Gerry Hernandez retires

Gerry Hernandez, left, and Franz Niederholzer hold a resolution sent by state Sen. Bill Dodd.

Gerry Hernandez, agricultural technician and UC Master Gardener coordinator for Colusa County, retired July 1.

In 1999, Hernandez was hired by Colusa County to work in the UC Cooperative Extension office in Colusa County as a field research associate. In the subsequent 25 years supporting a wide range of programs, she played a key role in the success of UCCE in Colusa County.

“Gerry has been a great asset to our office,” said Franz Niederholzer, UCCE Colusa County director. “She supported UC programs in the field, in classrooms, and in print and social media.”

In recognition of Hernandez's contributions to the community, state Sen. Bill Dodd sent a commendatory resolution. Niederholzer presented the resolution to her on June 28 at her retirement party.

During her career, Hernandez worked with 12 UCCE farm advisors and numerous program staff. She walked countless miles in rice, tomatoes, almonds, walnuts, alfalfa, wheat, onions, peppers, sugar beets, blueberries, cover crops, olives and cucurbits fields, trapping and recording thousands of insects. She also worked long, hot days during almond harvest at the Leslie J. Nickels Soil Laboratory in Arbuckle.

While supporting UCCE advisors, she served as CE meeting registrar and attended over 150 regional educational meetings put on by UC, greeting more than 12,000 people attending those meetings. She also helped the nutrition program, making over 1,000 “bread-in-a-bag” hands-on learning activities with school-aged youth.

She served as Colusa County State Fair Exhibit Coordinator for 10 years, producing the yearly plan and coordinating the booth at the California State Fair.

In 2009, she also became the coordinator for the UC Master Gardener program in Colusa County and helped run and grow the program until her retirement. The UC Master Gardener program in Colusa County has earned over 300,000 digital imprints/visits by developing and producing podcasts, educational videos, newsletters and content for social media.

In 2022, she worked with Colusa County Office of Education to start the Donna Critchfield Demonstration Garden at the Education Village in Williams. She raised over $7,500 in donations and led the planting of summer and winter vegetables, which are donated to local food banks. She also oversaw the creation of three water-wise landscapes.

As a member of the Garden Club of Colusa County, Friends of the Library, and Friends of Colusa County Animal Shelter, she plans to remain active in the community.

Hernandez holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

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