Letters to the Future
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier, six UC scientists and one communicator wrote letters to their successors. The letters will be placed in a time capsule to be unearthed at the Kearney centennial celebration in 2065.
The letters can be viewed here:
Anthony Cornel , entomologist and director of the Mosquito Lab at Kearney
Jeff Dahlberg , Kearney director and UC ANR Cooperative Extension specialist
Pete Goodell , UC ANR Cooperative Extension advisor with the UC Statewide IPM program
Beth Grafton-Cardwell , UC ANR Cooperative Extension citrus entomology specialist
Kris Tollerup , UC ANR Cooperative Extension advisor with the UC Statewide IPM program
Jeannette Warnert , UC ANR Strategic Communications, public information representative
Andreas Westphal , UC ANR Cooperative Extension nematology specialist
Public invited to tour UC ANR research and extension center in Fresno County on May 27
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center opens its doors to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 27 for free tours of the 330-acre facility. The center is at 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parlier.
At the facility, which is part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, scientists conduct research on a diversity of Central San Joaquin Valley crops, including grapes, stone fruit, almonds, pistachios, pomegranates, kiwi fruit, blueberries, alfalfa and more recently sorghum. Twenty Ph.D.-level scientists are based at the center to study pest control, new crop varieties, plant disease control and irrigation strategies.
Trams will run throughout the day on 30-minute guided tours that highlight research in permanent and row crops. The research includes plant pathology, integrated pest management, winegrape rootstocks, fresh fig varieties and handling, carbon sequestration, nematology, medical entomology, orchard strategies, organic alfalfa strategies, dried on the vine strategies, wine varieties.
Large groups are asked to register in advance on the Kearney website, http://kare.ucanr.edu/Open_House. For more information, contact Laura Van der Staay, (559) 646-6030, ljvanderstaay@ucanr.edu.