Archive Nut, Prune and Olive Programs

Why a Tiny Bite Can Have Big Consequences A whining hum fills your left ear. A slight sensation on the back of your neck followed by a faint pinch of pain. SMACK! A broken and twisted long-legged insect and a small smear of red blood on your hand. Soon, the itching and swelling will start. You shrug; it…

By Cindy Watter, UC Master Gardener of Napa County.   For many people, spring begins with the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County tomato sale, which will be held on Saturday, April 11, this year.   Just as the tomato sale signals spring, a ripe tomato is practically the trademark of summer. …

Signs of spring are everywhere we look: trees and shrubs are full of blossoms, flowers are bursting into bloom, bees are buzzing all around, and aphids are stacking up on rose buds. What to do?  Aphids are a common occurrence in the spring. They rapidly appear in large numbers when the weather…

 All hail the aphid eaters!Lady beetles, aka ladybugs, emerge in spring from winter hibernation, and do so with voracious appetites. Is your rose bush drawing aphids? Bring on the beetles.  The lady beetle eats some 50 aphids a day--what some may call "a 50-course meal." In it lifetime, it can…

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) 2026 Research and Education (R&E) Grant Program This grant program involves scientists, agricultural producers, and others using interdisciplinary approaches to advance sustainable agriculture at local and regional levels. With the…

Please find the attached document to provide the previous week’s estimated water use report in terms of evapotranspiration for almonds, peaches, walnuts, established vineyard, alfalfa, and pasture in Stanislaus County. This report may be used as a guide in your irrigation schedule for the…