Kearney involved in Woodlake berry tasting

Jun 15, 2012

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.