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Bugs in Your Holiday Cookies!?
In a recent TikTok video, a woman's holiday baking spree came to a halt when she discovered bugs in...
Preparing soil for winter can protect soil health
Farmers placed clumps of soil into metal mesh baskets, submerged the baskets into jars of water, then watched to see if their soil held together. The slake test, conducted at the Soil Health Field Day in Woodland, measured soil health. Healthier soil, which contains more organic matter and bioactivity and can better support plant growth, stays intact.
“Participants said that it was particularly useful to see the slake test on a variety of soils to better understand the nuance of how soil health management practices such as cover cropping and reduction of tillage intensity could affect soil aggregation,” said Sonja Brodt, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program coordinator for agriculture and environment, who attended the field day alongside Vivian Wauters, SAREP project scientist.
Technical assistance providers, farmers and other soil health professionals gathered at the Center for Land-Based Learning on Nov. 19 to learn about preparing soil for winter with a specific focus on how soil health impacts soil structure, as well as the ability for water to move through soil as opposed to puddling or running off a field.
“Soil with stable aggregates can withstand this submersion and stay intact, whereas a soil with poor aggregation will fall apart in the water,” Wauters explained.
This in-field test can produce dramatically different results, where poorly aggregated soil colors the water, while the stable, aggregated soil will leave the water column relatively clear.
Farmers were invited to bring their own soil samples to perform slake tests at the field day. Kabir Zahangir, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service regional soil health specialist, compared soils from different management practices and discussed how to assess aggregate stability and soil water infiltration.
Attendees also heard from experienced growers Scott Park of Park Farming Organics and Andrew Brait of Full Belly Farm, who described how they assess soil health on their farms.
By collaborating with others, Brodt said farmers and researchers are achieving benefits through learning together in real time. “We will also be able to benefit from aggregating soils data from across regions to begin to develop a statewide soil health database, which is a critical step in order for researchers to be able to determine relationships between farming practices and soil health outcomes under California conditions in the future,” she said.
Slake tests can be performed on soil from one's own backyard, garden or farm to better understand the health of the soil. Additionally, the NRCS principles of soil health – minimized disturbance, maximized biodiversity, maximized soil cover and maximized living roots – can be applied across all scales, though the specific practices will vary based on the type of yard or farm as well as the local climate and soil type.
Brodt and Wauters, who coordinate the California Farm Demonstration Network, emphasize that it's important to have local examples of innovative conservation practices across the state so people can see what is working to protect and enhance the soil health in their specific region. They encourage farmers and technical assistance providers to visit https://www.calfarmdemo.org/ to find local farms that are showcasing innovative practices. Farmers interested in being a farm demonstration site are also encouraged to contact Brodt (sbbrodt@ucanr.edu) and Wauters (vwauters@ucanr.edu).
They hope to continue to support the learning and sharing of knowledge around climate-smart farming practices to help California's farmers adopt climate beneficial practices.
“CDFA has funding programs, such as their Healthy Soils grants, that farmers in our network can apply for to help cover the costs of implementing soil health practices,” Brodt said.
Current work on the California Farm Demonstration Network is funded through a University of California Office of the President Climate Action Grant.
UC Master Gardener of San Diego County’s ‘labor of love’ improves health of older adults
The Belden Village Apartments in Clairemont Mesa East of San Diego is home to a diverse population of older adults. Shital Parikh, a UC Master Gardener of San Diego County, took the initiative to build a garden that grows food and encourages residents to spend more time outdoors, getting their hands dirty alongside neighbors.
Almost a year ago, Parikh – a UC Master Gardener since 2014 – proposed to develop a community garden within the low-income residential facility with the intention that the residents would manage it independently overtime. When the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and County of San Diego approved the proposal, Parikh moved swiftly to break ground on what is now the Belden Community Garden.
“The Belden Community Garden is a labor of love,” Parikh said. “One that has been made possible thanks to the knowledge and support gained from the UC Master Gardener Program and the invaluable support from Amy Zink from the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.”
Breaking ground for a community garden
In September 2023, interested residents at the Belden Village Apartments gathered to learn of the project and understand how they can be involved. In October, the County of San Diego received a donation from Home Depot which included garden beds, and the materials needed to build them. All of which were donated to Parikh to establish the Belden Community Garden.
“This project has received approved funding from our partners and there has not been any out-of-pocket expense,” said Parikh.
In preparation for the garden beds, residents teamed up with more than a dozen UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County to learn various gardening skills. Some taught residents how to create seed tape, making it easier to plant seeds in an organized manner, the basics of vegetable gardening and food prep classes as well.
In January 2024, 13 garden beds were installed and ready for planting. In March, residents enjoyed their first harvest of vegetables and leafy greens by hosting a salad-making luncheon where everyone could taste the fresh produce grown on-site.
“The residents are at the heart of this, and it's been a joy to see them come together across different languages and cultures, sharing in the harvest and learning alongside us,” said Parikh.
Other than English, there are four primary languages spoken in the residential community, including Spanish, Arabic, Farsi and Vietnamese. All garden signs communicate the names of crops in these primary languages – a nod to the residents who helped establish and maintain the garden, which also features crops important in the various cultures.
Residents at the ‘heart' of it all
The Belden Community Garden has two residential garden coordinators, Art Dawson and Lisa Hillman, who are responsible for watering and general maintenance of the garden. Neither Dawson nor Hillman had prior gardening experience.
In the three years that Hillman has been living at the Belden Village Apartments, this is the first time she's participated in a community effort like the garden. “I didn't come outside or interact with neighbors much – but since I started volunteering here, I see so many people and I know more people in my community,” said Hillman, who described the various colors of squash – her favorite vegetable, so far – grown and harvested in the garden.
Dawson, in contrast, isn't a big fan of squash and prefers greens instead. “I'm African American, so I'm all about the collard greens,” said Dawson. Learning as he goes, Dawson said his primary job is managing irrigation.
“I've never gardened before in my life. But I like helping out and working with my hands,” he said. “I kind of like it. It keeps me busy, and I love seeing how everything grows from a tiny seed.”
Shahnaz Roshanoi, a resident whose native language is Farsi, said she was so happy when the garden came to fruition. Roshanoi maintains a garden of her own using the limited space that surrounds her apartment with plants reaching as tall as seven feet. Since the community garden was established, Roshanoi has been an active volunteer, sharing her extensive gardening knowledge with others and inviting more residents to join the fun.
Parikh's effort inspires development of more community gardens
During her earlier days as a UC Master Gardener, Parikh taught gardening via Zoom because of COVID-19. Parikh focused on teaching low-income residents, who are often at a disadvantage in accessing affordable healthy food options. Her gardening projects have all benefitted from her 10-plus years of experience in companion planting and crop rotation, pollinator gardens and native plants.
“Watching the garden evolve has been incredibly rewarding, and I can't wait to see how it continues to thrive!” said Parikh.
With generous support from the UC Master Gardeners Program of San Diego County, County of San Diego, SDHC's Achievement Academy, and the Del Mar Mesa Garden Club, the Belden Community Garden teaches residents how to grow their own food, enjoy it, and live healthier, happier lives.
The success and impact of the Belden Village community has inspired two more community gardens in low-income resident facilities located in the Mesa Valley and Otay Mesa neighborhoods in San Diego.
“I do what I can and then leave the rest to divinity,” Parikh said. “Time and again, help has found its way, or maybe it's simply a matter of trusting the process and staying consistent.”
The UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County work to expand the love of gardening and improve food security across the county. You can support their efforts by donating at this link here: https://give.ucanr.edu/forms/SanDiego-MG
Food Waste Project: Emma Vazquez on the Mike!
Over the Thanksgiving holiday week, American consumers tossed out about 200 million pounds of...
Bruce Hammock and 'Why Science Is Full of Surprises'
It's good to see UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock and his 50-plus years of...
UC Davis distinguished professor Bruce Hammock is interviewed by Juliette Smith of Fox40 News. (Screen shot of Hammock in his lab, courtesy of Fox40 News)
