There's another new face around UCCE San Diego! Gerardo Spinelli started Monday, October 12th as the Production Horticulture Advisor, based in San Diego, with programmatic responsibilities in San Diego County. Please welcome Jerry (back) to UC ANR.
A PBS star is born! Mark shared with me a YouTube video featuring our very own Yana, talking about home hardiness in Paradise. Susie and others have similar programs. This video brings us one step closer to Linda's vision of ‘owning YouTube' in certain sectors of content. Congratulations Yana!
In a time when there's hate and violence everywhere we turn, there's good all around us, too. Thanks to Dixieland 4-H in Madera County for making someone's wish come true!
This week is World Food Prize week. While the event is virtual, the activities remain on Central Time. That has made for very early morning meetings most days this week, particularly what are traditionally breakfast meetings. Thursday, in particular, is busy with a 5 am start time to join a World Food Prize event, routine COVID meetings at 7:30 am and 10 am, the World Food Prize Laureate presentation at 11 am, followed by the WebANR, and ANR Town Hall, and then a couple more meetings to round out the day. Hopefully, my internet connection is better than it was this morning.
I mentioned back in a June post that this year's World Food Prize winner is Dr. Rattan Lal from The Ohio State University. His research laid the ground work for regenerative agriculture through cultivation of healthy soils. During a conversation late yesterday afternoon the question was raised about how the World Food Prize has changed his life. Dr. Lal joked that a grandchild asked him if it was like winning the Heisman Trophy. He responded that it was an award 52 years in the making – the length of his career. Despite the time it took for this global recognition, Dr. Lal's work has caught on. During a teleconference last week with the Governor's office regarding the recent Executive Order that has a stated goal of placing government protections on 30-percent of the land and coastal water in California by the year 2030, Secretary Ross spoke about the importance of healthy soils and, specifically, the work of UC Cooperative Extension and UC ANR in working with farmers to implement healthy soil practices that promote climate smart agriculture.
Friday is a short day for me this week. We are spending the weekend trimming our 42 Queen Palm trees. My job is to protect the irrigation risers from damage due to falling tree parts. I suppose that is somewhat better than hanging out in a basket using the chain saw. Nonetheless, it is not what I envision for vacation. But then again, 2020 is not a typical year.