
Subject: New Resource: Supporting Beneficial Birds and Managing Pest Birds
Hello everyone,
I work with an organization called Wild Farm Alliance. Our mission is to promote a healthy, viable agriculture that protects and restores wild nature. We just released a new resource to help farmers support beneficial birds and manage pest birds.
You can find the new resource here.
Birds can help on the farm to keep pest insects, rodents and pest birds at bay. When habitat is provided for beneficial birds, bringing them closer to crops, farmers may be able to reduce pest-control costs. Beneficial birds can help with production in the same way as beneficial insects. This new resource includes:
- Colorful Accounts of How Birds Can be Beneficial in Crops and on Pasture
- USDA’s Historic Economic Ornithology Division
- How Best to Manage and Co-exist with Pest Birds
- Why On-Farm Habitat and the Surrounding Landscape Influences Pest Control
- What Farmers Can Do to Make Farms More Bird-Friendly
In Topics Soil Fertility Management, Seed & Planting, Trees, Vines & Planting, Pest & Disease Management, Farmland Conservation, Sales & Estate Planning, Wildlife Management, Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, Women in Agriculture, Weather & Climate Change
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Subject: mice and voles
I'm curious what others do to control small rodents in crops, particularly in cucurbits. We already trap for gophers and squirrels, but we also have mice and voles spending a lot of time in our squash and melon fields. At the moment, I don't have much preference between deterrent or kill methods, but I'd like to hear examples of either. Long-term, we would like to focus on deterrents, but we would like to get a handle on them. Mowing the open areas does not seem to be increasing the amount of raptor kills by much (at least not noticeably in the rodent populations), so it is time to be more proactive... I'm interested in hearing any sort of suggestions...
In Topics Pest & Disease Management, Wildlife Management
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Rebecca Dmytryk | Humane Wildlife Control Inc | Moss Landing commented
Barn owls are a natural way to very successfully control gopher and other nocturnal rodents. We build and sell our boxes but will gladly send building instructions for free. Cats do too much damage to native wildlife and pollute the ecosystem with toxoplasmosis that can get into the watershed. We recommend against free-roaming cats. Also, we have had excellent success in wiping out gophers and ground squirrels using carbon monoxide (CO). It's safe and a humane death and does not risk poisoning predators.
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Subject: For anyone in CA that raises at least 1 pig outdoors: fill out a survey & be entered to win a gi
Hello - I am a former small-scale California farmer and currently a PhD candidate in epidemiology at UC Davis. My thesis focuses on small-scale diversified farms, with an emphasis on the interface of feral pigs and outdoor-raised pigs. My advisor is Dr. Alda Pires, who is a University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) specialist of urban agriculture and food safety.
We recently created an online survey to identify outdoor-raised pigs in California as well as areas which are impacted by feral pig intrusions. This survey is appropriate for anyone that raises at least one pig outside including: pork producers, farmers, ranchers, backyard operations, 4-H/FFA members, pet pig owners, heritage pig breeders, pig rescue groups, etc.
Click here to take the survey.
Survey participation will help UCCE develop outreach and educational materials for all operations that raise pigs outdoors and/or
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In Topics Pest & Disease Management, Food Safety, Wildlife Management, Livestock
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Subject: April 26 Pastured-pig seminar Santa Rosa, CA
Join us in Santa Rosa, CA for a seminar about pasture-raised pigs and feral pigs.
April 26, Thursday 6pm.
UCCE Sonoma county @UCCESonoma
RSVP here: http://ucanr.edu/pastureraisedpigs …
Flyer_2018_Pig_Seminar_UCCE_Sonoma_County_UCCE_1521510937.pdf | View |
In Topics Wildlife Management, Livestock
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Subject: Food Safety Regional Lead for Tulare, Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties
Good Morning Ya'll,
My name is Jacob Roberson and I am the Food Safety Regional Lead for Tulare, Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties for a non-profit organization called Community Alliance with Family Farmers (new to Fresno area). CAFF is well established all over California except for the Central Valley which is where I am based out of (Fresno to be exact). I wanted to use this post as a source to contact farmers who are struggling with food safety and cannot afford to hire an outside consultant to come to their farm, perform assessments, help with documentation, and get their farm ready for a 3rd party audit. I perform the same duties as an outside consultant but my service is no cost to the farmer. CAFF is a non-profit organization looking to better food safety standards and procedures practiced on small farms / farms at a disadvantage (financial hardships, language barriers, new farmers, etc.).
Food
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In Topics Soil Fertility Management, Pest & Disease Management, Water & Irrigation, Harvesting, Washing, Packing & Packaging, Waste Management, Food Safety, Trucks, Delivery & Logistics, Certifications, Wildlife Management, Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, Anything Goes
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Subject: REGISTER NOW! 2-Day Holistic Management Workshop: March 30-31
March 30 & 31
9AM - 3:30 PM (each day)
Classroom (AM): Robert Livermore Community Center,
Cresta Blanca Room, 4444 East Ave., Livermore
Field (PM): TBA
Click here to view the HMI webpage for more information !
Are you a new rancher interested in learning whole ranch planning concepts and principles? Are you looking to improve your ability to work with nature and to increase the productivity of your ranch?
Holistic Management International , the Alameda County Conservation Partnership and UC Cooperative Extension invite you to join us for a Holistic Management Whole Ranch Planning workshop.
This introductory course is geared towards ranchers in the first ten years of production who are looking to learn key whole ranch planning concepts and principles to them manage their ranch for the triple bottom line (social, environmental, and financial
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In Topics Soil Fertility Management, Farmland Conservation, Sales & Estate Planning, Wildlife Management, Livestock, Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, News & Events
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Subject: Biological Control Buffet in the Salad Bowl of America
Hi Folks,
Last month I gave a presentation at a national meeting of the Agronomy/Entomological Societies of America in Minneapolis, MN. It focused on the complex integration of HEDGEROWS, COVER CROPS and INSECTARY PLANTS in our biological control strategies in the context of our vegetable and strawberry research at our USDA-ARS organic research farm in Salinas, California. Here's the a link where you can watch a 10 minute video on it A Biological Control Buffet in the Salad Bowl of America It's got a few surprises :)
take care, Eric
Eric Brennan, Ph.D
Research Horticulturist
Organic Crop Production
USDA-ARS
1636 E. Alisal St.
Salinas, CA 93905
Tel. 831-755-2822
Fax. 831-755-2814
Email. Eric.Brennan@ars.usda.gov
In Topics Seed & Planting, Pest & Disease Management, Food Safety, Wildlife Management
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Michael Johnson | California Horticulture Services | Santa Cruz, CA commented
Eric B.
Have you experienced problems with bagrada bugs in alyssum plantings? I've experienced major infestations on a small landscape scale and have also seen them in alyssum in some fields over the past two years. I expect that will become more of a challenge in brassicas like broccoli. Perhaps phacelia would be another option that is less attractive to bagrada bugs.
Thanks,
Michael Johnson
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Subject: Answer 25 farming questions - and we'll mail you a hat
Dear farmers!
We're a small team on a big mission - to make precision agriculture concepts affordable and accessible to even the smallest of farmers. We need some input to be smarter about what we're building.
Our name is Farm Dog (http://farmdog.ag/) and we'll gladly send a Farm Dog hat to the first 50 people that will answer the 25 questions in this survey form: http://goo.gl/forms/88SywcPrlt
Yours,
Michael Hermon
Co-founder and CTO
Farm Dog
In Topics Soil Fertility Management, Seed & Planting, Trees, Vines & Planting, Pest & Disease Management, Water & Irrigation, Harvesting, Washing, Packing & Packaging, Waste Management, Marketing & Sales, Food Safety, Equipment, Trucks, Delivery & Logistics, Growing Structures: Greenhouses, Hoop Houses, etc., Facilities, Cooling & Energy Systems, Business & Financial Planning, Funding Opportunities, Staff, HR & Worker Safety, Immigration & Farmworker Rights, Insurance, Certifications, Farmland Conservation, Sales & Estate Planning, Wildlife Management, Livestock, Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, Women in Agriculture, Weather & Climate Change, Urban Agriculture, Policy, News & Events, Anything Goes
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Subject: Grange Farm School offers residential, vocational training in 2016
The Grange Farm School is looking for a special kind of student. You think holistically rather than in parts. You see the importance of asking high quality questions. You are innovative, ambitious, persistent, and collaborative. You want to be part of the new face of agriculture that will transform our world for the better.
Our 14 week residential, Student Program offers you the tools and confidence to manage a successful agricultural enterprise, whether in farming, ranching, or related fields. You will live and work on a beautiful 5,000 acre ranch with diverse vegetables, grains, fruit trees, and livestock. Guest instructors and staff members provide a comprehensive curriculum in business management, industrial arts, animal husbandry, soil and ecology, and crop production, supported by an understanding of the theory and history of our food systems. You will leave with hands-on practical experience, and
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In Topics Soil Fertility Management, Seed & Planting, Trees, Vines & Planting, Pest & Disease Management, Water & Irrigation, Harvesting, Washing, Packing & Packaging, Waste Management, Marketing & Sales, Food Safety, Equipment, Growing Structures: Greenhouses, Hoop Houses, etc., Facilities, Cooling & Energy Systems, Business & Financial Planning, Staff, HR & Worker Safety, Insurance, Certifications, Farmland Conservation, Sales & Estate Planning, Wildlife Management, Livestock, Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, Women in Agriculture, Weather & Climate Change, Urban Agriculture, Policy, News & Events
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Subject: Sept-Nov Practicum Student Program: Grange Farm School, Mendocino, CA
Join us at the Grange Farm School this Fall, in an exciting residential training program designed to equip students with key skills for successful, sustainable, agriculture. Our Practicum Student Program consists of daily field work, bimonthly field trips, and a rigorous curriculum taught during afternoon lessons by staff and guest instructors. Students are able to enroll concurrently in Mendocino College's Community Work Experience Education program and gain credits while studying and working at the Grange Farm School.
This beautiful location in Mendocino County, California is host to numerous exciting projects while in the take off phase of a brand new education program and production farm. Students collaborate with staff to design and build systems for living, growing produce, raising livestock, rehabilitating tools and structures, and so much more.
Check out our website or blog for more information.
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In Topics Soil Fertility Management, Seed & Planting, Trees, Vines & Planting, Pest & Disease Management, Water & Irrigation, Harvesting, Washing, Packing & Packaging, Marketing & Sales, Food Safety, Growing Structures: Greenhouses, Hoop Houses, etc., Facilities, Cooling & Energy Systems, Business & Financial Planning, Certifications, Farmland Conservation, Sales & Estate Planning, Wildlife Management, Livestock, Beginning Farmers & Ranchers, Women in Agriculture, Weather & Climate Change, Urban Agriculture, News & Events, Anything Goes
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