Sacramento, Calif., (May 31, 2017) – Last week brought an upper-level ridge over the area leading to hot and mostly dry conditions. During the week, only a few locations received any measurable precipitation, Santa Rosa reported 0.03 inches on Thursday. For the weekend, a weakening of the ridge led to cooling statewide and a few more sprinkles across the northern third of the State.
The southern Sierras were now devoid of snowcover below 9,000 feet. The central Sierras still had about two to four feet of snowcover above 7,500 feet elevation. In the northern mountains, snowcover was largely limited to the peak of Shasta, where upwards of six to eight feet of snow. A few of the higher peaks in the northwestern mountains as well as the northern Sierras also had some remnant snowcover.
Temperature highs were in the 60s to 70s along the coast, 60s to 80s in the mountains, 90s to100s in the valley, and 90s to 110s in the desert. The temperature lows were in the 20s to 50s in the mountains, 40s to 60s in the desert, and 50s to 60s in the valley and along the coast.
Winter wheat was chopped for silage, and some was dried, as harvest was approaching completion. Harvested fields were being disced and planted to silage or other forage crops. Alfalfa fields were making excellent progress; and being cut, dried, and baled. Corn planting continued, and earlier planted fields were growing well. Corn fields were being injected with nitrogen to promote growth. Cotton was emerging at various stages of growth, and being irrigated.
Apricots, plums, early peaches, and nectarines were harvested. Cherry harvest was in full swing with good yields reported. Grapes were developing well with the favorable weather. Some grape leaves were removed to promote air circulation and light access to developing bunches. Thinning of immature stone fruit continued. New fruit tree orchards and vineyards were irrigated. Pomegranate and olive bloom continued. Mechanical and chemical weed control continued in orchards. Late Navel orange harvest was finishing up for the season. Valencia orange harvest continued. Old citrus orchards were pulled to make space for new citrus plantings.
Almond nut development was progressing well. Pistachio, walnut, and almond orchards were irrigated and fertilized. Mite control sprays were applied in mite impacted walnut groves. Some orchard floors were sprayed with herbicides and fungicides.
In Colusa County, the organic asparagus harvest ended. Processing tomatoes were growing rapidly due to good weather. In Yolo County, the snap pea harvest finished. There was more blight than usual due to the high humidity and continued wet weather, but yields were above normal due to good bloom set and excellent growing conditions. Organic fresh market tomatoes were staked and treated with copper for fungus. In Stanislaus County, planting was finished for most processing tomatoes. Production was strong with transitions from first planting to second. The weather was typical for the Salinas Valley with warm days and cool nights. In Fresno County, herbicide was applied to carrots and onions. Tomatoes were cultivated and weeded. Broccoli for seed was cut and prepared for harvest. In Tulare County, summer vegetables continued to grow and the fields were prepared for harvest. Early planted melons were picked and shipped domestically. Zucchini was harvested. In Imperial County, melons and sweet corn were harvested and sold locally.
Foothill rangeland and valley dryland pasture forage quality was primarily in fair to good condition. Drying out of grasses continued in the foothills of the southern Sierras. Sheep grazed on retired pasture and dormant alfalfa. Bees were active in melon and vegetable fields.
Fresno, Calif., (May 31, 2017) – It’s clear that opponents of farming are having difficulty manufacturing legitimate reasons to oppose the drainage settlement between the federal government and Westlands Water District.
Opponents first tried to sell the idea that the settlement was a “sweetheart deal negotiated without transparency.” But the “sweetheart deal” misrepresentation did not pass the smell test for a number of reasons. Mainly because you would have to believe that President Obama’s Department of Interior, under Secretary Sally Jewel, intentionally negotiated a bad deal with Westlands. And you would have to believe that President Obama’s Department of Justice, under Attorney General Loretta Lynch, closed their eyes and approved the bad legal settlement. And you would have to believe that the Obama White House signed off on a deal despite the vociferous objections of the allies of the Administration and professional opponents of farming in California’s Central Valley. None of that is believable because none of the assertions from the Westlands opponents are true.
Now, the opponents are peddling the idea that volumes of federal and state environmental laws and regulations are insufficient to oversee Westlands’ management of drainage. In addition to the environmental restrictions, they ignore the authority of the Bureau of Reclamation to withhold water deliveries if Westlands fails to manage drainage in accordance with the law and the agreement.
Of course, there’s nothing new here. The claims and omissions of the anti-farm groups are simply designed to raise illegitimate issues in an attempt to drive a false narrative and encourage opposition.
At a time when bipartisanship is hard to find, shouldn’t a settlement supported by both the Obama Administration and the Trump Administration be celebrated as sign of a compromise? We think so.
It’s time for honesty in the very worthwhile debate about how YOUR water is being prioritized.
For any media inquiries, please contact Westlands Public Affairs Office at (559) 241-6233 or go to wwd.ca.gov.
Davis, Calif., (May 31, 2017) – UC Global Food Initiative student fellows from University of California campuses throughout the state gathered for a springtime field trip in the Central Valley to learn more about the relationships between food, farming and the environment.
The day-long tour, hosted by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, began at a farm that is maintained to support wildlife in the breezy Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta region. The GFI fellows also viewed a habitat restoration project at LangeTwins Winery then watched freshly harvested cherries being processed at Morada Produce’s packing plant. They wrapped up the day with a tour of a demonstration garden and a discussion of nutrition education at the UC Cooperative Extension office in Stockton.
UC President Janet Napolitano, who, along with UC’s 10 chancellors, launched the Global Food Initiative in 2014, met with the 17 fellows for lunch at LangeTwins Winery.
“We started the Global Food Initiative several years ago with the goal of creating a pathway to a sustainable, nutritious food future for the planet. A small, modest goal,” Napolitano said, adding that she is excited to learn about the fellows’ projects.
The GFI fellows are working on projects that range from raising awareness about food production to analyzing the effects of climate change on pollination, and from efforts to make soils safe for growing food in urban areas to using food waste to fuel batteries.
UC Merced senior Ever Serna’s GFI project is to educate his fellow college students about where food comes from, before it gets to the grocery store.
“The tour gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation about how food is developed and grown,” he said. “I think when I eat vegetables and fruits, I’m going to be more conscious of what I eat now.”
Reid Johnsen, a third-year Ph.D. student in agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley, Global Food Initiative fellow for UC ANR, and participant in the Graduate Students in Extension program, is working with UC Cooperative Extension in Sonoma County to study ranchers’ preferences for different payment structures for conservation easement to compensate them for the ecosystem services provided by their land.
“To be able to see agriculture in action makes such a difference to me, to see the way the crops are produced and the variety that’s out here,” said Johnsen. “The diversity of crops was not something I was aware of before coming on this trip.”
“I thought it was interesting to see a lot of different agricultural production systems,” said UC Santa Barbara senior and campus GFI ambassador Bryn Daniel, who works with student activists on student food access and housing security issues.
In addition to learning more about food production, the outing gave the fellows an opportunity to network with peers from other campuses.
“That’s what I liked about today’s meeting, just meeting everybody and getting these fantastic connections,” said Ryan Dowdy, a third-year Ph.D. student at UC Davis who is converting food waste into energy-producing microbial fuel cells.
“I think this program, and especially the fellowship, is really important for young scientists who dive into this really huge subject of global food,” said Claudia Avila, a graduate student at UC Riverside who studies trace metals in urban agricultural soils.
Best kept secret
In welcoming the UC GFI fellows, Glenda Humiston, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources, said, “I have a feeling a lot of you aren’t familiar with our division. As I travel around the state to different campuses, I keep being told that we’re the best kept secret, which I personally do not think is a good thing.”
She explained that agricultural research has been part of the University of California since the land-grant institution’s beginning in 1868 in Oakland. UC ANR has researchers on the Berkeley, Davis and Riverside campuses and UC Cooperative Extension advisors in the county offices, she said, adding, “Here in California, our advisors have very robust research programs.”
Farms are wildlife habitat
Brent Holtz, UC Cooperative Extension director and farm advisor in San Joaquin County, introduced Dawit Zeleke, associate director of conservation farms and ranches for The Nature Conservancy, who explained why he farms 9,200 acres of corn, triticale, potatoes, alfalfa and irrigated pasture to enhance foraging habitat for sandhill cranes and other wildlife on Staten Island. The Nature Conservancy partners with UC Cooperative Extension along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, California Department of Water Resources, Oregon State University, UC Merced and UC Davis to study the relationships between agriculture and natural resources.
“Eighty percent of waterfowl depend on agriculture for food,” said Dawit Zeleke, second from right.
The Pacific Flyway for migrating birds passes over the delta. “Eighty percent of waterfowl depend on agriculture for food,” Zeleke said. After wheat harvest, they flood the fields. “You should see it in September, October, November and December. Thousands of birds, ten thousand cranes use this place for habitat.”
Lodi region is zin-ful
En route to lunch, Paul Verdegaal, UC Cooperative Extension viticulture advisor for San Joaquin County, described the Lodi region’s wine industry. There are about 750 growers, many of which are small family operations. While 10 to 15 acres used to be typical vineyard size, most have 100 acres to be sustainable and one family member works at an outside job.
“Agriculture is a tough job and there is no guaranteed income,” Verdegaal said.
About 40 percent of the zinfandel in California is grown in the Lodi region, but there are several wine grape varieties planted.
Pointing out the bus window to a vineyard interplanted with a crimson clover cover crop, Verdegaal said, “We do see interest in using as few chemicals as possible and using techniques of the integrated pest management program.”
After eating lunch at LangeTwins Winery in Acampo, the GFI fellows took a tour of the winery with the fourth- and fifth-generation owners, Randy Lange and Aaron Lange. The Langes are founding members of the Lodi Rules Program, which helps growers produce grapes and wines in a manner that is environmentally respectful, socially sensitive and economically sound. They pointed out an array of solar panels covering the grape press room that provide electricity. The Langes are planting native plants around the winery to reduce sedimentation, improve water quality and restore wildlife habitat along the Mokelumne River.
Bing is king of cherries
When the GFI fellows visited at the end of April, sweet cherry harvest had just begun in Bakersfield area orchards, and cherries were being packed and shipped in San Joaquin County.
“Hemmed in by rain to the north and heat to the south, cherry season is only eight to 10 weeks long,” said Joe Grant, emeritus UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for San Joaquin County.
“While the Bing variety is still the mainstay of the California cherry industry because of its excellent eating and shipping quality,” said Grant, “acreage of other high quality and earlier-maturing varieties has increased in recent years to lengthen the harvest season. But Bing is still king.” Asked about the effects of climate change on cherries, Grant explained that warmer temperatures are reducing the number of winter chilling hours, which cherries need.
The fellows saw the hand-picked fruit being processed for packing at Morada Produce, a family farm in Linden that also grows walnuts, peppers and onions.
“Keeping produce cold is key to maintaining quality,” said Scott Brown, Morada’s production manager, as the fellows watched fresh, cold water rain down onto the freshly picked sweet cherries. The leaves and stems floating to the top were removed as the red clusters glided in the water to the cluster cutter, which gently separated the clusters into individual cherries. Gently conveyed through the plant in flowing water, the cherries were sorted by size and quality at the highly mechanized facility. Air ejectors spit out rejected fruit, so only 70 percent makes it into a packed box.
“Fruit picked on Monday is packed Tuesday, then shipped to Korea, Japan, Australia and other export markets to be eaten by Friday,” Brown said.
The fellows were fascinated to see the steps taken to ensure high-quality cherries are cooled, sorted and packaged for shipping to stores and consumers.
“It was just so much more complicated than I knew,” said Jess Gambel, a third-year Ph.D. student at UC San Diego who is studying the effects of climate change on bee pollination in squash plants.
Sustainable gardening
The tour wrapped up at the UC Cooperative Extension office in Stockton, with a discussion about how UC CalFresh and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program help low-income Californians attain adequate nutrition and food security, followed by a tour of the demonstration garden maintained by the UC Master Gardener Program volunteers.
“There are more pollutants in urban runoff than in ag runoff,” said Karrie Reid, UC Cooperative Extension landscape horticulture advisor in San Joaquin County. Reid described how she and the UC Master Gardeners work with home and community gardeners to reduce pesticide and water use, and noted that a Water Use Classification of Landscape Species plant list, based on UC research, is available to help gardeners choose landscape plants.
“As a soil scientist, I really appreciated the recurring emphasis on soils as the foundation for agriculture,” said a fourth-year Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley and GFI fellow with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “From talking with The Nature Conservancy farm operator about how they were conserving carbon in those soils and doing wetlands management to hearing about special properties of the sandy loam soil in this part of the county, and talking with the Master Gardener folks about soil contamination issues.”
This is the third class of GFI student fellows. The undergraduate and graduate student fellows, representing all 10 UC campuses plus UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, have helped further UC’s Global Food Initiative efforts to sustainably and nutritiously feed the world’s growing population by working on food-related projects and raising awareness of this critical issue.
Ever heard of the Gold Standards for raising dairy calves and heifers? If you are in the business of raising future dairy producing cows, watch this brief interview with Bob James from the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association as he talks about their industry Gold Standards.
Modesto, Calif., (May 30, 2017) – Who speaks for the “Forgotten?” The woman who is constantly told to fork over more of her money for road repairs? For government employee health and pension programs? For electric cars or solar roof projects? The “Forgotten” who works to maintain a safe and healthy household for their children, but is constantly losing the battle to make ends meet?
New laws, regulations, and the endless stream of initiatives continue to drive up how much California residents need to pay to the state, their county, and even their local politicians.
No one seems to care about standing up and defending the individuals hurt the most by these cost increases. Especially none of the so called representatives even after their pandering and begging for votes on SB1 (one of the highest gas tax increases in history).
A few weeks ago, the California State Legislature passed a sweeping 20 cent gasoline tax increase, a 4% increase on diesel sales tax, and a new car registration fee with a maximum fee being $175 more per car, per year. This tax is called a regressive tax, where individuals with modest means are hit the hardest, because a higher percentage of their income pays more for this tax than that of the rich.
Now, as an example, add that new gas and diesel tax and car registration fee to the “Forgotten” in Compton.
In Compton, the median household income is $43,157 and the city ranks in the bottom 20% of cities in Los Angeles County in this category.
November 2016: The County of Los Angeles passed Measure M (0.5% sales tax increase), wherein 17% of revenue generated countywide will go back to cities to repair local infrastructure, pot holes, and street maintenance (called “local return”).
March 2017: The County of Los Angeles passed Measure H (Homeless issue), which put an extra 0.25% increase on sales tax throughout the county.
June 2017: The City of Compton passed a local measure to increase the sales tax by 1%, which was primarily touted as a fund to “pay for repaving city streets and establishing a street maintenance fund.”(A lawsuit has been filed contesting the election result)
The Counties of San Bernardino, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Sonoma and Solano are all in the same boat of exaggerated above average tax circumstances for their forgotten classes of working families.
On top of all those new taxes and fees, a set of our own local politicians are currently debating a program in Sacramento that would once again raise gas prices an additional 63-73 cents per gallon of gasoline by 2021.
This type of paycheck hurt is being felt by millions of residents with above average tax rates, and below average median household income. In short, Sacramento is taxing the poor.
Closer to home, it is hard to understand why those Assembly members who represent the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, El Monte, Inglewood, Lynwood, South El Monte, and South Gate participate in active discrimination with every vote they cast as they constantly push for higher fees, more gasoline taxes and constantly squeezing the pocketbooks of working families and the low-wage workers they are pretend to represent and protect.
If they have sold out, who is left to stand up and defend the “Forgotten?” Who will speak up for those on fixed incomes, single mothers, college students, the retired and elderly, and working families with modest incomes who battle daily to make ends meet?
When looking at this sorry state of affairs, I can’t help but think of the words of William Graham Sumner in his 1876 essay:
“The Forgotten Man” He works, he votes, generally he prays—but he always pays…
Hopland, Calif., (May 30, 2017) – A variety of factors have contributed to the loss of oak habitats. The loss of deciduous oak woodlands to native conifer encroachment is a major concern in northwestern California, resulting in loses of wildlife habitat, cultural uses, biodiversity, and other ecosystem services. This workshop will provide landowners and resource professionals with the latest information about treatment techniques, including the use of prescribed fire and manual removal of conifers.
On Friday June 23rd, 2017 come join the Hopland Research and Extension Center at the Oak Woodland Conservation Work shop. This work shop will be at the Rod Shippey Hall at the UC ANR Hopeland Research and Extension Center, from 9:00am to 2:00pm. You must register for this event. Register on line at: http://bit.ly/OakEcology or call HREC at (707) 744-1424 x105, $35 registration fee includes lunch. After lunch, we will carpool to a site at the REC Center to view and discuss conifer encroachment.
Topics include:
Oak Woodland Ecology
Conifer Encroachment
Forest Practice Rule Exemptions
Prescribed Fire
Resources for Landowner
Field Tour
For more information call the Hopland Research and Extension Center: 707-744-1424 x105 or email hpird@usanr.edu.
Davis, Calif., (May 30, 2017) – Seven UC Davis students and alumni are headed to three continents as cultural ambassadors. Three have won prestigious grants, awarded by the Fulbright U.S. Student Program to promote educational and cultural exchange, and will conduct research in Ukraine, Indonesia and India; four others have been awarded the grants to teach English in Malta, Colombia, Malaysia and Germany.
They are:
Jennifer Hoover of Davis, California
Gillian Irwin of Davis, California
Nina Fontana of Davis, California
Ana Skomal of Bonita, California
Joshua Paull of Walnut Creek, California
Amanda Eke of Sacramento, California
April Kersh of Seattle, Washington
The program of the U.S. Department of State awards about 1,900 grants annually to fund airfare, room and board, health insurance and incidental expenses for one academic year of international graduate study, advanced research and teaching in 140 countries. Students and young professionals are selected on the basis of their academic and professional achievement, record of service and leadership.
Jennifer Hoover, India: Jennifer Hoover is back at the UC Davis Craft Center where she fell in love with textile arts. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)
Hoover, who earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UC Davis in 2000 and soon began work as a teacher, later took classes for personal interest at the Craft Center on campus. Those classes in the textile arts would lead her to enroll in UC Davis graduate studies, do research at sheep-shearing stations in California, earn a master’s degree in textiles in 2016, and make three visits to India. Now Hoover is headed to the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh in India. She will examine wool production practices from shearing through weaving to help bridge the gap between shepherds who discard wool or sell it for export and craftspeople who buy synthetic yarns and import wool.
Gillian Irwin, Indonesia: Doctoral student Gillian Irwin practices as part of the UC Davis Gamelan Ensemble, which performs music from Indonesia. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)
Irwin, who has already studied in Indonesia and taught English there with a Fulbright grant, has received two new Fulbright awards to spend 12 months in Indonesia. Through the Critical Language Enhancement Award, the doctoral student of ethnomusicology will study to improve her already advanced skills in the Indonesian language. Then she will research how the government’s 2013 standardized curriculum, which seeks to develop moral character, has affected music programs in middle and high schools. She will research Indonesian documents in the national archive, conduct interviews and observe music classes. After completing her doctoral degree, Irwin plans to pursue her research through a fellowship and later be a university professor.
Nina Fontana, Ukraine: Doctoral student Nina Fontana will return to her roots to do research in the mountains of Ukraine. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)
Fontana, a doctoral student of ecology, will live among the Hutsul people of Ukraine’s Carpathian Mountains to explore their traditional ecological knowledge for managing and using nontimber forest products including wild edible plants and mushrooms. Of Ukrainian heritage, she said the region is considered the Amazon of Europe, and its flora species provide key indicators of ecosystem health in response to climate change. Fontana’s aim is to create a database that captures the relationship between the highlanders’ gathering practices and plant productivity to inform land stewardship policy and conservation.
Amanda Eke, Malta: UC Davis student Amanda Eke, a musician who manages artists and produces music, hangs out in a downtown Davis record store. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)
Eke, who expects to graduate in June with a bachelor’s degree in gender, sexuality and women’s studies, will teach English at the University of Malta. A musician who plays six instruments, manages artists and produces music, she plans to incorporate into her lessons hip hop as well as the Maltese music tradition of Ghana, a rhyming, conversational form of ballad or argument. She has presented her research on the artistry of black female musicians and their roles as political activists at Harvard and Purdue universities. She also tutors at the Juvenile Detention Facility and the Yolo County Jail, both in Woodland, California. Eke plans to pursue a doctorate in cultural studies and then, as a university professor, develop courses that enhance cultural knowledge and understanding through different concepts of identity.
Ana Skomal, Malaysia: Ana Skomal, here leading a class at UC Davis, hopes to share her love for yoga in Malaysia. (Tim McConville/UC Davis)
Skomal, who will complete her undergraduate studies in food science and technology this fall, will teach English to schoolchildren in rural Malaysia. Fluent in Spanish and English, she plans to hold yoga classes as part of a women’s health club she will start in her community there. Skomal has done a health internship in India and studied abroad in China. She has been active with the student organization Chicanos in Health Education, served as both a medical volunteer and translator at the Joan Viteri Memorial Clinic in Sacramento and founded the Yoga Club at UC Davis. She plans on attending medical school to become a family or primary care physician.
Joshua Paull, Colombia: Joshua Paull, fluent in English and Spanish, is bound for Colombia. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)
Paull will teach English in Colombia as he pursues an early career teaching English as a second language in Latin America and eventually to children of American military personnel stationed abroad. A graduating senior with majors in history and international relations, he is fluent in English and Spanish. Paull has studied abroad in Cuba, volunteered with an environmental organization in Guatemala and tutored immigrants through the Solano County Library. Included in his luggage will be his saxophone so he can get involved in cumbia and salsa bands.
April Kersh, Germany: Kersh, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 2016, will teach English in Germany.
The Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara is a unique area to grow grapes. Watch this brief interview with wine grape grower Larry Saarloos as he shares what’s going on in his vineyard currently. Read more in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.
At the Annual Convention of the Almond Alliance of California, Karen Lapsley from the Almond Board of California gave a presentation on Almond Alliance funded research improvements in almond biomass utilization. She noted some new varieties coming out of Australia that could be beneficial to California growers, and invited growers to attend the Almond Board’s upcoming almond food quality & safety symposium. Watch her interview now, and read more in the coming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Visalia, Calif., (May 26, 2017) – Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner released the current status today of Major crops in the most valued county in the California Ag portfolio. They report that Winter wheat is being green chopped for silage; some is being dried, with harvest nearing completion. Harvested fields are being disked and planted to silage or other forage crops. Alfalfa fields are making excellent progress; and being cut, dried, and baled. Corn continues being planted, and earlier planted fields are growing well. Corn field are being injected with nitrogen to promote growth. Cotton is emerging, at various stages of growth, and being irrigated.
Early peaches, apricots, and nectarines are being harvested and exported to Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Plums are be pick for the domestic market and shipped to Canada. Some orchard floors are being lined with reflective plastic to improve color prior to harvest. Cherry harvest is going strong, with exports to Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam. The almond and walnut crops for this year look good so far. Walnuts are being sprayed for pests and blight. Last year’s almonds are being exported to Belgium, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, South Africa, and Taiwan. Walnuts in storage are being shipped to Germany, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Pistachios are being exported to Belgium, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. Both mechanical and chemical weed control continues in orchards. Grapevines continue to have leaves removed to allow for improved air circulation and light around the developing bunches.
The late navel orange harvest is finishing up. Valencia orange harvest continues. Valencia oranges are being exported to China, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Old citrus trees are being pulled to make way for new citrus varieties. Seedless tangerines are still netted. Olives are still blooming.
Summer vegetables continue to grow and the fields are being prepped for harvest. Early planted melons are being picked and shipped domestically. Zucchini is being harvested. Blueberries are being harvested, with exports to Canada, Japan, and Mexico. Strawberries are being harvested and sold at roadside stands.
Range and pasture conditions at the lower elevations are drying and good to fair. Some cattle are being moved to higher elevations.
Wholesale nursery shipments have slowed down, with less demand from retail outlets as summer approaches. Mature olive trees are being dug from groves and sold for use in landscaping.
