Contact NCAT’s California Office 36355 Russell Blvd. PO Box 2218 Davis, CA 95617 530-792-7338 800-411-3222 (Spanish Toll Free Hotline) NCAT’s California office is located at the historic Glide Ranch in Davis, with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. The California office helps NCAT to meet the needs of a large and diverse agricultural… Continue Reading
2015 Latino Farmer Conference Planning Staff: Rex Dufour NCAT/ATTRA, Christine Chavez USDA/NRCS, Thea Rittenhouse NCAT/ATTRA, Victor Hernandez USDA/ NRCS
CA organic farmer Chris Hay discusses a hedgerow planting that NCAT-CA and NRCS staff helped to plant. This tour was a part of the 2016 California Small Farm Conference.
California specialists Ann Baier and Pamela Wolfe provide technical assistance and resources for farmers at the 2015 Latino Farmer Conference in Fresno, Ca
Rex and Clover (Say Hay farm dog) inspecting leafy veggies for thrips, aphids, loopers and bagrada bug
NCAT California Staff: Ann Baier, Pamela Wolfe, Thea Rittenhouse, and Rex Dufour
Flowers blooming in early April in a Conservation Cover Crop with 18 species of native flowers at Say Hay Farm in Esparto, California
NCAT specialist Rex Dufour leads a workshop about conservation best practices for Sacramento County
26 Miles of Hedgerows: California Project Update
NCAT’s Western office has completed the first year of its hedgerow planting project. NCAT secured funding to provide hedgerow plants and technical assistance to farmers across California, taking us from as far south as San Diego to Crescent City in the north. All told, we delivered to 80 farmers who ran the gamut of what… Continue Reading
Creating Habitat for Beneficials to Control Aphids
By Rex Dufour, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Photo: Cover crop mix on April 28, 2020. Red crimson clover, mixed with orange California poppy, blue California Phacelia, and pink Persian clover (lower left). These flowers support large populations of predators, parasites, and pollinators. For the past growing season, my staff and I have been involved… Continue Reading
Exploring the Garden for Beneficial Insects!
By Jamie Fanous, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Like many, during these challenging times, I’ve turned to home gardening! I’ve used gardening as an opportunity to reconnect with nature and clear my head, all while staying close to home during the quarantine. Interested in home gardening? Need to build a raised garden bed frame? Check out this… Continue Reading
Ready for Anything: Preparing for the Unexpected and the Inevitable
By Ann Baier, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Foreword: After the recent passing of her mother, Ann reflects on some valuable lessons and preparations, especially relevant in the time of a pandemic. Building resilience in agriculture and communities is at the heart of our work at the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). For over 40… Continue Reading
Low Maintenance Gardening in the Time of Pandemic and Drought
By Martin Guerena, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist During these challenging times, home gardening has become one of the more popular past times for many people. But what about those of us who don’t want to be at the beck and call of an intensive garden while simultaneously wanting to enjoy the beauty and benefits of a… Continue Reading
Avocados: Fruit Set Challenges and Propagation
By Omar Rodriguez, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Having decided to settle down in a suburb, my parents had limited space to grow all of the plants that they wanted. One thing was for certain: avocados would be a part of the mix. Starting with one tree in the back yard, yields were lacking and we couldn’t… Continue Reading
The Plight of the Monarch
Many of the insect species we depend on for pollination, pest control, and recycling activities are also casualties (although unintended) of the systems we have put in place to provide food for our growing population. The monarch butterfly is emblematic of the broader challenges we face as land stewards and protectors of the environment.… Continue Reading
The Latino Farmer Conference is Coming!
It’s just over two months until the 5th annual Latino Farmer Conference, set for Tuesday, November 19, in Tulare, California. This year’s conference will be held at the Tulare International Agri-Center. The goal of the conference is to share information about sustainable agriculture production to fill knowledge gaps that are impacting Latino farmers. In order… Continue Reading
NCAT’s partnership with the International Rescue Committee
Over the last two years NCAT has partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to provide on-farm training to refugee farmers. For our readers who are unfamiliar with the role of the IRC, here is a little background: the IRC is dedicated to minimizing the many challenges that affect the global south. They respond to… Continue Reading
Planting a Hedgerow with Sequoia Farms
One of our favorite things at NCAT is get out to the field and help farmers implement projects that help the farmer as well as the little critters with whom we share our farm spaces. On this visit to Sequoia Farms, we had the opportunity to help design and plant a hedgerow. A hedgerow in… Continue Reading