SFP Advisor Santa Barbara

Mark Gaskell, SFP Advisor
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties

Contact Information:
UC Cooperative Extension,
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
624 W. Foster Rd., Suite A
Santa Maria, CA 93455
(805) 934-6240
fax: (805) 934-6333
e-mail: mlgaskell@ucdavis.edu

Key Research Projects/Interests

New crop research and development
Special production constraints of organic agriculture

Current Research Projects

Lychee and longan field trials are conducted on 20 sites between San Luis Obispo and San Diego Counties.

Extended-season blueberry production in California
Research and development leading to commercial production of lychees and longans in California
The effects of green manure, compost, and feather meal on soil nitrogen dynamics, beneficial soil microrganisms and bell pepper yield

Extension Educational Outreach Projects

Alternative crops and markets
- Off-season, fresh-market small fruit (blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry) production
- Fresh-market edamame production in California for domestic or export markets
- Lychee, longan, and exotic subtropical fruit production in California
Soil management practices for efficient organic vegetable production
Improving production and marketing efficiency on small farms
- Irrigation management
- Financial management
- Market information

Collaborative or Other Special Projects

Fresh market lychee fruit is one of a number of promising potential new commercial crops in California.

Lychee and longan research and development
- Ben Faber, UC Cooperative Extension, Ventura County
- Ramiro Lobo, UC Cooperative Extension, San Diego County
- Gary Bender, UC Cooperative Extension, San Diego County
Organic Soil Amendments
- Carolee Bull, USDA Agriculture Research Service, Salinas
- Richard Smith, UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County
- Steve Koike, UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County
Edamame Production
- Wyatt Brown, Crop Science Department, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
- Marita Cantwell, Vegetable Crops Department, UC Davis
- Richard Smith, UC Cooperative Extension, Monterey County
- Richard Molinar, UC Cooperative Extension, Fresno County
- Steve Temple, Agronomy and Range Science, UC Davis

Publications

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software) to download some of the publications. Printed copies are available from the Small Farm Center at (530) 752-8136. Contact Mark Gaskell directly with questions regarding additional publications.