COOPERATIVE EXTENSION DEPARTMENT
Franz Niederholzer, Director
About the Cooperative Extension Department
The purpose of the Cooperative Extension Department, which operates under an agreement between the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and the County, is to help people access appropriate research based information to help them reach their life goals. This is accomplished through conducting applied research, educational programs, and outreach activities.
During the 2020-2021 fiscal year, three UCCE advisors (Tree crops, vegetable crops and 4H/Youth Development) and two program representatives (4H and Nutrition Education) were based in the Colusa office supported by three Colusa County employees. Additionally, UCCE advisors based in neighboring counties worked in Colusa County in the areas of livestock, range, and natural resources; rice production, irrigation and water resources and agronomic crops.
Research projects in vegetable crops, rice, and orchards (almond, walnuts and prune) were conducted to support the local economy and protect air and water resources. Extension programs were delivered locally (as much as was permitted under pandemic regulations) to support the same objectives.
Significant Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2021-22:
This was a year like no other in my memory. Virtually all UC extension programs were limited to internet delivery through 2021, gingerly returned to face-to-face delivery in the winter , 2022, before opening up morewidely in sprong, 2022/ .
Paper and internet based newsletter delivery continued, along with blogs and other internet posts including a YouTube channel on Soil Health started in 2020 and continued thorugh the 2021-22 fiscal year by UCCE agronomy advisor, Sarah Light, and Liz Harper, Executive Director of the Colusa County Resource Conservation District. UCCE advisors continued to regularly contribute interview comments as well as full articles to ag industry publications (trade journals) such as West Coast Nut Grower, Progressive Crop Consultant, Ag Alert, and others. These journals are read by Colusa County growers and pest control advisors.
Field research continued as before the pandemic. No valuable time or data were lost.
Field trials located in Colusa County in the past year included:
- Rice
- Variety trial comparing established and new varieties in 2021 but none in 2022 due to lack of water available to established cooperator.
- Weedy rice overwintering trial continues.
2. Tomato
- Comparing mechanical weeders (“finger weeders”) to herbicide sprays in tomatoes to reduce grower costs. In organic tomato production trials in Colusa County, properly timed mechanical weeding can save growers almost $200/acre in hand-weeding costs.
- Disease (southern blight) forecasting trial to help growers control yield damaging infections.
- Compost trials established in 2021 and continued in 2022
3. Agronomy:
- Cover crop variety trial (2020,2021)
- Influence of cover crops on soil moisture (2020, 2021, 2022)
4· Tree crops (at Nickels Soil Lab, Arbuckle)
- Orchard growth and almond yield comparison in a replant site where the old orchard was chipped and mixed back into the soil vs no chips.
- Almond tree density (115, 130, 148 or 173 trees/acre) influence on long-term orchard production and health. More trees=smaller tress which may help manage pests and with harvesting.
5. The 4H and Nutrition Education programshave returned to face-to-face programing (indoors). Highlights included:
- 4-H Club planning sessions in later summer/fall, 2021.
- On-line Leadership Program allows youth to hear from various guest speakers.
- The Colusa Co Fair in-person.
- Our 4-H Youth Development is back on track with 326 members and 51 adult volunteers for the 2021-22 enrollment season, up from 295 members in 2020-21. This is a great increase (+10%) even with COVID fears still lingering.
- The UC Master Gardener Program of Colusa County, in addition to the monthly newsletter, which reaches over 700 people and weekly articles in the Williams Pioneer Review, continues a monthly podcast with the same paper (Williams Pioneer Review) started during the pandemic.
- Finally, in cooperation with the Colusa County Office of Education demonstration garden at the Education Village in Williams is entering Year 2. The demonstration garden provides a site for public education programs on drip irrigation, vegetable and ornamental plantings. There have been multiple workshops at the site so far, including a tomato tasting program in July, 2021.
Thank you for reading this far. I am proud of the effort from everyone in our office over the past year.
Goals & Objectives for Fiscal Year 2022-23:
- Continue to 1) extend research-based information to County clientele through face-to-face meetings, industry publications, newsletters, and social media posts in the areas of agriculture, youth development, gardening and nutrition and 2) conduct field research in Colusa County to help growers address changes in local and world markets.
- Work with UC ANR Human Resources to recruit and hire a Rice Advisor for Colusa and Yolo Counties (based in Colusa County). This position was requested through this office and approved by UC ANR administration
- The 4-H program aims to add a community club in Stonyford and, perhaps, in Williams.
- We hope to increase the visibility of the Cooperative Extension Department among other County Departments, organizations and agencies by improving relationships and participating in events relating to the Department’s mission. Our office will also continue the press release program to alert the community to programs and/or newsletters put on and out by the Cooperative Extension Department.
- Implement strategies to increase diversity of youth and volunteers served by the 4H program.
- Offer development opportunities to staff to ensure proper support of academic programs that address the needs of the local community.
Summary of Major Budget Changes:
Received a contribution from Health and Human Services to help offset General Fund cost of 4-H program.