Backyard Orchard News
Applause for the Pollinators
Let's have a pause--and applause--for the pollinators. Next week, June 18-24, is National...
ORNAMENTAL--A bumble bee visiting a rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
VEGETABLE--A squash bee nestled in a squash blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
FRUIT--Honey bees battling over a pomegranate blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
International flavor in Kearney plant pathology lab
An international assemblage of minds is a key element in Themis Michailides' plant pathology lab at the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Michailides is a plant pathologist and lecturer in the Department of Plant Pathology at UC Davis and based at Kearney.
Among the plant disease issues being addressed in the lab are aflatoxins in pistachios and almonds, black heart of pomegranate and limb dieback of figs.
Below are some of the new faces who joined the Michaelides team in summer 2012.
Michilaides lab team members, June 2012.
Kearney involved in Woodlake berry tasting
The Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center will staff a booth at a blueberry, blackberry and strawberry tasting 8 a.m. to noon June 23 at the Bravo Lake Botanical Garden, 200 E. Naranjo Blvd. in Woodlake, Calif.
The event is hosted by UC Cooperative Extension in Tulare County, the UC small farm program, Woodlake Pride Inc., the California Blueberry Commission, the US Highbush Blueberry Council and the California Strawberry Commission.
Visitors to the Kearney booth can try blueberries, blackberries, plums, apricots, nectarines and peaches grown at the research facility. In addition, UC citrus from the Lindcove Research and Extension Center and the post harvest research program at Kearney will be offered.
Kearney staff will give participants recipes, healthy plate handouts, and information about how the IR-4 program at Kearney helps ensure that consumers have an abundant supply of eco-friendly, safe and affordable fresh produce, said Laura Van der Staay, Kearney Program and Facility Coordinator. IR-4 is federally funded research program that aims to secure registered uses of reduced-risk crop protection chemicals for specialty crop growers.
Cost of the tasting event is $5 for adults and $2 for children 6 to 10. Children under 5 are free.
Bravo Lake Botanical Garden is the first agricultural botanical garden in California. The facility includes a tropical garden, a citrus orchard, a grape vineyard, peach, plum and nectarine trees and several vegetable gardens. It also features a rose garden.
A scene from a previous Bravo Lake Botanical Garden tasting event.
The Sting
I've been asked how I did it. How did I manage to capture that rare image of a honey bee sting...
FIRST PHOTO--When honey bees sting, it's usually a clean break. Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen getting stung. (Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved, Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
SECOND PHOTO--Honey bee pulling out abdominal tissue. This photo won the ACE feature photo award. (Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved, Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
THIRD PHOTO--Honey bee trying to escape after stinging. Worker bees die after stinging, which usually occurs while they're trying to defend their hive. (Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved, Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
FOURTH PHOTO--A strand of abdominal tissue. (Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved, Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Lindcove REC Roads Resurfaced
A portion of the roads around the main buildings at Lindcove are being reworked and...
June 13 2012 050