List of Stories
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April 24, 2012
2013 marks the centennial for 4-H in California, an important milestone for an organization that is deeply connected to communities throughout the state. Service learning has been a cornerstone of the 4-H educational approach for the past century, connecting education and community service to strengthen learning and positive youth development. To celebrate the centennial, funds are being raised for youth to design and lead community-based projects. Through these projects, youth mature and develop skills while making a difference in their communities.
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February 21, 2012
California in general and coastal counties in particular are well known for producing a wide range of specialty vegetable crops that contribute to agricultural diversity, including parsley. Many consumers think of parsley as an incidental garnish that merely adds color to a plate of prepared food. While indeed a garnish, parsley is widely used in dried spice mixes, soups and other prepared foods. Significant acreage in parsley is also dedicated to fresh-market uses in salads and other recipes. California produces almost 2,600 acres of this crop, with Monterey and Ventura counties accounting for 49 percent of the state’s parsley.
California parsley is produced typically in high volumes and with high quality. However in the past few years, growers began to observe unfamiliar disease issues in their parsley fields. Leaf spots, blighted foliage and yellowed plants contributed to loss of quality and reduced yields. Because parsley growers do not have an industry research board to address such concerns, a formal and organized grant program was not available to address these issues.
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October 10, 2011
Adolescents are less physically active and eat more calories than past generations. They spend about 7.6 hours each day using electronic media, and only 1.75 hours being physically active. Intakes of calcium, iron, and fruit and vegetable intakes are low while added fats and sugars, especially in soda, are high. These eating and activity behaviors have resulted in increased obesity rates for adolescents. Today 34 percent are overweight and 18 percent are obese. Adolescent obesity increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and impacts school performance.
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July 22, 2011
The prosperity of the United States relies upon our investment in educating and preparing future scientists and innovators to provide solutions to vexing environmental, economic, and social problems. Science, engineering, and technology rely upon one another and all have a vital role in ensuring the prosperity of our nation. However, engineering programs are still rare within K-12 school walls and in out-of-school time programs.
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July 14, 2011
The 4-H SLO Scientists program was conceived and piloted in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County to address the desire and need to involve youth and adults together in hands-on science. This helps improve science processing skills, science literacy and issues of family dynamics.
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June 17, 2011
It is generally agreed that the children of low-income families have fewer opportunities to succeed in today's society.
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May 16, 2011
Agritourism is a vital strategy for diversifying and boosting profit for a small but significant number of California farms, but data of agritourism's economic impact as a farm diversification strategy was lacking.
Agritourism is defined as any income-generating activity conducted on a working farm or ranch for the enjoyment and education of visitors. This includes on-farm produce stands, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, U-pick operations and special events such as weddings and conferences, as well as overnight stays, cooking classes, festivals, tours and lectures.
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April 26, 2011
Farmers are facing increasing regulation of pesticides, in part the result of environmental concerns about pesticides in water supplies and health effects on farmworkers.
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March 10, 2011
Young people engaged in their communities and organizations in meaningful ways are more likely to be civically involved and philanthropically inclined throughout their lives. Youth also have considerable knowledge and energy they can give to better their communities if encouraged to do so. However, society often does not value these contributions and it is a challenge to find or create opportunities to involve youth in authentic and meaningful community roles.
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August 6, 2010
Prime farmland is disappearing at an alarming rate all across the nation and the problem is especially acute in the San Joaquin Valley. Farmers and local governments need more effective tools for preserving prime farmland. Agricultural Conservation Easements (ACE) allow land owners to preserve working farms and also accomplish long-term estate-planning objectives. A farmland trust is needed to facilitate these projects and to hold the resulting easements.
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July 8, 2009
Sustainable and renewable energy is a hot topic in many circles, and the California 4-H Youth Development Program is joining the movement. A source of energy is considered renewable if it is a natural resource and can be naturally replenished in a relatively short time. Producing electricity from renewable sources will not result in harmful pollutants or emissions and will not harm ecosystems. Renewable energy can be produced using sources like the wind, sunlight, hydrogen, geothermal energy (heat from inside the earth), biomass (energy from plants), flowing rivers, and even the power of the ocean. Renewable energy is also called "clean" or "green" power.
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March 16, 2009
Despite the United State's rich legacy of innovation and global contributions, we face declining proficiencies and workforce shortages in science, engineering, and technology. Nationwide only 18% of high school seniors are proficient in science while only 15% of U.S. college graduates earn degrees in natural science and engineering. The National Science Education Standards emphasize that effective science education requires good educators.
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January 23, 2009
The African-American and Latino communities are disproportionately affected by obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke. Eliminating the health disparities associated with chronic diseases requires culturally appropriate and effective interventions that address the individual’s role in self-management and the community’s role in supporting self-care. Goal setting has been reported to be successful because it directs an individual’s attention toward a goal, encourages them to complete the goal, and forces them to alter their status quo to complete that goal.
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October 13, 2008
The United States is at a critical juncture relative to science literacy. National and international studies have revealed that science literacy among school-age children in the United States is among the lowest in the developed world and the problem is worsening. Factors contributing to this problem include a lack of emphasis on science in schools, the use of traditional teaching methods, and the inadequate preparation of educators.
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July 30, 2008
The number of seniors in California has increased at a rate greater than the national average, with county rates ranging from 7 to 20 percent. This is coupled with a rise in hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, heart and kidney disease, and neurological diseases such as dementia, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease. According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control, the prevalence of dementia increases steadily with age. Six to 10 percent of seniors age 65 or older suffer from dementia; while 58 percent of seniors over 94 may suffer from dementia. Preventive measures -- such as learning coping skills and performing physical and mental activities to promote a healthy brain -- can help optimize memory.
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July 25, 2008
California studies show that many teens are overweight due to poor eating habits and too little exercise. California also faces the additional challenge of having a very high number of juveniles in custody, constituting 25 percent of the national total. Building a program that enables teens to interact in a positive environment can make a difference in their health and lives.
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June 6, 2008
Increasingly, Californians are living in many parts of the world and working with people from different cultures. Young people need to prepare themselves to harmoniously work, live and play with people from diverse cultures. To foster respect for others, California youth can benefit from meeting people from other countries and sharing aspects of their own heritage.
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May 21, 2003
Lygus bugs are a key economic pest of many crops in California, including field crops, vegetables, nuts and fruits. There are 43 species of Lygus bugs in the world, 34 of which are known to exist in North America. Three species are reportedly found in the central San Joaquin Valley of California: Lygus hesperus, Lygus elisus, and Lygus lineolaris. To date, there has been no simple method to distinguish among these three species. Pest management strategies must begin with correct identification.
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May 2, 2003
Many of the parents of youth residing in public housing communities are single mothers with several young children to care for. Living at or below the poverty level, many are not fluent in English and lack the financial and sometimes the social resources to provide all the support they would like to give their children. Public housing communities and other low-income neighborhoods are heavily impacted by gangs, drug abuse, physical and social isolation and poorly-performing schools. All combine to create an environment that places Los Angeles near the bottom of the list of cities that provide safe and healthy communities for children.
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March 12, 2003
Enhancing the elementary school classroom by bringing in outside resources helps children learn. Children's natural curiosity and interest in animals and plants creates learning moments, encourages agricultural literacy and provides opportunities for students to discuss and learn about life experiences. To affect the classroom, however, the program must be longer than a one-day exposure.
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March 11, 2003
Milk is an important food for children and adults, providing calcium, Vitamin D and protein as well as helping to prevent osteoporosis. Compared to whole milk, low fat (1%) milk provides all these benefits and also significantly reduces the amount of saturated fat in the diet (8 grams of fat in a cup of whole milk, 2.5 grams in a cup of 1% milk). In children and adults alike, reducing fat in the diet can help prevent overweight and obesity, heart disease, cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes. This is particularly true in Hispanic population groups, since data indicate Hispanics consume more high-fat milk than non-Hispanics.
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March 4, 2003
When properly managed, piece-rate pay can result in enhanced wages for crew workers and increased productivity for growers. Despite these potential benefits, crew workers in a 1995 study were evenly divided between those who favor hourly pay and those who prefer piece-rate pay. Workers' concern for what they call "piece-rate games" played a key role in the low preference for piece rate. (Workers are sometimes paid on a piece rate but earn no more than when paid by the hour.) Also, many farm employers are concerned that quality suffers when workers are paid by the piece.
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January 31, 2003
The Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) is the largest of the federal safety net programs and first line defenses against hunger. Unfortunately, not all who are eligible and can benefit from this program are enrolled. Additionally, even with financial assistance, many families are unable to effectively use this resource to provide healthy diets for their families.
In Placer County in 1997, there were 17,812 low-income residents. Of these, 7,412 received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance and 9,173 received food stamp assistance.
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January 30, 2003
Patterns of family life in the US have changed dramatically. In more and more families with children in elementary and middle schools, both parents (and single parents) participate in the workforce. Increasing numbers of children in kindergarten through 8th grade are unsupervised during non-school hours.
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January 22, 2003
Questions about water and fertilizer use efficiency are major economic and environmental issues for California agriculture. Excess nitrate is an important concern for San Joaquin Valley communities that depend on groundwater for drinking. Vegetable crops such as carrots, onions and potatoes typically require high amounts of nitrogen fertilizer and frequent irrigation, usually by sprinkler. Although sprinkler lateral spacings vary from 30 to 50 feet, no season-long field study had determined the impact of these different spacings on efficiency of water and nitrogen use.
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January 14, 2003
In Santa Barbara, the highest Latino population density is also where the creeks are the dirtiest from upstream sources. These polluted creeks drain into the Santa Barbara Channel, forcing beach closures. Like everyone else, many of the Latino community go to the beach and the kids play in the creeks.
It has been shown that Latinos are generally interested in environmental issues, and that they are particularly concerned about the health impact of a polluted environment. However, because of language and cultural issues, they are often not engaged in water protection activities.
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