November 2006
UC funds Placer County harvest calendar
Apples in Newcastle, Placer County. (photo by Wayde Carroll)
With an $8,000 grant from the UC Davis-based statewide Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP), Placer and Nevada counties farm advisor Cindy Fake and the area's "Farm and Barn Tour" committee developed a calendar of art-quality images of local produce to build awareness and stimulate consumption of regional agriculture products.
The committee was made up of farmers, UC Cooperative Extension personnel, the county agriculture department and agriculture marketing program, and the Placer County Arts Council. Carol Perrine, an intern from Sierra College, was charged with completing the project.
"We are very happy with the calendar," said Fake, "and are looking forward to consumers using it as a tool to find great produce while supporting local farmers."
Drying Hoshigaki persimmons in Granite Bay. (photo by Wayde Carroll)
"One of the goals of the grant was to encourage farmers, consumers and communities to work together to create a more locally based, self-reliant food economy," Feenstra said. "It's clear the Placer County group has done that."
The 13-month 2007 calendar's color cover photograph by Wayde Carroll depicts the hills of western Placer County, with live oaks on a golden hillside in the foreground and cattle grazing on green range in the background. Carroll took most of the photos in the calendar, which also includes images from several other photographers.
The calendar includes Placer County farmers market hours, listings for area fairs, the mandarin and eggplant festivals, and the "farm and barn" tour. Each month features an agricultural product and its nutritional information, and a list of seasonal produce. A list of Placer County producers, their crops, addresses and contact information is listed on the last page. The full-color 9- by-12-inch calendar is available in person or by mail at the UC Cooperative Extension office, 11477 E Ave., DeWitt Center, Auburn, CA 95603. The cost is $13 or $15 mailed (includes tax and shipping). Please make checks payable to UC Regents and enclose with order.
UC SAREP made eight other awards for county-based UC Cooperative Extension advisors and directors who are partnering with community-based organizations. For more information about those grants, see http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/news/0605apr.htm or http://news.ucanr.org/newsstorymain.cfm?story=782.
Media contacts:
Cindy Fake, (530)889-7385, cefake@ucdavis.edu
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
