Archive Nut, Prune and Olive Programs

Swanton Pacific Ranch is hiring an apprentice to work with their livestock program. Swanton Pacific Ranch is working towards a regenerative approach to managing their rangelands using the decision making that considers ecological, economic, and social dimensions.

I am in DC for a few days this week to meet with Extension Directors and partners, including the new NIFA National Science Liaisons. These are the NIFA employees who stayed behind in DC while the rest of NIFA headquarters relocated to Kansas City a few months ago.

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.

Come to the 2019 orchard IPM meeting. Hear talks on hull rot in almonds, navel orangeworm control, orchard weed management, and updates from the Madera County Agricultural Commissioner's office. Location and times in the atttached PDF.

For gardeners the coming of winter means, among many other things, the beginning of the bare root planting season. Local nurseries will soon receive good supplies of bare root fruit and ornamental trees, roses, grapes, berries, and vegetables such as asparagus and rhubarb.

When you think of traditional plants that represent the Christmas season, the poinsettia automatically comes to mind. Other plants also can be used indoors to provide seasonal color, including the cyclamen.

Drones... If you're thinking of apiculture, you might be thinking of drones (male bees). But if you're thinking of agriculture--more specifically sustainable agriculture practices in the 21st century--you ought to be thinking of the importance of unmanned aerial robots.

When we first started using livestock guardian dogs nearly 15 years ago, I often joked that we our sheep operation was "predator-friendly" because our dogs were not.

The two wind events we had awhile ago were pretty frightening. There were trees down and fences down all over the city. We were very lucky at our house when I went out to check all I found damaged was our olive tree.

West Hills College preschool kicks off its annual Stone Soup Event. Sue Lafferty, nutrition educator with CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California told the preschoolers, the story of a hungry traveler coming to a village where no one was willing to share.