Safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving
Growers are concerned about early spring
California's January weather was exceptional in 2009. While many enjoyed the unseasonably warm days, farmers fretted about the impact on their crops. According to an article in today's Santa Rosa Press Democrat, horticulturists say some plants and trees are budding two weeks to a month earlier than usual.
“Spring is coming earlier and it has been doing that the last three or four years. But this year is astonishing,” the article quoted Bob Hornback, a garden educator and adviser to a Sebastopol farm.
Press-Democrat writer Meg McConahey also sought comment from UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Paul Vossen. He told the reporter experts do not yet know whether the temperatures through the winter were cold enough to sufficiently chill certain fruit trees.
To achieve optimum spring bloom on fruit trees, flower buds must be exposed to a certain amount of winter chilling during their dormant period. This chilling requirement is measured as the accumulated number of hours below 45º F. Fruit tree's chilling needs vary widely depending on the type and variety of fruit. Some apples, for example, such as McIntosh and Rome Beauty, require more than 800 hours of winter chill. Stone fruit chill needs range from 150 to 900 hours.
A file photo showing an almond orchard in full bloom.
When in doubt, throw it out
Notwithstanding that oft-repeated rhyme scientists use to guide food safety decisions, a UC Cooperative Extension specialist offered some more detailed advice in a newspaper article today that people can follow when they open a carton of yogurt or a hunk of cheese to find a spot of mold.
Ed Blonz of the Contra Costa Times contacted UC Davis dairy specialist emeritus John Bruhn when preparing to answer a reader question about moldy dairy products.
In a nutshell, Bruhn told the reporter:
- Creating an acidic atmosphere using a vinegar-soaked cloth or paper towel might help in controlling mold growth, but it's not always reliable
- If there is a spot of mold in a yogurt container, remove a tablespoon of the product with the mold
- With cheese, cut about 3/4 to 1 inch around the mold contamination
And I'll add . . . when in doubt, throw it out.
Moldy cheese can be salvaged.
Asian citrus psyllid's northward march inevitable
Director of the UC Lindcove Research and Extension Center Beth Grafton-Cardwell predicted Valley citrus growers' fears will be realized. Eventually, she believes, the Asian citrus psyllid will make its way northward from San Diego County, were it was first discovered in California last year.
Grafton-Cardwell shared her view in the lead business story of yesterday's Fresno Bee. Written by reporter Robert Rodriguez, the story said growers are mobilizing resources to get ahead of the invasion and protect the state's $723 million citrus industry.
However, Grafton-Cardwell told Rodriguez that quarantines, trapping and pesticide spraying may slow down the bugs' northward march, but probably won't stop it.
"With the volume of people traffic around the state, the psyllid will be carried into new places," she was quoted in the story.
The greatest concern associated with the Asian citrus psyllid is its ability to spread the devastating citrus greening disease. To date, none of the psyllids trapped in Southern California was carrying the disease.
Beth Grafton-Cardwell
Farm Bureau paper expands on state water woes
An AgAlert story by Kate Campbell expands on earlier news coverage of a recent State Board of Food and Agriculture meeting, where UC Davis agricultural economist Richard Howitt offered depressing news about water allocations for the 2009 growing season.
Howitt told the board that, based on an 85 percent cut in water deliveries for the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project, "We're estimating a 50 percent increase in groundwater pumping, compared to 2005. We're also factoring in the removal of older permanent crops and the use of stress irrigation, as well as the likelihood of water trades."
The expected economic impact of water woes in the Central Valley:
- 40,000 lost jobs
- $1.15 billion lost income
"If there are further reductions in water supplies to the east side of the San Joaquin Valley, these losses can go up," Howitt was quoted. "We cannot predict prices for cross-valley water transfers because they are complicated by the role of second- and third-party water districts."
Earlier this week, the Fresno Bee reported that Westlands Water District will receive no federal water deliveries at all in the 2009 season.
"What am I supposed to do, if I have no water?" farmer Bob Diedrich was quoted in the story. "I have five guys that I employ year-round, and now I may have to tell them they don't have jobs."
Gary Rush obituary in the Record-Searchlight
The Redding Record-Searchlight ran an obituary today for retired UC Cooperative Extension county director Gary Rush. Rush was also a community development advisor emeritus. According to the story, Rush, 73, suffered an accident some weeks ago and succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Rush retired from his post in the UCCE Shasta-Trinity office in 1993, after 30 years of service to the Northern California community.
"Gary was educated and wise in life as well as books. He was insightful, intelligent, ambitious, patriotic and just one heck of a good guy," the obituary said.
Friends and acquaintances may contact the family at (530) 275-4704.