Fifth-generation farmer Charley Mathews is continuing a family a legacy that began in the 1850s. Their first rice fields were planted in the 1940s and are still going strong in Yuba County. Charley is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He and his wife Hillary have two sons, Parker and Adam.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Video post by Charley Mathews: First rice of the season
Fifth-generation farmer Charley Mathews is continuing a family a legacy that began in the 1850s. Their first rice fields were planted in the 1940s and are still going strong in Yuba County. Charley is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He and his wife Hillary have two sons, Parker and Adam.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Video post by Dennis Lindberg: Welcome to Richvale
Dennis Lindberg has grown rice in Butte County for nearly 70 consecutive years.He’s a well-known author and metal artist, taking scrap metal and creating beautiful animal sculptures. His civic work and love of community is evidenced by his being honored as “Outstanding Citizen of the 20th Century” by Lundberg Family Farms. He and his wife Charlotte have two children – Gary and Sherry. Gary farms with his father in the historic community of Richvale, which recently celebrated its centennial.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Blog post by Lauren LaGrande: Heating up
Saturday morning turned hot as we started our first day of rice harvest. Our first field was sweet rice. The weather is predicted to remain hot, which I may not enjoy during volleyball practice in the gym, but it'll help ripen the rice fields in California.
Growing up on a family farm definitely has its advantages, as well as its disadvantages. For instance, not every kid can say that their family helps to feed the world. Although, some people don't have impatient dads to come home to due to the late harvest year that has just begun. But winning our volleyball game tomorrow might cheer him up, so I’ll pray we win!
Lauren LaGrande is the latest in a family farming tradition that began nearly 100 years ago. She is a sophomore at Maxwell High School and is active in FFA, Future Business Leaders of America, volleyball, basketball and softball. When she’s on the farm, you’ll often see her with her trusted companion, Hank, the family dog. Lauren’s great-grandfather grew his first rice crop in the Sacramento Valley in 1916 and the family has continued this tradition ever since.
Growing up on a family farm definitely has its advantages, as well as its disadvantages. For instance, not every kid can say that their family helps to feed the world. Although, some people don't have impatient dads to come home to due to the late harvest year that has just begun. But winning our volleyball game tomorrow might cheer him up, so I’ll pray we win!
Lauren LaGrande is the latest in a family farming tradition that began nearly 100 years ago. She is a sophomore at Maxwell High School and is active in FFA, Future Business Leaders of America, volleyball, basketball and softball. When she’s on the farm, you’ll often see her with her trusted companion, Hank, the family dog. Lauren’s great-grandfather grew his first rice crop in the Sacramento Valley in 1916 and the family has continued this tradition ever since.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Blog post by Sean Doherty: Success
24th of September, finally! Today I started to harvest my 2010 rice crop, 12 days later than last year. That might not seem like a lot of time to you, but in harvest it is a huge amount. Harvest conditions are good right now, but I couldn't help but think about what the conditions will be like as I harvest our last field. That's what has me worried right now.The rest of the farm is progressing, albeit at a slower pace than usual as well. We have finished harvesting our sunflower fields, the beans are getting cut and windrowed (put in rows to dry and then they are picked up a combine), and hopefully we will get to the corn in about a week.
I hope it all turns out okay. We will know soon enough.
Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Video post by Lauren LaGrande: Maxwell Panther Pride
Lauren LaGrande is the latest in a family farming tradition that began nearly 100 years ago. She is a sophomore at Maxwell High School and is active in FFA, Future Business Leaders of America, volleyball, basketball and softball. When she’s on the farm, you’ll often see her with her trusted companion, Hank, the family dog. Lauren’s great-grandfather grew his first rice crop in the Sacramento Valley in 1916 and the family has continued this tradition ever since.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
New Blog Posts- Harvest update
This season’s rice harvest gets underway in earnest shortly. Read the latest blogs:Dennis Lindberg-
“Nearing the finish line”
Punch Haskell-
“Working the fields”
“Working the fields”
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Blog post from Nicole Van Vleck: A True Modern Marvel
I always love how fascinated people who are not involved in agriculture are to see the rice harvest. Some of my earliest memories were driving a harvester on my dad’s lap. Thus, I don’t often think about the sheer size of the harvester or the amount of logistics involved in the entire process.
Even if most of the shots end up on the cutting room floor, I am looking forward sharing with Modern Marvel fans everywhere a little bit about California’s rice harvest.
Nicole Montna Van Vleck is a third generation rice farmer who farms with her parents and sister in Sutter County. Nicole is Managing Partner of Montna Farms which grows, dries and stores super premium short grain rice. Montna Farms partners with many waterfowl organizations to protect and enhance waterfowl habitat primarily on its working rice lands.
Nicole is a graduate of UCLA and The California Agricultural Leadership Program. Nicole and her husband Stan have two school-aged children.
The History Channel even has taken notice of rice production and harvest in California and is doing an episode on the long running Modern Marvels series. I spent all day with the producer, photographer, sound guy and director helping them capture harvest at Montna Farms. It was a bit of a challenge just scheduling them. The cool summer has made harvest touch and go since we started, because the rice has been barely dry enough to cut. The crew did arrive on a day that we were harvesting and had more cameras than people to run them. They even attached a camera to one of the harvesters themselves. This proved a bad idea as it fell off and was lost in the straw covered field. Just as they were fascinated with harvest, I was interested in seeing them capture it all for TV.
Even if most of the shots end up on the cutting room floor, I am looking forward sharing with Modern Marvel fans everywhere a little bit about California’s rice harvest.
Nicole Montna Van Vleck is a third generation rice farmer who farms with her parents and sister in Sutter County. Nicole is Managing Partner of Montna Farms which grows, dries and stores super premium short grain rice. Montna Farms partners with many waterfowl organizations to protect and enhance waterfowl habitat primarily on its working rice lands.Nicole is a graduate of UCLA and The California Agricultural Leadership Program. Nicole and her husband Stan have two school-aged children.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Video post by Jessica Lundberg: Rice research
Jessica Lundberg chairs the Board of Directors of Lundberg Family Farms, the United States’ leading producer of organic rice and rice products. A member of the Lundberg family’s third generation, she also manages the seed nursery, overseeing the maintenance, purity and development of their proprietary rice varieties.
The Lundbergs have practiced sustainable farming techniques since 1937 and today the company leads the eco-positive agricultural movement with a commitment to organic production and renewable energy.
Jessica manages Lundberg Family Farms as a true family business, collaborating with her father, uncles, cousins, and siblings to reach consensus on key business decisions. A pre-med student in college, Jessica’s interest in business, ecology and agriculture inevitably drew her back to the farm, where, in addition to organic and eco-farmed rice, she cultivates the bedrock values of respecting the land, honoring tradition, and producing the highest quality products. Jessica holds a degree in Biological Sciences from California State University at Chico and a certificate in Plant Breeding from University of California at Davis. She makes her home in Chico near the family farm.
Friday, September 17, 2010
New blog post by Tom Butler: "By the Book"
"...It goes without saying that here in California, where agriculture is such an important factor, there are rules and regulations. Our state is known for producing the most diverse and safest crops in the world. This has been accomplished through careful work between growers and the state of California. Of course there are disagreements, and many hurdles to cross to produce to the best of your ability, but the ability to adapt has to be a farmer's strongest traits if he hopes to last..."Read Blog
Thursday, September 16, 2010
New featured recipe from Chef Deneb Williams of Firehouse Restaurant
THAI-STYLE SALMON WITH SWEET CHILI-CURRY GLAZE
CALIFORNIA BROWN RICE-VEGETABLE SALAD AND LYCHEE FRUIT VINAIGRETTE
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Blog post by Sean Doherty: Killing Time
With harvest being delayed this year so much, we ended up having to do something we never, ever do. Kill time.
In this photo Harrison (left) and Ray pose with a new combine platform trailer. Since we had some time and also the necessity, we decided to go ahead and build one ourselves in the shop. It is painted yellow now and turned out fantastic, and it saved me a couple thousand bucks over buying a new one from a dealership.
With any luck at all it will start to really heat up and bring the rice to harvest faster. As it sits now I think September 27 might be the day we start. That’s 15 days later than last year, 15 fewer days to harvest in before the weather could get nasty in November.
Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.
He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.
In this photo Harrison (left) and Ray pose with a new combine platform trailer. Since we had some time and also the necessity, we decided to go ahead and build one ourselves in the shop. It is painted yellow now and turned out fantastic, and it saved me a couple thousand bucks over buying a new one from a dealership.With any luck at all it will start to really heat up and bring the rice to harvest faster. As it sits now I think September 27 might be the day we start. That’s 15 days later than last year, 15 fewer days to harvest in before the weather could get nasty in November.
Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Video post by Jessica Lundberg: A true family farm
Jessica Lundberg chairs the Board of Directors of Lundberg Family Farms, the United States’ leading producer of organic rice and rice products. A member of the Lundberg family’s third generation, she also manages the seed nursery, overseeing the maintenance, purity and development of their proprietary rice varieties.
The Lundbergs have practiced sustainable farming techniques since 1937 and today the company leads the eco-positive agricultural movement with a commitment to organic production and renewable energy.
Jessica manages Lundberg Family Farms as a true family business, collaborating with her father, uncles, cousins, and siblings to reach consensus on key business decisions. A pre-med student in college, Jessica’s interest in business, ecology and agriculture inevitably drew her back to the farm, where, in addition to organic and eco-farmed rice, she cultivates the bedrock values of respecting the land, honoring tradition, and producing the highest quality products. Jessica holds a degree in Biological Sciences from California State University at Chico and a certificate in Plant Breeding from University of California at Davis. She makes her home in Chico near the family farm.
Friday, September 10, 2010
A Fresh Perspective from Teenage Blogger Lauren LaGrande from LaGrande Family Farm
Lauren LaGrande is the latest in a family farming tradition that began nearly 100 years ago. She is a sophomore at Maxwell High School and is active in FFA, Future Business Leaders of America, volleyball, basketball and softball. When she’s on the farm, you’ll often see her with her trusted companion, Hank, the family dog. Lauren’s great-grandfather grew his first rice crop in the Sacramento Valley in 1916 and the family has continued this tradition ever since.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Video post by Sean Doherty: "Slow Going for CA Rice"
Sean Doherty is a 3rd generation rice farmer living out his dream, being a rice farmer in Dunnigan.He farms in Yolo, Colusa, and Sutter Counties with his wife Melissa, and three kids, Hannah, Gus, and Mary. He enjoys being in the fields, watching the seasons, and sharing it with his family.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Video post by Nicole Van Vleck: "Nurturing Nature"
Nicole Montna Van Vleck is a third generation rice farmer who farms with her parents and sister in Sutter County. Nicole is Managing Partner of Montna Farms which grows, dries and stores super premium short grain rice. Montna Farms partners with many waterfowl organizations to protect and enhance waterfowl habitat primarily on its working rice lands.Nicole is a graduate of UCLA and The California Agricultural Leadership Program. Nicole and her husband Stan have two school-aged children.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Video post by Michael Bosworth: "Meet Drake"
Michael Bosworth is the latest in a long family farming history at Rue & Forsman Ranch, which started operations in 1946 in Sutter County about 10 miles south of Marysville.After earning a Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics at UC Davis, Michael returned to his family farm, which produces both conventional and organic rice.
He created and operates Next Generation Foods, a growing business that provides locally grown foods to businesses throughout Northern California.
In his spare time, Michael enjoys fly-fishing, the outdoors and spending time with his family, girlfriend and his dog, Drake.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Video post by new blog author, Jessica Lundberg
Jessica Lundberg chairs the Board of Directors of Lundberg Family Farms, the United States’ leading producer of organic rice and rice products. A member of the Lundberg family’s third generation, she also manages the seed nursery, overseeing the maintenance, purity and development of their proprietary rice varieties.
The Lundbergs have practiced sustainable farming techniques since 1937 and today the company leads the eco-positive agricultural movement with a commitment to organic production and renewable energy.
Jessica manages Lundberg Family Farms as a true family business, collaborating with her father, uncles, cousins, and siblings to reach consensus on key business decisions. A pre-med student in college, Jessica’s interest in business, ecology and agriculture inevitably drew her back to the farm, where, in addition to organic and eco-farmed rice, she cultivates the bedrock values of respecting the land, honoring tradition, and producing the highest quality products. Jessica holds a degree in Biological Sciences from California State University at Chico and a certificate in Plant Breeding from University of California at Davis. She makes her home in Chico near the family farm.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
New Website dedicated to California Family Farmers
It's all about familyVisit a new website dedicated to
California family farmers ~ KnowACaliforniaFarmer.com.
Want more? Read the story behind this effort.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)