Our office has received an increase in calls from people wishing to visit farms and ranches. As public interest into local food systems and production continues to grow, agritourism is a way for food producers to increase revenue.

Tourism offerings are varied throughout the state.  Local, Ventura County agritourism ventures include: farm and nursery tours; overnight stays; farm stands; petting zoos; picnic and play areas; u-pick produce; lectures and presentations; agriculture-related gifts and crafts; value-added food products; horseback riding and trail rides; camping; nature walks; special events; plants; and cut flowers.

UC’s California Agricultural Tourism Directory allows consumers to search for farms and ranches throughout the state. There is no cost to add a farm or ranch to this statewide directory. Easy to follow instructions for consumers and producers are included on the directory’s home page.

For more information about agritourism, please contact our office.

Consumers are increasingly interested in learning how the food they consume is grown. Agritourism connects producers and consumers, allowing each to learn about the other.

The 2011 UC Master Gardener Vegetable Demonstration Garden Project has recently finished. A group of certified Master Gardeners and trainees spent time each week from January 27 through December 15 learning vegetable gardening techniques through hands-on experience.

They documented their project so that they could impart lessons learned throughout the2011 project. This article is the seventh in a series to share this knowledge.

Plant protection:

Necessity in protecting plants from vertebrae pests varies depending on location.    

• Seedlings should be protected from animals with cages once planted in the soil.
• When constructing cages for plants, design them so they can be easily removed even if the plants become overgrown. Otherwise, the plants may be injured as the cages are removed.
• Be sure to bury the frame of the frame of the cage to prevent mice from crawling under it.
• Small grocery paper bags make nice collars for corn plants.
• Plants placed in soda bottles for protection from critters will eventually grow out of the bottle making them vulnerable to pests. Cages may provide better protection from rabbits and other grazing animals.
• Don’t leave cages on the plants too long. As the plants outgrow the cages, they will become difficult to remove. Also the stem of the plant will be weak since support provided by the cage does not allow full stem development.

Questions on gardening? Please contact our Master Gardener helpline at 645-1455 or contact them by email at mgventura@ucdavis.edu.

Necessity in protecting plants from vertebrae pests varies depending on location.

The 2011 UC Master Gardener Vegetable Demonstration Garden Project has recently finished. A group of certified Master Gardeners and trainees spent time each week from January 27 through December 15 learning vegetable gardening techniques through hands-on experience.

They documented their project so that they could impart lessons learned throughout the2011 project. This article is the sixth in a series to share this knowledge.

Garden tools:

Tools in the garden can save time and effort.    

• A hula hoe is a great tool to extract small weeds.
• A pocket knife is a handy tool that should be carried while gardening.
• The blades of bypass pruners and loppers should only be sharpened on one side of the blade. If they are sharpened on both sides of the blade, a small gap will be created between the blades allowing the material being cut to wedge itself between the blades and precluding a clean cut. Anvil-type pruners typically need to be sharpened on both sides of the blade. When sharpening tools, only sharpen surfaces that were originally sharpened at the factory.

Questions on gardening? Please contact our Master Gardener helpline at 645-1455 or contact them by email at mgventura@ucdavis.edu.

The 2011 UC Master Gardener Vegetable Demonstration Garden Project provided many opportunities for learning. Shown above is the container garden section of the project.

They documented their project so that they could impart lessons learned throughout the2011 project. This article is the fifth in a series to share this knowledge.

Irrigation:

Proper irrigation is vital to plant health. Drip irrigation has many benefits for plants, conserves water, and reduces weed growth. Drip irrigation systems, drip hoses or tape can be used.

• Water needs should be re-evaluated as the weather changes.
• Seedlings will die easily if they dry out.
• Install 10 psi pressure regulators on irrigation systems with flat drip tape. If a 25 psi pressure regulator is used inadvertently, it is likely that the tape will balloon up and pop during operation. 25 psi pressure regulators should be used on irrigation systems that have 3/4inch tubes and emitters.
• There are various types of pressure regulators. One type has a hole in the side and discharges a steady stream of water when the incoming pressure is high, which wastes a lot of water. Look for a pressure regulator that does not discharge water.
• When inserting .710 inch O.D. tubing (blue stripe) into a .700 inch O.D. fitting (black fitting), use soapy water to reduce the resistance. Hold the tubing with sandpaper to improve your grip.
• Avoid getting dirt in irrigation tubes and fittings, since it may clog the emitters.  Flush the system to make sure that any debris is forced out the end of the tubing, before closing.
• When inserting irrigation tubing into tees and elbow fittings, be careful not to push the tubing in too far. Normally, there are no stops to prevent the tubing from going in too far. Tubing that is inserted too far can cause flow restrictions.

Questions on gardening? Please contact our Master Gardener helpline at 645-1455 or contact them by email at mgventura@ucdavis.edu.

Proper irrigation is vital to plant health.

Persistence and collaboration often make success possible. Ventura County 4-H All-Stars Savanna Stanley and Dayle Morris have used both to keep their All-Star project at Ormond Beach moving forward.

Despite many obstacles, they have kept working together  with the community to make their goals a reality. Quang Tong, former California State 4-H Program Representative, was quoted in a December 28, 2011 Ventura County Star article as saying…

“Both young ladies have demonstrated what is best about the 4-H program: commitment to the local community, hard work and a hands-on approach to solving problems. Instead of complaining about an issue, they went out, brought people together and made an impact to deal with the issue. Their initial work has grown to involve some serious stakeholders in the community, including local as well as state and national agencies.”

The 4-H program has many positive opportunities for youth and adults too. To find out more, please contact our office!

The 4-H program helps youth discover and develop their potential in partnership with caring adults.