Small Farm Program advisors and staff members are experts in small farm-related issues and other agricultural topics. Listed below are some of the most recent news articles available online that make use of Small Farm Program sources.
For more information, contact Brenda Dawson
"Living in one of the world's most productive agricultural regions has its perks. ..."
"Baameur says the trend in watermelon development is going the opposite direction from monster size - to personal size. ..."
"Meeting safety standards established after a 2006 E.coli outbreak in spinach is worth the effort and cost, farmers testified at a U.S. Department of Agriculture hearing in Monterey on Thursday. ..."
"Family farms will be exempt from federal estate taxes as long as the farm stays in the family if a bill recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives passes. ..."
"While farmers' markets have long appealed to some consumers, they're also beneficial to many growers, including those drawn in by significantly higher sales at the markets in the past year ..."
"In order for the next generation of farmers to be successful with organic commodities, they will need to demonstrate as much marketing savvy as production skill, according to the head of the University of California Small Farm Center. ..."
"A new study shows that California's farmers are opening farm stands, teaching youngsters and hosting weddings, all so they can make some scratch on the side while giving non-farm people a glimpse at life beyond the city limits. ..."
"A recent University of California survey found that visitor education is one of the most common reasons - second only to increasing profits - farmers and ranchers decide to include agritourism in their operations. ..."
"California ranchers and farmers are finding a lucrative niche in the tourist business. ..."
"Eight years ago, the father and son farmer team of Ray and Mike Graesser planted 10 acres of blueberry bushes on the eastern edge of Temecula, where tract homes give way to horse farms and vineyards. ..."
"Exploding production and shared information on how to lower pH levels were among topics for a field day that Jimenez coordinated at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier, Calif. ..."
"Research that had its genesis in an effort to address freeze damage to blackberries in the Midwest could also help protect blackberries in California from the state’s searing summer sun. ..."
"Sometimes called 'subscription farming,' Community Supported Agriculture allows consumers to get their produce straight from a farm in their community by paying for a “share” of the farm’s harvest in advance. ..."
"Just a decade ago, blueberries were a crop that could only grow well in climates much cooler than the Central Valley. ..."
"Community Supported Agriculture is a form of subscription farming where people purchase produce directly from the farm by paying for a share of the harvest in advance. ..."
"Their roots are shallow, they are finicky about their soil, and extreme temperatures can ruin a crop -- but blueberries can bring sweet rewards for San Joaquin Valley growers who master the art of growing them. ..."
"The 'blue wave' may be starting to crest, but plenty of California blueberry growers are still putting their boards in the water. ..."
"PARLIER, Calif. - The development of heat-tolerant blueberry varieties is attracting more potential California grower-shippers. ..."
"In a recent column, I invited you to send more locations of farm stands. ..."
"It's time for one of my favorite games. You know, the one called 'Where do we get local strawberries?' ..."
"The American Mustang Foundation's proposal is ambitious, but Shermain Hardesty, director of the [UC] Small Farm Program, said agritourism has significant public appeal. ..."
"But much depends on weather conditions over the next few days, said Richard Molinar, a farm adviser with UC Extension in Fresno County...."
"Faced with a drought and falling food prices, farmers there could be in trouble, says Michael Yang, who has worked with the UC Cooperative Extension's small farm program for 15 years. ..."
"Richard Molinar, UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser in Fresno County, has worked with minority farming communities, largely with immigrants and refugees from Southeast Asia, for 23 years. ..."
"Despite the faltering economy, organic farmers and market analysts say they expect the market for organic products to continue growing, but at a slower rate. ..."
"A state lawmaker is nearing a deal with labor unions on a bill that would allow Southeast Asian growers to forgo workers' compensation coverage of family members..."
"California Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura reminded small farmers in Sacramento this week to keep sight of the larger issues challenging agriculture as they seek sustainability through local and organic food systems. ..."
"While agricultural credit markets tighten as a whole, opportunities for gaining credit and leasing land are improving for small farmers, boosted by support systems taking shape for a growing sector of the industry. ..."
"The recently released 2007 Census of Agriculture shows that nearly 30% more women became farmers, and the number of Hispanic farmers grew by 10% over the past five years. The number of Native American, Asian and black farm operators also rose. ..."
"Whether the domestically grown can compete against the Mexican guava remains to be seen. Manuel Jimenez, a University of California small-farms adviser in Tulare County, hopes both varieties will appeal to consumers. ..."
"Overproduction is the single most common problem with California summer squash, according to Mark Gaskell, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor for small farms and specialty crops in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. One way to get around the problem is to harvest the squash at non-traditional times. ..."
"Muchos inmigrantes están dedicándose a la agricultura a pequeña escala con la ayuda que el asesor agrícola Richard Molinar ..."
"University of California Cooperative Extension small farm (advisor) Richard Molinar is just happy that people are willing to grow capers, a specialty crop he believes has potential for small acreage U.S. farmers. ..."
"That recognition may also allow farmers a better price for their products, says Shermain Hardesty..."
"At the Kearney center in Parlier, UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser Richard Molinar studies the possibility of turning backyard Sichuan pepper trees into a California crop. ..."
"Eliseo Garcia, 60, made his morning deliveries of freshly picked crops to flea market vendors at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds on a Thursday morning. ..."
"The first thing that comes to mind when people think of corn is the husks of sweet white or yellow kernels that can be found each summer at most every grocery store or farmers market in the central San Joaquin Valley. ..."
"Disillusionment among members of Arkansas' largest farmer-owned cooperative has begun bubbling to the surface in the wake of an ongoing lawsuit involving the 2006 contamination of U. S. long-grain rice supplies by unapproved, genetically engineered rice. ..."
"Aunque le parezca imposible, en tierras californianas ahora se pueda dar una rica mordida a un delicioso tamarillo, a una maracuyá o a una rica carambola. ..."
"Many believe these critters are the reason so many gardens fail, but experts say 'Not true.' ..."
"These are caper plants, and thanks to the University of California's local research, their buds (known as capers) and fruits (known as caper berries) are turning into one of the nation's newest specialty crops. ..."
"Every Saturday morning a semi truck rolls to a stop next to the In-N-Out Burger on Stockdale Highway and hundreds of boxes of organic fruit and produce are stacked in the parking lot. ..."
"A vision for the future of the state's agricultural sector was addressed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in Sacramento May 29 during one of a handful of listening sessions being held throughout the state. ..."
"About 55 people learned about virtually every aspect of growing blueberries at a UC Cooperative Extension field day last week at a Nipomo farm. ..."
(Review of one of the 2008 Week of Blueberries events)
"If the face behind the fresh produce sold at the famous San Luis Obispo Thursday night farmers' market looks familiar, it's because Robert Hayashi has been bringing his strawberries and vegetables nearly as long as the market has been open.. ..."
"Although strawberry acreage is declining in Fresno County, there's enough out there to stock the roadside stands that started opening in the Fresno-Clovis area in recent days..."
"Thanks to hybridizers, cultivated blueberries can be grown just about anywhere, as long as you get the soil right and don't let the plants dry out. ..."
"VISALIA, Calif. - California growers welcomed fellow Hmong farmers to their annual Small Farm Conference last week in the heart of the fertile San Joaquin Valley. ..."
"They have exotic names - opo, pitahaya and sinqua - and unique shapes, sizes and colors, but they may hold promise for small-scale California farmers. ..."
(Review of 2007 Specialty Crops Conference, held by the UC Small Farm Program)
"Some lingering doubt about the effectiveness of the agricultural cooperatives that serve California farmers has been cleared up by a 12-year study completed by University of California researchers. ..."
"They've been sacked by the low-carb diet craze and plagued with overproduction and poor returns, but some of the nation's potato growers are fighting back through the power of information. ..."
"You can grow blueberries here, but it's important to get the variety and soil condition right ..."
"Oh sure, you could jet off to an exotic locale such as Paris, Samoa or Aberdeen for your next getaway. Then again, you could join a growing number of people heading on some of California's roads less traveled--that lead you to places like Perris (Riverside County), Samoa (Humboldt County) or Aberdeen (Inyo County) ..."
"The world's hottest peppers might not be native to the U.S. but right now you can find them growing in the south valley .... "
"The term "urban farming" may conjure up a community garden where locals grow a few heads of lettuce. But some academics envision something quite different for the increasingly hungry world of the 21st century ..."
"To the untrained eye, the mini watermelon is, well, just a small watermelon. But to Richard Molinar, there are nuances to note. ..."
"EXETER - Despite the lush foliage on his trees and the knee-high weeds between the rows, Porterville citrus grower John France has discovered it isn't easy being green...."
"For the past few years, a growing number of Americans have embraced 'organic' food products. That demand is being met at mega supermarkets and small corner markets and that demand is also changing California farming. ..."
"123 Farm, part of the Highland Springs Resort in Cherry Valley, started as an organic farm three years ago growing herbs such as lavender, rosemary, peppermint and sage that are used to make essential oils. ..."
"Visalia - It's no secret that blueberries are a good health food. But recently, the fruit has begun to help the economic health of California farmers, especially in Tulare County which is known for its agricultural productivity and diversity. ..."
