Archive Nut, Prune and Olive Programs

By Denise Seghesio Levine, U. C. Master Gardener of Napa County Something has changed. When I was growing up and for many years afterward, a plate of greens was always, well, green.

Some folks call them "bumble bees," but they're not. In size, the female Valley carpenter bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) resembles a bumble bee, but certainly not in color. The female Valley carpenter is solid black with metallic wings.

According to many state fire officials, we no longer have simply a Fire Season' but a Fire Year'. In winter drought conditions, some parts of our region do not receive enough rain to mitigate fire danger.

Dear members of the Monterey County 4-H Leaders Council, On Tuesday, September 18th, the 4-H Leaders Council will hold its monthly meeting at 7pm. The location will be at the Soledad High School 425 Gabilan Dr, Soledad, CA 93960.

Legendary CSIT programmer Steve Edberg recently received his fifteen-year Distinguished Service Award. Steve has been with UC ANR for the last five years, but his history with the UC system goes back even farther.

This has been a big year for purslane at the UC Davis farm. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a succulent summer annual weed with fleshy leaves and rubbery-looking stems. Native to Eurasia, or maybe Africa, purslane arrived in the Americas with the first Europeans to settle here.

Join us on October 24 at the Orradre Building at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm to learn what you need to know to comply with Senate Bill 88. Cost is $25/person. Register here: https://bit.ly/2CMH30n or contact me at drorao@ucanr.edu or 831-637-5346 x14.

By T. Eric Nightingale, UC Master Gardener of Napa County Our summer edible gardens will soon be winding down, ready to be replaced by the winter crops. If you are not ready to let go of a particularly tasty vegetable, you may want to try growing it again next year.

The transition of fall is upon us and gardeners are busy tending to late summer harvests, pruning back perennials, prepping for slower plant growth and more. But fall doesn't have to be all about wrapping up the growing season.

Pressure Canning By Sarah Arana UCCE Master Food Preserver I received a pressure canner as a birthday gift. What can I preserve in it? Anita M. Cayucos, CA What a thoughtful present! Having a pressure canner gives the home preserver several more options for putting up food at its peak freshness.