Thanks to the generous spirit of late brothers Allen and Robert Young, the 3-acre Young Family Ranch in Weaverville is the setting for community workshops on soils, gardening, food preservation and more, reported Laura Christman in the Redding Record Searchlight. The farmhouse basement has been turned into a community classroom. Carol Fall, program specialist with Trinity County UC Cooperative Extension, has office space in the basement. Upstairs, two bedrooms are offices for the extension's nutrition staff. Being at the ranch allows the UC experts to tap into the gardens and orchard for workshops and classes. "We really use this as a teaching facility," Fall said.

Other news:

Modesto olive oil producer celebrates its 75th anniversary
John Holland, Modesto Bee

Nick Sciabica & Sons, in business for 75 years, is the state's oldest, and one of its leading, olive oil producers. Dan Flynn, executive director of the Olive Center at the University of California at Davis, told the Modesto Bee that California companies produced about 1.2 million gallons from the last crop but could soon reach 5 million. The Modesto company is a key part of this. "A lot of people have a high regard for the Sciabica family and all they have done in the industry," Flynn said.

Weather takes olive crop 'from bad to worse'
Tim Heardon, Capitol Press

California olive growers were expecting a lighter crop this season after last year's record yields, but not this light. This year's olive crop estimate is 65,000 tons -- a 67 percent drop from last year's record 195,000 tons, according to a probability survey from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Adverse weather during the bloom affected the crop as orchards were already stressed from last year's heavy load. In Northern California, an early-winter frost affected many orchards, said UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Rick Buchner.