Posts Tagged: winter
Did you catch the buzz?
Did you catch the buzz?
It's still a troubling scene for our nation's honey bees, but it appears that the total losses for the 2011-2012 winter aren't as bad as they could be.
In other words, managed honey bee colonies appear to be holding their own. Overall, they didn't take a sharp dive last winter.
The annual survey, conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Bee Informed Partnership, and the Apiary Inspectors of America shows that the honey bee colony losses averaged 30 percent for the winter of 2011-2012.
Compare that to 34 percent for the 2009-2010 winter, 29 percent for 2008-2009 winter; 36 percent for 2007-2008, and 32 percent for 2006-2007.
Kim Kaplan of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of USDA wrote in a May 23 news release that 5,572 beekeepers responded to the survey, which covered the period from October 2010 to April 2011. These 5,572 beekeepers, he said, manage more than 15 percent of the country's estimated 2.68 million colonies.
As ARS entomologist Jeff Pettis, who helped conduct the study, said: "The lack of increase in losses is marginally encouraging in the sense that the problem does not appear to be getting worse for honey bees and beekeepers."
Pettis is a familiar name among scientists, beekeepers and the beekeeping industry. He leads the USDA's chief research agency, the Bee Research Laboratory, in Beltsville, Md.
ARS plans to publish a complete analysis of the data later this year, Kaplan reports, but for now, we know that the average losses didn't fall below 30 percent. Some beekeepers, however, recorded much heavier losses.
Why care about the declining bee population?
As author Norm Gary, emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis, says in his book, Honey Bee Hobbyist; The Care and Keeping of Bees, "Bees play a fundamental role in food production. About one-third of the food we eat, at least in the United States, can't be produced without pollination by honey bees. Fruits, vegetables, berries, some fiber crops, domestic animal feed, and oil seed crops would be in extremely short supply without honey bee pollination."
And almonds. California, the world's largest producer of almonds, has some 800,000 acres of almonds and each acre requires two hives for pollination. Without bees, no almonds.
"Can you imagine the impact on our food supply and diet if honey bees weren't available for pollination?" Gary asks. "Without them, the human diet would consist mostly of grains and fish."
Think wheat, rice and fish.
No honey, either.
Speaking of honey, you might like to try this Cranberry Oat Bread recipe provided by the National Honey Board. It hasn't been a honey of a winter for the nation's bees, but this is a honey of a recipe.
Cranberry Oat Bread
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup chopped nuts
Combine honey, oil, eggs and milk in large bowl; mix well. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl; mix well. Stir into honey mixture. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon into two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2-inch greased and floured loaf pans.
Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Makes 2 loaves.
Honey bee heading toward pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Honey bee packing pollen while foraging on almond blossoms at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
December farm stories
Davis Wednesday afternoon farmers' market can be quiet in December, so what better time to learn a little about what's going on back at the farms? Every farmer I talked with today had delicious treats to sell and a story to tell. Here are a few:

The fuzzy green fruit for sale today from Stenzel's Kiwi Farm was harvested late in October and has been held in cold storage at 32 degrees since then. The fruit will last about six months stored this way, allowing Stenzel to bring out what he needs, grade it by size, let it ripen a little, but sell it while it's still firm. When you bring your kiwis home, let them ripen three or four days more for the best flavor.




Give it a try - visit your local winter farmers market and learn some new stories!
To find farmers' markets in your community, visit the UC small farm program's California Agriculture Tourism Directory.
Getting to know persimmons

On a wet and gloomy winter afternoon, there are few sights more cheering to my eyes than a persimmon tree loaded with its brilliant fruit, hanging from dark boughs like a mass of orange lanterns. But if you come across this bright spectacle on a winter's walk, don't rush to take a bite of that tempting fruit unless you're sure you know what's what.
See, there are persimmons, and then there are persimmons.

The type of persimmon that you can eat right off the tree is the Fuyu variety (left), a firm-fleshed, yellow- to orange-skinned fruit that is flat on the bottom and wider than it is tall—sometimes twice as wide. You can eat the fresh, sweet fruit like an apple or cut up in salads or you can dry it on the stem or cut in slices for a home dehydrator.

Aunt Pat's Persimmon Cookies
This recipe for Hachiya persimmon cookies has been in my family for generations and is always a special treat in the cold months. The cookies have a moist, cake-like consistency and can be eaten fresh or bagged up by the dozen and stored in the freezer. They're quick to thaw and they taste great. We usually make a double or triple batch just to take advantage of the fruit's availability, so cookie storage can be an issue.
CREAM TOGETHER:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
LIGHTLY BEAT AND ADD:
1 egg
ADD:
1 cup Hachiya persimmon pulp (about 3 ripe [very soft] persimmons)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
SIFT TOGETHER AND THEN ADD:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Drop the dough in generously rounded teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 350° oven for 12 to 14 minutes.
More on Persimmons
Check out these links for more information on preserving, preparing, and growing persimmons:
- Persimmon Time (San Joaquin County Cooperative Extension)
- The California Backyard Orchard
(Photos: Wikimedia Commons)
Información gratuita sobre alimentos, nutrición, manejo de los alimentos, preparación y más
Basta con mencionar que algo essutil y además gratuito para que la mayoría de nosotros nos detengamos a echarle un vistazo. Y hay buenas
razones: la Universidad de California tiene un número de sitos en Internet que ofrecen información gratis respecto a los alimentos.

Después de mirar estas listas, quizás usted quedará inspirado para preparar unos aceitunas en vinagre o …cazar y preparar un venado. En cuanto a mi, mi última locura fue preparar queso. Sí, hace dos semanas hice queso de cabra, y el fin de semana pasado hice camembert y queso azul. Ahora sólo tengo que ser paciente durante dos meses para esperar a que añejen…
¡Buen apetito y coma saludablemente!
Publicaciones, en inglés, de la División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de la UC [enlace]
- Tomates : Métodos seguros para almacenarlos, preservarlos y disfrutarlos [enlace]
- Aceitunas: métodos seguros para prepararlas en casa [enlace]
- Principios básicos acerca del cuidado de los huevos: empaque, almacenamiento e información sobre nutrición [enlace]
- Pautas de seguridad alimentaria durante apagones: datos para los consumidores. [enlace]
- Puntos claves de seguridad alimentaria para el control y manejo de microbios: productos del campo que son comestibles [enlace]
- Seguridad en el manejo de frutas y verduras[enlace
- Métodos seguros para preservar verduras [enlace]
- Quince almuerzos escolares saludables para niños [enlace]
Centro de Información sobre Poscosecha y Tecnología [enlace]
- Almacenamiento de frutas y verduras frescas en casa – poster (la primera copia es gratis) [enlace]
Centro de Información sobre Frutas y Nueces [enlace]
- El huerto casero - Abundancia de publicaciones sobre como cultivar y cosechar en casa [enlace]
Publicaciones sobre nutrición de UC Davis [enlace]
- Hojas de datos de nutrición y salud sobre una variedad de temas: desde bebidas energéticas hasta osteoporosis, anemia y más [enlace]
- EatFit – Mantenerse en forma es un programa interactivo en internet para ayudar a estudiantes de secundaria a analizar su alimentación y guiarlos para que se coloquen metas nutricionales [enlace]
- Boletín “Nutrition Perspectives” - Información basada en investigaciones sobre programas de nutrición y otros temas relacionados con la alimentación [enlace]
- “Nutrition to Grow On” – Un plan de trabajo para estudiantes desde el cuarto hasta el sexto grado de primaria que ofrece a los maestros un enlace directo entre el huerto y la educación sobre nutrición [enlace]
Videos sobre salubridad alimentaria
- Échele un vistazo a estos entretenidos videos musicales sobre seguridad alimentaria. Producidos por el renombrado experto en seguridad alimenticia Dr. Carl Winter – quien en base a la clásica canción de los Beatles “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” (Quiero sostener tu mano), produjo la versión “You’d Better Wash Your Hands” (Más vale que te laves las manos) [enlace]
- Más música sobre seguridad alimenticia [enlace]
Oficinas de Extensión Cooperativa [enlace]
- Muchas oficinas en los condados tienen publicaciones sobre producción de alimentos que es específica al clima y necesidades de cada condado.
¡Publicación del día!
- Seguridad alimentaria durante la cacería, limpieza, transportación a casa y corte de un venado. [enlace]
Preparado por ann King Filmer
Adaptado al español por Norma De la Vega
Free information on food: Nutrition, food handling, safety, cooking, etc.

Take your time to peruse the sites listed below. There is some fascinating and very handy information to be had. Many of these sites also offer terrific publications at nominal prices, but this blog lists only those that are free . . . and we all love a bargain! Many more publications and programs are available than those listed below.
After looking at these lists, you never know when you’ll be inspired to pickle some olives or field dress a deer. As for me, my latest food craze is cheese-making. Two weeks ago I made goat cheese (chèvre, to be sure), and last weekend I made camembert and blue cheeses. Now I just have to be patient for two months while they ripen . . .
Bon appétit and healthful eating!
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources publications [link]
- Tomatoes: Safe methods to store, preserve, and enjoy [link]
- Olives: Safe methods for home pickling [link]
- Egg basics for the consumer: Packaging, storing, and nutritional information [link]
- Guidelines for food safety during short-term power outages: Consumer fact sheet [link]
- Key points of control and management for microbial food safety: Edible landscape [link]
- Safe handling of fruits and vegetables [link]
- Safe methods of canning vegetables [link]
- The healthy brown bag: 15 lunches for school-aged children [link]
Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center [link]
- Storing fresh fruits and vegetables at home – poster (first copy free) [link]
Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center [link]
- The Backyard Orchard – A plethora of publications on growing and harvesting in the home orchard [link]
Nutrition publications from UC Davis [link]
- Nutrition and health information sheets on everything from energy drinks to osteoporosis to anemia, and more [link]
- EatFit - An interactive web program to aid middle-school students in personal dietary analysis and "guided goal setting" [link]
- “Nutrition Perspectives” newsletter - Research-based information on ongoing nutrition and food-related programs [link]
- “Nutrition to Grow On” - A curriculum for grades four through six that offers teachers a direct link between the garden and nutrition education [link]
Food Safety Videos
- Take a look at these humorous — but serious — music videos on food safety by renowned food safety expert Dr. Carl Winter. Who knew that the Beatles’ classic “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” could morph into “You’d Better Wash Your Hands”? [link]
- More food safety music [link]
Cooperative Extension Offices [link]
- Many county offices have publications on food production that is specific to climatic or regional needs of that county.
Publication of the Day!
- Protecting food safety when shooting, field dressing, bringing a deer home, and cutting the carcass [link]