Ventura County Helps Keep Farming Alive in Southern California
Ventura County Helps Keep Farming Alive in Southern California As you drive north on the U.S. Highway 101 Freeway from downtown Los Angeles, you probably don’t realize those picturesque open …
News Wrap: Book Recos, Texas Drought, Rural Politics, and More
As summer approaches, I find myself using the longer days to read more. Here are some suggestions for books and articles. Books I’m currently reading Common Ground: Encounters with Nature …
#ThomasFire: New Insights, Information, Resources
Editor’s Note: Like thousands of other residents of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, my family fled as the Thomas Fire roared over the hill toward our home. We were so very fortunate, but many of …
From the fire zone, a farmer’s perspective
Editor’s Note: I’m a resident of Ventura who evacuated earlier this week as a result of the #ThomasFire. I have been able to return to an intact home, unlike dozens of my …
Farm-to-Table Talk: Tech to Taste
A recent Friday found one of my favorite podcasters – Rodger Wasson of Farm to Table Talk – in Los Angeles. It’s a short drive from there to Ventura County, …
Master Gardener Conference opens to public, #ClimateChange news, more
Longer days of summer = more time to read and more time to garden. ICYMI, some #goodreads, an important video…and an invitation to register for an amazing statewide gardening conference …
Cover crops deliver bee forage
In a previous guest post for UC Food Observer, I quoted my FarmLab message to third graders: “Crops’ are what we grow for people, and ‘cover crops’ are what we …
If farm dogs ran the world, we would never have needed to discover coffee. With an adult life spent largely in agriculture and the military, I am no stranger to …
“Clean floors” give way to cover crops
Clean Floors When I was a kid, you could evaluate a lemon grower with a look at his orchard floor. A “clean floor” was a sure sign of good stewardship. …
From re-introducing ancient crops to understanding the ecological benefits of working landscapes in California, these recent food and agriculture stories should not be missed. Ranching Cattle in California It may …