One week from today, the University of California Lindcove Research and Extension Center will combine its annual citrus tasting with a laboratory dedication and a 50th anniversary celebration, an event that will be covered by California Country. California Country is a 30-minute weekly television broadcast produced by the California Farm Bureau Federation about the people, places and lifestyles that have made California the nation's largest food-producing state, according to its Web site. Producers will be in the area for several days collecting information for its program about the significant benefits of the Lindcove facility to the California citrus industry.

When the California Country program on Lindcove is posted online, you will find a link to it on this blog.

From humble beginnings in 1959, Lindcove has grown into a 175-acre research center where scientists conduct more than 25 projects annually. The facilities include 125 acres of research groves, three greenhouses, a packing line and fruit quality laboratory, two screen houses, a recently constructed laboratory for entomology and horticulture studies, and a conference center for teaching.

Many UC dignitaries are scheduled to attend the Dec. 11 event, including:

• Dan Dooley, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources vice president
• Barbara Allen-Diaz, ANR associate vice president-programs
• Kay Harrison Taber, ANR associate vice president-business operations
• Bill Frost, Director of ANR's statewide research and extension center network

Citrus growers and other ag professionals are invited to attend the ribbon cutting and citrus tasting from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 11. The following day, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Saturday, Dec. 12, the general public is invited for citrus tasting. Master Gardeners and UC Cooperative Extension advisors will be available to answer questions from home gardeners and citrus connoisseurs.

Click here for more information and driving directions.

See scenes from last year's citrus tasting in the video below.