Blog post from Marc Breckenridge in Butte County- This lifestyle never lacks a dull moment or downtime

As the month of June has come upon us the last of our fields have been seeded and the hard work of establishing a healthy crop and maintaining it through the season until harvest begins. As a member of the 2011 Rice Leadership Class, I was able to step away from my duties on the farm for a short time to travel across the country to visit some areas of the rice industry that most growers never get a chance to see.

The Rice Foundation’s Leadership Development Program gives young men and women a comprehensive understanding of the U.S. rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and communications training. During a two-year period, class members attend four one-week sessions that are designed to strengthen their leadership skills. The class is comprised of five rice farmers and two industry-related professionals selected by a committee of agribusiness leaders.

Session II of the class took us on a visit to Chicago to understand how the Chicago Board of Trade is operated, the John Deere Headquarters in Moline, Illinois and then to Arkansas to visit growers and processors in the Stuttgart area, along with media and etiquette training along the way.

Being able to visit and experience these places was amazing! It makes you realize that although some of our methods in rice production may be different we all share some of the same challenges. Although Session III which covers California is about a year away I am eagerly awaiting the chance to show my fellow classmates this amazing industry that we call California Rice!

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Marc Breckenridge grew up on a family rice operation in Woodland and has been involved in the California rice industry his entire life. He has worked as Farm Manager at Lundberg Family Farms since 2007. He enjoys the challenges and rewards that organic farming brings and also loves knowing that every day brings something new in this industry. Marc is a graduate of California State University, Chico with a degree in agricultural business. When he is not on the farm he enjoys traveling, volunteering for organizations such as Active 20/30 and enjoying numerous outdoor activities.

Blog post by Sandy Denn- Conservation is in the eye of the beholder

Farmers get painted sometimes as “wasting too much water.” While some entities would have you believe that if agriculture in California would just practice conservation when it comes to water use, we wouldn’t have water shortages. Well, as a third generation California rice farmer, let me tell you that we not only conserve water wherever possible, we also put it to multiple uses as we water our crops with it! You won’t see giant egrets feeding themselves on the local Walmart parking lot, black tipped pelicans dipping their beaks into the waters being used on the courthouse lawn, or giant garter snakes making their summer home in suburban neighborhoods. But guess what, you will see them feeding and breeding in the rice fields of Northern California’s Sacramento Valley. So if you think rice wastes water, maybe you need to take a look at who else is benefitting from that water use.

As farmers we try hard to plant according to soil type using the most efficient crop amenable to that particular soil. In rice fields, we level our ground to minimize the amount of water needed to cover the crop and prevent weed growth (thus cutting down on chemical controls needed) and plant in the more clay type soils where water only soaks down a few inches. Water is no longer allowed to run in one end of the field and out the other as was done when my parents grew rice.

If you account for the changes in culture of rice growing and the multiple uses of the water by wildlife while it is in the fields, I consider our usage to be quite reasonable compared to watching it run off a blacktop parking lot in a big city.

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Sandy Denn and her husband Wally own and operate Snow Goose Farms near Willows in Glenn County. She holds a law degree and has served on numerous boards and committees dealing with water in the North State. Sandy and Wally have six grown children. Her passions include hunting and fishing, and she used to fly a hot air balloon and a stunt plane for relaxation.

Video post from Chico Museum Manager Melinda Rist - Amazing Grains Exhibit in full swing

Chico Museum Manager Melinda Rist provides insight on Amazing Grains, the colorful and extensive exhibit honoring rice from California and around the world. The exhibit continues through January 2012.

Video post from Dennis Lindberg- California Rice through the generations

Family farmer Dennis Lindberg of Richvale, Butte County, describes some of the key moments in the industry, which began nearly a century ago.

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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.

Guest video post: State Resources Chief discusses environmental benefits of California Rice

California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird provides comment on the environmental benefits from the state's rice fields. California Ricelands are home to nearly 230 wildlife species.

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John Laird was appointed California Secretary for Natural Resources by Governor Jerry Brown on January 5, 2011. He has spent 35 years in public service, including 23 years as an elected official.

Webcam- Cali Killdeer and her nest at the Rice Experiment Station

View webcam images of a Cali Killdeer and her nest at the Rice Experiment Station, and learn the inside story from Kent McKenzie, Director of the California Cooperative Rice Research Station in the Sacramento Valley.

Click here!

Video post from family rice Farmer Sandy Denn: Amazing array of wildlife in the Sacramento Valley

Family farmer Sandy Denn describes the tremendous accumulations of wildlife in the Sacramento Valley, and the important role rice farms play in the process.

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Sandy Denn and her husband Wally own and operate Snow Goose Farms near Willows in Glenn County. She holds a law degree and has served on numerous boards and committees dealing with water in the North State. Sandy and Wally have six grown children. Her passions include hunting and fishing, and she used to fly a hot air balloon and a stunt plane for relaxation.

Video post from Charley Mathews: 2011 California Rice crop showing progress over last year's

Family farmer Charley Mathews of Marysville describes growing conditions for this year's rice crop.

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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 Hilliary have two sons, Parker and Adam.

Video post from Charley Mathews: Heat promotes growth in California Ricelands

Family farmer Charley Mathews of Marysville describes how recent warm weather is helping this year's crop mature.

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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 Hilliary have two sons, Parker and Adam.

Video post: The Nature Conservancy tours California Ricelands

Dawit Zeleke of The Nature Conservancy comments on the value of California Ricelands in wildlife conservation. Zeleke and others from The Nature Conservancy toured Montna Farms near Yuba City on Monday.

Video post by Nicole Van Vleck: Conservationists and CA Rice partner to protect wildlife

Family farmer Nicole Van Vleck of Montna Farms near Yuba City comments on a visit with officials from The Nature Conservancy. California family rice farmers and conservationists are working together on wildlife conservation easements.

New recipe from Chef Antonio Villagomez

Try out the new recipe from Chef Antonio Villagomez (Head Chef, Owner of Cilantros Restaurant) in Yuba City.

Gourmet rice with cheese and bacon

Blog post from Dennis Lindberg- Just in Time

These rising temperatures are such welcome news in Richvale and throughout rice country. Our second straight cool spring meant much fewer hours of heat than ideal for the crop. The warm conditions are just in time and will really help get our fields where they need to be. The cold may cost me a handful of sacks of production come fall harvest, but with the official start to summer not yet arrived there’s still a chance to make up for some lost time.

So far, most of our fields are about a week and a half behind ideal maturity. Thankfully rice is a very forgiving plant and I would expect this heat will bring a lot of growth in the fields.

It sure brings relief from what had been a pretty frustrating start to the growing season.

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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.

Guest blog post: Honoring wildlife through art

By Jim Burcio, Master Carver

On July 16 and 17, wildfowl carvers from across the United States and Canada will gather at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento for the 41st annual Wildfowl Art Classic hosted by the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association. Bird carving is a modern art form whose origin is based in the craft of decoy carving. An original American art form, found in no other continent or culture, decoy carving was a functional craft borrowed from the east coast Indians by skilled wood workers who migrated from Europe to settle in America. Over time the art form evolved to include any and all birds. There are over a dozen large shows throughout the United States, the PFDA show being the second oldest annual show in existence.

Bird carvers come in a variety of skill levels; novice, intermediate, open, and professional. Their work can be isolated to one type of bird, such as ducks, or involve several forms including raptors, songbirds, shorebirds, upland game birds, and sea birds. As a carver of 35 years and counting, I find myself motivated by several factors. At the beginning of each year, I make a list of twenty carving projects that I would look forward to completing. Some of these projects will include new challenges, others might include a selected species by a show sponsor, and a few will be birds that have burned themselves into my memory during a bird watching trip.

For the upcoming show I am working on an American Crow (a black on black painting challenge), a Snowy Plover (a bird I have carved a few times and hope to improve upon), a Spotted Sandpiper, and an American Egret whose image is burned into my brain…. Hopefully when I am done, it will stop haunting me.

Snowy Plover carving to date

We are very fortunate to have an abundance of bird life in Northern California. Among the best places to see large concentrations of birds and other wildlife are California rice fields, home to hundreds of different species. If you are drawn to get up close and personal with our feathered friends, then be sure to drop into this one of a kind show being held right here in Sacramento. For more information go to the PFDA website at www.pacificflyway.org.

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Jim Burcio is a master carver and has competed nationally in wildfowl carving shows. He has been the featured carver at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in San Francisco (2001), the Lynn House Museum in Antioch (2002), and displayed his work in the McHenry Museum in Modesto (2006). Jim was also one of three carvers who preformed an “Artist in Action” exhibit at the Randall Museum in San Francisco (2004). For the past fifteen years, Jim has annually taught decoy-carving seminars, and judged at the Pacific Flyway

Video post from family farmer Mike Daddow- Nurturing newly planted rice fields

Family farmer Mike Daddow describes the current status of Sacramento Valley rice fields.

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Mike Daddow ~ Farming in Sutter and Yolo Counties, Mike is the fourth generation of his family to grow rice in California. His great grandfather served as an engineer in Natomas and is credited with helping lay out the irrigation system for the region. Mike graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with two Bachelor of Science Degrees. He and his wife Susan have three boys – Max, Sam and Alex - who all help out on the farm when they can. When he isn’t growing rice, Mike puts his pilot’s license to good use.

New farmer blogger Sandy Denn- Slow start to the rice season, yet optimism remains

Family farmer Sandy Denn describes the slower start to the 2011 rice season in the Sacramento Valley.

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Sandy Denn and her husband Wally own and operate Snow Goose Farms near Willows in Glenn County. She holds a law degree and has served on numerous boards and committees dealing with water in the North State. Sandy and Wally have six grown children. Her passions include hunting and fishing, and she used to fly a hot air balloon and a stunt plane for relaxation.

New blog from Brian McKenzie- Turning the first corner

With the rice seed falling from a crop duster and hitting the water in the last field, the 2011 planting season has come to an end. This marks the close of the first of four stages of the rice growing season. Planting is always the most stressful for many reasons, but the simplest and most important is that without planting - there can be no harvest.

Although planting didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked, all of the rice was planted within a reasonable timeline. The weather mostly cooperated and our winter and spring equipment maintenance led to very little downtime from breakdowns.

With planting completed, the second stage of the season begins and we now focused on establishing a healthy rice crop. Although the stress of plating is over, we are far from relaxing. Our next steps include maintaining adequate water in our fields and mitigating weeds.

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Brian McKenzie proudly represents the fourth generation of rice farmers in his family. Following his graduation in 2005 from The University of Nevada Reno where he earned bachelors degrees in Economics and Marketing, Brian returned to the family farm in South Sutter County to farm full-time alongside his father, Chris. Brian and his wife, Ashley, grow several varieties of conventional and organic rice. Brian enjoys the challenges that farming brings and takes pride in producing food for the world.

New blog post from Punch Haskell: Early Season Hurdles

The calendar says June, but you wouldn’t know it based on our weather to date. This is the second straight cool spring, which is not ideal for our rice crops, but it’s likely only a temporary setback.

On the positive side, our newly planted rice seedlings are emerging and in some places have three inches high or taller. When the weather is cooler, it seems that there’s an opportunity for good root growth, allowing the plants to become well anchored and take in plenty of nutrients.

One potential challenge could be how weeds will react to this weather. Will they develop at a different stage than normal? We’ll have to remain vigilant.

The crop is about a week and a half behind where I’d like to see it, but hopefully it will catch up when the temperatures rise. A later maturing crop could be a challenge, especially if we don’t have a dry start to fall when rice is harvested.

Warmer weather is coming. It would be nice to have the more traditional California heat sooner than later.

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Punch Haskell grows rice in Colusa County and is part of a family farming operation that began approximately 60 years ago.