Ongoing research

Lettuce seedlings in a tray with white plastic identification tags for each seedling
Food Blog: Article

New video series to help new California vegetable growers

May 5, 2025
By Pamela S Kan-Rice
To train new people to work with California specialty crops and update the skills of current workers, educators from UC Davis and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Fresno State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chico State and five California community colleges are producing educational videos.
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Placer County 4-H: Page

Embryology School Program

The 3+ week long 4-H embryology program teaches youth (grades k-8) about the development life-cycle of a chicken through a hands-on experiential learning model. The 4-H Embryology curricula meets the Next Generation Science Standards. Through the 4-H Embryology program, youth will learn about:Embryo…
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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Salt, the Only Rock We Eat! (May 2025)

May 2, 2025
By Travis R Alexander
Henry Shaw, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer Part 1: When is a tablespoon not a tablespoon?Common salt, sodium chloride (NaCl), is the most widely used condiment worldwide. It’s also the only rock we normally eat. (“Halite” is the geological term for rock salt.) Today, you can buy a…
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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

We need to hear from you! (May 2025)

May 2, 2025
By Travis R Alexander
Travis Alexander, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Coordinator In our funding agreement with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, we committed to conducting periodic evaluations (6-month, 12-month, 18-month) of our monthly newsletter. We would greatly appreciate it if each of…
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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Cornmeal Olive Oil Cake with Strawberry Jam Swirl (May 2025)

May 2, 2025
By Travis R Alexander
Melisa Spence, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program Volunteer When I heard that we were highlighting strawberries this month, my mind immediately went to this cornmeal olive oil cake with a strawberry jam swirl from pastry chef Teresa Finney*. Finney suggests using any jam you like or have on hand,…
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UC Master Food Preserver: Article

Spotlight: Penny Pearson, Class of 2025 MFP Trainee (May 2025)

May 2, 2025
By Travis R Alexander
Penny Pearson, UC Master Food Preserver Online Program TraineeCounty of residence: Placer Image credit: Penny Pearson, 2025.  Some of my earliest—and most vivid—memories are tied to jars. Not just any jars, but the gleaming, jewel-toned jars that lined the walls of my grandparents' root cellar…
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UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County: Event

Library Talk - Winter Gardening - LIB2025

Jul 21, 2025

Talk at Pleasant Hill Library:  Master Gardener volunteer Bonnie Dwyer talks about how to plan for your home winter garden.
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
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Thrips/TSWV Kings: Article

2025 Third report

May 2, 2025
By Neil McRoberts
General Situation: Daily high temperatures will be swinging between the low 70s and low 90s F over the next 10 days.  These are ideal conditions for thrips development. There are already scattered TSWV infections in crops in Fresno and Kings.  The key objective is to stop these scattered…
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Thrips/TSWV Fresno: Article

2025 Third report

May 2, 2025
By Neil McRoberts
General Situation: Daily high temperatures will be swinging between the low 70s and low 90s F over the next 10 days.  These are ideal conditions for thrips development. There are already scattered TSWV infections in crops in Fresno and Kings.  The key objective is to stop these scattered…
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