farming & ranching

Last night, we helped with the 20th annual UC Davis Horse Auction.  Samia and I have been at 19 of the 20 - we missed the auction two years ago when my folks took us all to Hawaii.  I'm having a hard time comprehending the fact that I'm old e...

Family farmer Peter Rystrom of Butte County describes how the rice crop is looking one month after planting.After completing his college education, Peter Rystrom is happily back at work as a fourth-generation farmer in Butte County. Working alongside ...

When I survey the rice fields on our family farm, I have a sense of satisfaction that the season is well underway.After the triple-digit heat of the weekend, it’s nice to see warm but not scorching temperatures. Highs around 90 are ideal for growing...

In July of last year I composed a blog on how water used to flow through the Sacramento Valley. I wanted to add to that subject a little bit.Floodwater made for quite a challenge to the residents of the valley at the turn of the last century. This reg...

If you eat and drink -- and you probably do -- the agriculture industry affects you. That's why the 2012 Farm Bill is important to everyone. The half-trillion-dollar Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs act of 2012 is in the US Senate awaiting ...

By Paul ButtnerWorking with our conservation partners and the Natural Resources Conservation Service we have recently rolled out a new program to help rice farmers to enhance their fields for wildlife—especially nesting waterbirds. I was out the othe...

Last weekend, we started the process of weaning the lambs from their mothers.  The oldest lambs are now about 100 days old - and weighing 70 pounds or more.  By separating them from the ewes, we can put the lambs on our highest quality irriga...

Since early March, I've been managing a number of targeted grazing projects for Prescriptive Livestock Services - a company from eastern Oregon.  These contracts have all been in the Lincoln and Auburn area, and we've used a combination of sheep a...

Radio hosts Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty discuss how California rice is much more water efficient to grow than many people realize.

Naturalist, Educator and Artist John Muir Laws describes his visit to Sacramento Valley Rice Country, to start an art project highlighting wildlife in rice fields.