Once again, the UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center is excited to announce another successful Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops Short Course. This year's course marks our 37th anniversary! Our short course comprises two separate weeks of instruction. The first week is spent on intensive lectures, discussions, and hands-on laboratory sessions on the UC Davis campus. The optional second week is an extensive field tour covering a variety of postharvest operations from Sacramento to Bakersfield. We are especially excited by the results of this year's course. Of our nearly 90 participants, many remarked on the value of being a part of such a historic and impactful course!
During the first week, the short course covered maturity and maturity indices, safety factors, harvesting systems, cooling methods, storage management, ethylene treatments, transport systems, and much more. Dr. Beth Mitcham's lecture on the “Quality Factors for Horticultural Crops” was well received this year. Participants described the lecture as “informative” and “relatable to business performances and losses”. Additionally, Dr. Jim Thompson's lecture on “Harvest Systems” was another participant favorite. Those who attended found Dr. Thompson to be an “engaging and articulate presenter” using “lots of examples”, which participants found to be “very current” and “useful”. Tuesday night, we held our annual BBQ Potluck at the beautiful Putah Creek Lodge. This gave participants a chance to network, socialize, and relax while eating delicious BBQ in a scenic environment. On Thursday, participants were invited to attend demonstrations on disease control and water sanitation held by our specialists. These demonstrations are designed to give participants an interactive experience to reinforce lectures.
On the field tour, participants visited and toured world-renowned postharvest facilities such as General Produce, Raley's Distribution Center, Paramount Citrus, Monterey Mushrooms, True Leaf Farms, and much more. Paramount Citrus was a popular stop. Participants described the facility as “state of the art” and “impressive”. The stop allowed participants to gain valuable first-hand knowledge on citrus operations. Another popular stop was Monterey Mushrooms. Participants described the experience as a “rare opportunity” to learn from “knowledgeable hosts” and gain “fascinating insights into the mushroom industry”.
The UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center would like to thank all participants for their engagement and help making this year's course unforgettable. We encourage and invite all those interested in the course to subscribe to our eNewsletter for 2016 registration information. We would love for you to join us next year!