safety regulations that must be considered early on in the design of any silvopasture system. (See “Regulations” below.)
What are the potential benefits of silvopasture as a climate-smart agriculture practice?
The NRCS recognizes silvopasture as a multi-purpose conservation practice that can:
- Provide forage, shade, and/or shelter for livestock.
- Improve the productivity and health of trees/shrubs and forages.
- Improve water quality.
- Reduce erosion.
- Enhance wildlife habitat.
- Improve biological diversity.
- Improve soil quality.
- Increase carbon sequestration and storage.
- Provide habitat for beneficial organisms and pollinators. [3]
In terms of a producer's economic bottom line, silvopasture can be a way of diversifying revenue. For example, the shorter-term income from grazing livestock can buffer or offset the upfront cost of establishing trees and shrubs onto existing pasture. [4]
Challenges and considerations
While formulaic in its definition, the actual practice of silvopasture is extremely site-specific, like most things in farming and ranching. The limitations of the land and the market opportunities available will inform the desired and required tree crop, forage, and livestock of the system.
And while there is consensus on the potential benefits of silvopasture, there isn't one single model – one combination of trees, forage, and livestock – that can inform all silvopasture operations.
Instead, there are many factors to consider when planning a silvopasture system, and most of them are interrelated:
- Regulations: Regulations are particularly tricky for silvopasture systems producing edible tree crops (i.e. fruit and nut trees). To comply with the GAP and NOP standards, raw manure cannot be applied 90 day before harvest of crops not in contact with the ground (i.e. many fruits crops) and 120 day for crops in contact with the ground (i.e. all row crops, and some tree crops). Farms with annual revenue greater than $500,000 and/or that sell majority of product beyond 275 miles must also comply with additional regulations as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). [5] Note that some packinghouses have agreed to only take fruit that is GAP certified. It is important to understand where any edible crops you will be producing will be sold and any associated food safety requirements before beginning or converting to silvopasture.
- Management skills and labor: Livestock producers must learn to manage trees, and, conversely, growers must learn to care for livestock. Additional infrastructure (potentially lots of fencing!) and labor to start up and maintain a rotational grazing system.
- Tree selection and system design: Depending on your existing operation and goals, you might prioritize fast growing trees that produce forage and aren't as delicate to livestock damage; or you might select tree crops or timber trees that are slower growing but have the potential to generate more revenue over time. Whether or not you own your land and, if you lease land, the terms of your lease may also influence the trees you chose to plant and your silvopasture plan overall.
- Source of forage: Will the trees and shrubs be a source of the forage or another crop to sell? Or both! Unharvested fruit and nuts can be consumed by livestock and a source of increased soil fertility when deposited as manure.
Are you practicing silvopasture in Santa Barbara or Ventura counties? If so, let us know! We are interested in learning more about the opportunities and challenges that local producers face when implementing and managing these systems.
If you have plans for integrating silvopasture on your farm to help meet your soil health goals, consider applying for funding through the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Healthy Soils Program. Grant applications are expected to open early February 2020, you can stay up to date with email notifications and by checking the website: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/. If you have questions or would like technical assistance on the grant process, please contact your local technical assistance provider at http://ciwr.ucanr.edu/Programs/ClimateSmartAg/TechnicalAssistanceProviders/.
Citations:
[1] California Gap Analysis Project “GAP”: California Fish and Wildlife Service and UCSB
[2] Brantly, S. What Silvopasture?—Working Trees. USDA National Agroforestry Center; 2013. Available online:https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/assets/documents/workingtrees/infosheets/WhatIsSilvopastureInfoSheetMay2013.pdf. Accessed on 10 Dec 2019.
[3] USDA NRCS. Silvopasture (Code 381) Conservation Practice Standard. Pennsylvania. 2016. Available online: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download?cid=stelprdb1255015&ext=pdf. Accessed on 1 Dec 2019.
[4] USDA NAC. Silvopasture. USDA National Agroforestry Center. 2019. Available online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/practices/silvopasture.php. Accessed on 1 Dec 2019.
[5] Gabriel, S. Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2018.
- Author: Alli Rowe
As I have mentioned in my previous blogs, I have a certain affinity for cover crops. Mostly it is because I see enormous potential to increase the soil health and climate resiliency in Ventura County agriculture by incorporating cover crops. To shed some light on suitable cover crops for Ventura County, I seeded a cover crop demonstration at UCANR's Hansen Agricultural Research and Education Center in Santa Paula. On December 3rd, farmers, ranchers, gardeners, and community educators were invited to attend a Cover Crop Field Day to learn about different cover crops, compost, and the Healthy Soils Grant opportunity.
The field day attracted growers of all kinds from throughout the county. In attendance were orchard owners, berry and vegetable growers, ranchers, urban farmers, and enthusiastic gardeners, totaling over 100 people! Who knew so many people wanted to learn about my favorite topic?
The cover crop demonstration showcases cover crops in accordance to their functional category: biomass builders, pollinator habitat, low stature, and mustard. Mixes are seeded in long plots with their individual components seeded in smaller plots alongside. This allows for the chance to see the differences between mixes versus single species.
I would like to extend a deep thanks to CDFA, UCANR, the Hansen Agricultural Research and Education Center, Kamprath Seed, and S&S Seed for their generous donation of time, seed, and resources to make this demonstration and field day possible.
Want to know more about what we are up to around the state? Check out this recent press release by UCANR about the Climate Smart Agriculture team.
Climate smart agriculture encompasses management practices that increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve yields and efficiencies, and promotes climate resilience. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) supports three funding opportunities in climate smart agriculture: the Healthy Soils Program, the State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program, and the Alternative Manure Management Program.
In a collaborative partnership, CDFA and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources have teamed up to support 10 community education specialists throughout the state to provide technical assistance and outreach for the climate smart agriculture programs. As one of these technical assistance providers, my role is to promote and support the adoption of these programs in Ventura County. If you are interested in working with me, please contact me at amfish@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Alli Rowe
Authors: Alli Rowe, UCCE Ventura County and Niki Mazaroli, Strategy Research Science
There has been much buzz and renewed interest recently in planting trees as a tool to combat both the causes and impacts of climate change. But what role do trees play in climate-smart agriculture?
With respect to building healthy soils, tree canopy and leaf litter can provide protection against wind erosion and temperature extremes. Tree roots can help stabilize soils, increase nutrient cycling, and improve soil biota representative of a healthy soil system. The incorporation of trees and shrubs on agricultural landscapes, known as agroforestry, blends the practices of forestry and agriculture and can provide many ecological and economic benefits.
The USDA defines agroforestry as “the intentional combination of agriculture and forestry to create productive and sustainable land use practices” [1]. In theory, it really is this simple: adding trees or shrubs to an agricultural landscape. In practice, like most things in agriculture, it is more nuanced and, of course, site specific. Agroforestry includes a suite of practices with varying degrees of complexity that yield systems also of varying degrees of complexity. The most common agroforestry practices in the U.S. are: alley cropping, silvopasture, riparian buffers, windbreaks, and multi-story cropping (also referred to as forest farming).
Like many of the practices that fall under the header of climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry is both old and new. While the term agroforestry is relatively new, agroforestry has been practiced for millennia, yielding diverse, multistoried food forests in both temperate and tropical climates. The recent interest in agroforestry of the last few decades has been driven in part by the desire to apply the benefits of perennial agriculture to address some of the challenges of row crop and animal agricultural systems.
When considering transitioning to agroforestry practices, it is crucial to understand in advance how the incorporation of perennial woody plants will impact your existing operation. Select trees and shrubs that will grow well in your climate and the specific conditions of your farm, and will complement - not compete with! - existing crops or pasture.
In addition to plant selection, site design and management are also key. For example, where you plant trees or shrubs on your farm in relation to other crops or other elements of your farm can determine whether there is synergy or competition for water and nutrients. Site design can also determine the need for different types of management, such as in alley cropping systems where the widths of the “alleys” between rows of trees must factor in the size of any machinery used.
A local example of agroforestry in action is at King & King Ranch in Fillmore. The King family received a Healthy Soils Program Incentive Grant award to establish a windbreak along a 32-acre plot that is transitioning out of vegetable cultivation. The windbreak will protect the soil from the intense Santa Ana winds that sweep through the valley, establish living roots, sequester carbon in the woody biomass of the trees, and provide habitat for local pollinator and bird populations.
We will be highlighting more about agroforestry practices and the efforts of local producers in future blog posts, so stay tuned!
[1] USDA National Agroforestry Center. Agroforestry Practices. 2019. Available online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/practices/index.shtml (accessed on 31 August 2018).
Climate smart agriculture encompasses management practices that increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve yields and efficiencies, and promotes climate resilience. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) supports three funding opportunities in climate smart agriculture: the Healthy Soils Program, the State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program, and the Alternative Manure Management Program.
In a collaborative partnership, CDFA and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources have teamed up to support 10 community education specialists throughout the state to provide technical assistance and outreach for the climate smart agriculture programs. As one of these technical assistance providers, my role is to promote and support the adoption of these programs in Ventura County. If you are interested in working with me, please contact me at amrowe@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Alli Rowe
Lisa Tate is coming into her own in helping manage her family's farms in Ventura County. In addition to avocado and citrus, she is one of the pioneers of coffee growing in the coastal California, a fledgling industry in specialty crops. Growing high quality coffee has been on the rise, thanks to Frinj Coffee creating a collaborative of growers with the goal of figuring out how best to produce the best product. With the treats of climate change, development, and disease threatening much of coastal California's agriculture, coffee provides a beacon of light as a potentially successful next generation crop. Lisa's interview below sheds some light on her family's farming operations and her role in fostering the future of farming.
Grower Q & A
- Can you provide a brief introduction of yourself?
My name is Lisa Tate and I am a 6th generation farmer in Ventura County. My family has seven farms spread throughout Santa Paula, Saticoy, and Fillmore. I earned my B.S. degree in Agricultural Business at Cal Poly, and my M.P.A. (Master of Public Administration) from Walden University. I currently split my time between farming and taking care of my two sons ages six and nine. While I am very much in the learning stage of farming, I hope to get more involved as my children become more independent.
- What do you grow?
We grow Lemons, Avocados, Valencia Oranges, Mandarin Oranges, Pomegranates, and Coffee.
- How long have you been farming?
I have been directly farming for a year and a half, but I have been somewhat involved in family ranching for about 20 years.
- What are you doing on your land to improve soil health?
We add fertilizers, use natural avocado leaf mulch, spread our pruning mulch, and manage water runoff.
- What current issues are you facing as a farmer?
As a farmer in California, we face the rising cost of labor, increased concern about water availability, fluctuations in commodity pricing and consumer demand, tightening regulations, and challenges with trustworthy and available consumer information.
- What opportunities do you see in farming in Ventura County?
The weather is fantastic, the soil is great and I think we can grow pretty much anything. I am particularly excited about growing specialty coffee in the region and see it as a sister to California's wine growing operations. I love the idea of women grown and harvest coffee for our family farm and am actively working to see that vision through.