farming & ranching

Drop in on a group of livestock producers in northern California (or anywhere in most of the U.S. for that matter), and the discussion will eventually turn to the challenges of ranching, economic and otherwise.  Chief among these challenges, based...

View four colorful brochures that provide details on four wildlife species that rely on California rice fields for their habitat.

Between October 4, 2011 and October 7, 2011, we measured 1.3 inches of rain at our home place just north of Auburn, California.  With another 1.2 inches falling on October 11, we thought we were off to a great start to the rainy season.  An i...

With the changes we're making to our farming operation this summer and fall, I've been thinking a great deal about my reasons for farming.  Farming, eventually, will be the way I make my living (for now, I'm hopeful it's a way to make some income ...

Family farmer Josh Sheppard in Butte County comments on the upcoming rice harvest in the Sacramento Valley.Josh Sheppard is proud to be part of the fourth generation of his family that have been farming rice in Butte County for many generations. After ...

SOIL BORN FARMS TO HOST 10TH ANNUAL AUTUMN EQUINOX CELEBRATION BY KIRA O'DONNELL On Saturday, September 22nd, Soil Born Farms is offering the region’s food, wine and beer enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy an evening of live music, dining and conviviality on its extensive property – “an urban agricultural oasis nestled in the heart of the...

By Phil RobertsonRice farming, seasonal wetlands, permanent wetlands, grasslands and riparian forest combine to create 16,700 acres of fantastic wildlife habitat just a few minutes west of downtown Sacramento.The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, located in a...

As I write this, I can hear my harvester being tuned up in the shop. That’s a clear sign the rice harvest is near.We have drained most of our fields and the crop seems to be on schedule. One hundred, forty days is the usual time frame to grow our me...

Radio hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty comment on resuming their California Rice testimonials September 10 and the upcoming rice harvest season.

Farmer Tom Butler updates the progression of this year's rice crop from one of his fields in Sutter County viewed in the spring during planting.More about Tom: Tom Butler farms rice with his father, Steve, in Sutter and Yolo Counties. Tom is the fourth...