What's New at Calrice.org: 2012

Thursday, December 27, 2012

New Blogger Mike DeWit- Winter in Rice Country

Family farmer Mike DeWit comments on the highlights of the season, including large numbers of wildlife in rice fields.

Mike DeWit, along with his father Jack, grow rice in Sutter, Yolo and Sacramento Counties.

Mike is a second-generation rice grower. He and his wife Trucie have two children, Jacob,20, who is severely autistic and living and going to a special school for autism in San Jose. Daughter Debra is a senior at Davis high School.

He is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. While not farming, he enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family.

“I feel blessed to do what I do,” Mike said. “It’s not work if you love what you do for a living.”

New blog from Brendan O'Donnell – Historic drink gaining ground in the U.S.

I recently attended the 8th annual Northern California Premium Sake Festival in downtown Sacramento. For those of you that have never been, be sure to pencil it in your schedule for next year. What a great time! Hundreds of different sakes from local breweries as well as Japanese imports. Did I also mention- great food and a sushi making contest! Here’s one photo from the event with me, a great sushi chef Billy Ngo of Kru and another friend, Eric Johnson.

And here’s a second photo – this time with Takumi Kuwabara from Takara Sake USA.

Sake is such an interesting thing to me. It’s unbelievable how the sake makers are able to pull so many complex flavors out of the rice simply by using rice that is milled to different levels and the use of Koji mold to aid in the fermentation.

Sake is brewed, but it is not beer. Sake is sometimes referred to as “rice wine” but it is not wine. The Sake making process is unique. This is a very old diagram from Takara Sake (one of our local California Sake breweries) of the traditional way to make sake. Of course it is modernized now, but the basic principals are the same.

Sake is classified by the amount of polishing that the rice receives. Junmai Sake is made from rice that is milled to 70 percent from brown rice. This means that if you start with 100 pounds of brown rice, you will continuously and slowly mill the rice on specialized sake equipment until only 70 pounds remain. Ginjo Sake is made from rice polished to 60 percent and Daiginjo is polished to a minimum of 50 percent. You will sometimes find Daiginjo sakes that are made from 30 or 40 percent polished sake rice.

If you’re one of the many people that have never tried sake, or if your sake experience is limited to a “hot sake” at a sushi restaurant, I strongly encourage you to visit one of our local sake breweries and spend some time in the tasting room. With so many different types and flavors of sake, you are guaranteed to find one (or maybe several) that you absolutely love.

There are Two Sake companies right here in Northern California that offer regular tastings in very nice tasting rooms.

Takara Sake in Berkeley

Gekkeikan Sake in Folsom

Brendan O’Donnell is Vice President, Sales at The Sun Valley Rice Company, LLC, which mills, packages and markets premium California rice both domestically and around the world. He is the Fifth generation of his family to be involved in California agriculture and has been marketing and promoting California rice since 2007. He is a graduate of UC Davis with a B.S. in Agricultural Systems and Environment and Communications. Brendan is also an active member of the Rice Leadership Development Program. When he’s not selling rice, Brendan enjoys golfing, skiing and spending time with his family. He and his wife, Erin have Two children, Bridget and Liam.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Phil Robertson Poem: My Christmas Goose

Click here to download poem

Rice Experiment Station Centennial Christmas

"Celebrating the history, traditions, progress, and all people that made it happen..."

Download Christmas Card Here

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

New Blog from Lauren LaGrande: Christmas in Rice Country

By Lauren LaGrande

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! (Lucky for you all, I can type better than I can sing.) Winter jackets are being brought out, festive lights are dangling from houses, and flocks of geese can be heard across the skies.

December is here, along with my senior year! Time sure does fly and I can’t believe that the rice harvest, Thanksgiving, and junior year are over.

It felt like our harvest was a bit later this year; this could be because I was looking forward to it or the fact that the rice was a little late maturing throughout the valley.

Although our yields were less this year, we were able to complete harvest in a somewhat timely fashion, just in time for Halloween and the FFA haunted Ag barn.

During the busy month of October I had the privilege of flying to Indianapolis, Indiana for the 2012 FFA National Convention. Blue corduroy FFA jackets flooded the streets, as 53,000 members entered the expo building for opening ceremonies, group sessions, and FFA National Talent and boy can they sing!

Our FFA chapter also met new friends from Iowa who were from the awesome town of Riceville, which happens to not only be an imaginary land where I think my dad disappears to sometimes, but an actual FFA chapter.

The national officers chose a theme for the conference, which was “Grow.” I really liked this year’s theme and I think that everyone apply it somehow in their lives and can better from it. So much emphasis was put on the simple word grow, which ironically means so much. Not only is grow defined as “to increase gradually in size” but to develop, learn, and prosper. Not only can you grow your crops, you can grow as an individual, grow as a team, grow from past experiences, or grow together, but no matter what… just grow.

Then November hit and so did the rain and college application deadlines. The cold weather didn’t stop our annual FFA pheasant hunter’s breakfast we put on for the hunters at the elementary school so they can have a quick bite before heading out on the opening day. It also didn’t stop our family tradition of going pheasant hunting with family friends. So far we have recorded six inches of rain, which means many the rice fields are now filled with standing water and migrating waterfowl from our northern states. Ducks and geese sprinkled with shorebirds inhabit our rice fields. My absolute favorites are the beautiful mallards. I enjoy the view every morning; however I could do without the geese waking me up every morning at 5am to notify me of their arrival. Some people on the other hand live for it! These would include my dad, family friends, classmates, and members of the community. Sometimes here in Maxwell a few boys are missing from first period class because they are still out duck hunting. Local restaurants, diners, hunting stores, and hardware stores are happy to see migrating hunters help out our local economy.

When the town Christmas tree lit up our tiny community, I realized December snuck up on me, which meant so did pesky finals. But luckily, that meant our usual family traditions would be commencing. These traditions include (attempting to) sing old Christmas songs while decorating our house and Christmas tree, hunting for our favorite ornaments, and of course decorating, but mostly, eating sugar cookies.

It’s times like these when I feel truly blessed to live in the community I do and thankful for the family I have. So this holiday, be sure to count your blessings and to make your blessings count! I hope everyone has a happy and safe Christmas!

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.

New CRC Blog- Small town with a big heart

By Jim Morris

I have the good fortune to travel frequently throughout the Sacramento Valley and I try to set aside some extra time to make sure to stop and appreciate the small towns that help make it so special.

Recently I went through Biggs just off Highway 99 in Butte County. I found holiday décor, houses that showed a lot of pride of ownership and something special- a miniature downtown all dressed up for Christmas.

This has been an annual tradition for more than 20 years and was started by homeowners seeking to add a nice holiday touch to their community. It’s now spearheaded by Roger and Mary Frith. Roger, a retired electrician, is Mayor of Biggs. Wife Mary is part of the Biggs Community Action Volunteers. Formed a year and a half ago, they work to improve the community. It started with a cleanup and has expanded into beautification projects. The ultimate goal is raising money to buy a projector to play movies for children and the elderly. Their hard work is already paying off and is embodied by this Christmas display.

“There’s a tremendous pride in the communities in the valley,” said Roger. “It’s all about being a part of the community where people appreciate the small things. We don’t have the luxuries that larger communities have. We like to do what we can to give any pleasure to the people of our community.”

It’s this can do attitude and hardworking spirit that make the Sacramento Valley such a treasure.

As Roger remarked “We always like it when people come in and see our community for the first time. Everyone thinks ‘This is like Mayberry!’ It’s not a fancy place. It’s just the way it is here in the valley.”

For me, something as small and simple as a Christmas display lovingly maintained by the community typifies something to feel good about this Christmas.

Merry Christmas Biggs. You’ve already made my holiday season brighter!

Jim Morris is Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission. Jim has worked in communications for more than 20 years. When he’s not on the job, he enjoys his family, faith, football, outrageous monster stories and running marathons.

Monday, December 17, 2012

New Grant Lundberg Blog- Family is the Foundation

CEO of Lundberg Family Farms Grant Lundberg talks about the importance of family in his life.

Grant Lundberg is Chief Executive Officer of Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale, Butte County.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

New CRC Blog- Must-have Comfort Food

By Julie Cader

Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.

There's nothing like comfort food, especially after a hectic week at the office. So when the crackerjack Ops Team finished fiscal and compliance audits, it was time to turn to comfort food. And with the holidays in full swing, we created our holiday version of comfort food, a yummy rice pudding that included a whisper of nutmeg to the final touch. The following was adapted from Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten’s recipe. And of course, rice pudding is not rice pudding without California rice!

Ingredients

• 1 cup Golden California Raisins
• 3 tablespoons dark spiced rum
• 3/4 cup California Calrose medium grain rice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 5 cups half-and-half, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• Dash of nutmeg

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and rum and set aside—you could even do this first step the night before. (Take a sip of rum for yourself, of course!)

Combine the California rice, salt and water in a medium heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to make sure the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer on low heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed.

Stir in 4 cups of half-and-half and add the sugar, bringing to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the rice is very soft and the pudding has become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir often, particularly towards the end.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg and very slowly whisk in a few tablespoons of the hot pudding to help tempure the egg. Then add the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the pudding and continue to cook for 1 minute. Off the heat, add the remaining cup of half-and-half, the vanilla bean paste, ground cinnamon and the raisins with any remaining rum. Stir well. Pour into a bowl, and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled with a dash of nutmeg as a garnish.

Note: We prefer to eat the pudding warm, but it is also great cold and serves really well at a party, portioned in individual cups or buffet style. Recipe yields about 8 to 10 servings. Enjoy!

Monday, December 10, 2012

New Blog from Brendan O'Donnell- A new appreciation of our state

I was very fortunate to be selected for the 2011 Rice Leadership Development Class. The Class consists of four sessions that provide an in-depth education about many rice related topics and also provide leadership training. You can find more information about this program here. I strongly encourage and eligible individuals to apply.

Last month, we had our third class session and will be wrapping up the program in Washington, D.C. in February. I’ve been looking forward to this session in California from the very beginning of the program. I’m very proud to be a part of the California rice industry and knew that it would be an impressive visit for our other classmates from other parts of the country. However, I was unprepared and pleasantly surprised to see how much I would personally gain during this week.

We began Monday morning visiting with the California Rice Commission. The Rice Commission does a fantastic job positioning California Rice as an environmental leader. For so many other Ag-related industries, there is a constant battle between the industry members and the regulators. The CRC has taken a completely different approach and is working with the regulators and conservationists. California Rice is now viewed as the environmental stewards of the valley, emphasizing water use efficiency, drastic reduction in burning straw and the importance of the rice fields to the countless species of wildlife that depend on the rice fields for their habitat.

Some of the other stops we made that I felt were especially impactful included a stop to the Glenn Colusa Irrigation district. I never gave much thought to how water is actually pulled from the river for irrigation, or how you would need to prevent pulling in fish. The size and length of their new fish screen was remarkable. A screen that is 1,100 ft long, and slats that are no wider than the flat side of a penny means that no fish, no matter how small could possibly be pulled into these irrigation canals. I took a photo to better show off how small the slats are on this fish screen.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about these sessions is the breadth of different types of agriculture we are being exposed to. For example, seeing the crawfish farms in Louisiana, or now in California, seeing the almond, walnut and pistachio farms, or the vegetable crops and lettuce farming. Even visiting Napa Valley before the class started helped put things in perspective. One of the most interesting things I learned about all these different types of agriculture is what the different land values are worth. We spoke about rice ground in Louisiana or Arkansas which might sell for around $3,500 per acre (more or less), and then we saw the rice ground in California, which most people will agree is at least $8,000 per acre, maybe up to $10,000 depending on who you ask. Visiting the lettuce farms was a shock. The land values alone are about $35,000 per acre before you even account for the literally hundreds of people you need to employ due to hand-harvesting. Seeing the amount of overhead that goes into these operations makes you wonder how these guys can stay in business year after year. One bad year, or just a low priced market and their fixed costs will eat them alive. The lettuce farms are also treated like a processing plant. Since it is a fresh market product and they have had a history of some potentially dangerous things like e-coli, dogs are not allowed on the farms and you are required to wear hairnets just to walk in to the field!

It is a very surreal experience and makes me happy to be in the rice business! We had an opportunity to stop in Napa before the session started, and out of curiosity, we asked the tour guide at the Robert Mondavi Winery about approximate land values for an acre of wine grapes in Napa Valley. $300,000 per acre!

Overall, this has been another truly educational experience for me and for my classmates. I especially want to thank John Deere, Rice Tec and American Commodity Company for sponsoring this program and having the foresight to educate, train and develop our future leaders, giving them the tools they need to make a bigger and better U.S. Rice industry. I can’t wait for our next session in Washington, D.C!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

New CRC Blog- New Conservation Chief a win for our environment

By Paul Buttner

One visit to the Sacrament Valley provides ample evidence of the valuable environmental role of rice. Our farmers have had tremendous success partnering with conservation groups, instituting numerous programs that maintained or sometimes even enhanced wildlife habitat.

Carlos Suarez

These partnerships will only grow in importance in the coming years, as we work together to find creative paths of environmental stewardship.

That’s why this week’s announcement of Carlos Suarez as our new State Conservationist is such welcome news.

Carlos has the experience, drive and leadership to keep the string of environmental successes enjoyed in rice country. I’m very excited about what he brings to the job.

Carlos spent three years as California’s Deputy State Conservationist, so he understands natural resource issues in our state. He will move from his job as State Conservationist in Florida and will start work in California next month.

On behalf of California rice farmers, we welcome you back Carlos and look forward to many successful programs in the coming years!

Paul Buttner is Manager of Environmental Affairs for the California Rice Commission.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

New Blog from Punch Haskell: Front row on the Flyway

The pace has slowed a bit following the rice harvest but there’s still plenty to do. At this time of the year, our family has seasonal work with cattle and we’re also maintaining the rice that’s in storage awaiting shipment to the mill. There’s also plenty of catching up on paperwork as another year comes to a close.

While busy, there still are moments when I can view and marvel at all of the migrating wildlife. It’s already been a great season for geese – both snows and specks. Duck populations are also growing daily. In fact, we’re getting a lot of visitors from many states coming to the nearby Colusa Wildlife Refuge to try for a glimpse at what may become an annual visitor from China- the Falcated Duck.

It has certainly been a promising start for rainfall. Hopefully in the coming months it will cool and we’ll get plenty of snowfall in the mountains. A wet winter will hopefully ensure we have enough water to carry us through during the rice growing season next summer.

We’re also getting close to Christmas, and we will spend it close to home, enjoying family and nature that’s around us.

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

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

New video: Enjoying Sacramento Valley Winter Wildlife

Artist, Educator and Naturalist John Muir Laws comments on the joy of viewing wildlife in the Sacramento Valley during the winter months.

Monday, December 3, 2012

New CRC Blog: 30,000 sloshy steps, give or take a few thousand

By Jim Morris

Yesterday marked a rainy, windy 30th annual California International Marathon. I had the good fortune to run my 5th CIM and we had the misfortune of running into some heavy rain and whipping winds for most of it.

I believe the old adage “you are what you eat” contributed to my ability to complete the 26.2 miles. Our family has been working to add more whole grains to our diet. As I started training in the summer, I decided to take that up a notch, trying California brown rice pasta from Lundberg Family Farms. Erase any preconceived thought you may have about rice pasta – it’s easy to prepare and has been well received by our finicky family. It helped me fuel up and settled really well.

The pre-race dish involved Lundberg’s brown rice spaghetti, simply prepared with a little butter, salt and Parmesan – accompanied by grilled chicken and a salad. Just what I needed!

I finished the marathon and met all of my goals including finish without major injury.

It was an added benefit to be running on behalf of Battle for Veterans, an organization that helps disabled veterans acclimate back into society. There were even some disabled vets that ran yesterday, which made my temporary discomfort seem trivial.

You may not have a marathon in your future, but as New Year’s resolution season approaches, an easy way towards better health is whole grains. In this case, brown rice pasta is a winner in our household.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

New Blog from Dennis Lindberg: Signs of Winter

Most of the rice fields around Richvale are flooded and that’s brought on quite a wildlife show! Our most prevalent visitor seems to be the Tundra Swan, but there are plenty of Specklebelly Geese, ducks and White-faced Ibis. I recently saw a 70-acre rice field completely covered with geese. At another spot right along the road there were 100 ibis eating and looking quite content.

I love seeing birds and knowing that our fields help them out with food and a place to rest.

Following my 71st consecutive rice harvest our harvester has been cleaned and inspected and is now put away.

I’ve had a chance to work on more scrap metal art pieces. I just completed the fifth in a series of dogs – a Dachshund with a coil spring for the body, pieces from a chopper for the legs and a spring from a rototiller for the tail. I also look forward to presenting a Lame Duck sculpture to Wally Herger, who is winding up his long service in Congress. This duck is a thank you for the decades he spent in Washington representing his constituents. The duck is holding an American Flag, a fitting symbol.

Dennis Lindberg has grown rice in Butte County for more than 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.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

New CRC Blog- Sacramento Valley, the perfect place to “Get some on ya”

By Tim Johnson, California Rice Commission President & CEO

The holidays provide an opportunity for wonderful reunions, decadent food and unplanned days where you can just get out. Maybe it’s the overheated living rooms or just grabbing the extra serving of my favorite but the weekend after Thanksgiving and certainly during the Christmas and New Years week I nearly always find myself in a car heading someplace – anyplace outdoors.

As a lifelong outdoorsman, my choice is often associated with waterfowl hunting this time of year. There are few things better than a turkey sandwich and black coffee in a duck blind. The Sacramento Valley has a huge number of waterfowling opportunities with state and federal refuges abounding. After hunting rice for years, I have to say that the hunting is every bit as good at the Yolo refuge or any of the others. While it takes a bit of work, the habitat is spectacular, staff helpful and the outing memorable.

If you are not into hunting, head to the refuges for spectacular birding. Reading historic accounts of the valley in books like Up and Down California (Brewer, William H., 2003, University of California Press) makes me wonder how many more ducks and geese we could really get in the Sacramento Valley. Where would you put them all? Honestly, if you have not been up Highway 99 or 70 up toward Chico you are missing one of the most spectacular migrations in the world. On I-5 near Williams and Willows, there are geese right only the side of the freeway! An absolute must is the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

They have (as do most of the refuges) great driving tours and a terrific visitors center. You will see half a dozen species if geese, tundra swans, avocets and other wading birds and huge number of ducks – all about an hour outside downtown Sacramento.

Another great thing about the Sacramento Valley are the small towns. Try Colusa, Williams, Gridley and Richvale for the quintessential small town America right here in the Sacramento Valley. Take a drive around the Sutter Buttes through the town of Sutter. You will see fields, farm equipment, silos, grand old homes and winding levy roads. One of my favorite drives is Highway 45 between Colusa and Knights Landing. It’s about as authentic, untouched Sacramento Valley as you will find.

Finally, there are the eats. Granzella’s Inn is a must stop in Williams.

Chico has tons of restaurants and the Sierra Nevada Brewery. There are farm stands, small taco shops and great local restaurants everywhere along the way. Stop in and grab coffee, hot chocolate or pancakes for lunch.

So get out in the rain and get some mud on your tires. Or as we say at my house – “go out and get some on ya.”

Tim Johnson, CRC President & CEO

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

New CRC Blog: Passionate caretaker of California Wetlands honored

By Paul Buttner

I recently enjoyed being a part of a special day for Dr. Fritz Reid of Ducks Unlimited organized by the Central Valley Joint Venture (CVJV). The event was very appropriately held out at the Cosumnes Preserve near Galt—a site that exemplifies collaborative conservation success—hosting an array of beautiful waterbirds such as the beautiful Sandhill Cranes that I saw on my way to the event. It was a great day in the company of many key players in the wildlife conservation community. It is always enjoyable to visit with such committed professionals who care so deeply about wildlife.

The CVJV is a coalition of non-governmental, state and federal agencies deeply concerned with bird conservation here in our great Central Valley. They are great friends of rice due to the considerable amount of habitat provided by ricelands cited referenced in the CVJV 2006 Implementation Plan (www.centralvalleyjointventure.org).

Fritz has been a long-time, very passionate supporter of wetland protection and restoration in the Central Valley. Towards this goal, he has devoted many hours of work helping to guide the efforts of the CVJV. Therefore, he was very appropriately honored by his peers and fellow CVJV Board Members. He is shown here receiving his award presented by Ellie Cohen, Chairwoman of the CVJV Board and Bob Shaffer, Coordinator of the CVJV.

Fritz is now off to focus his efforts on the Northern Boreal Forest region. While the Central Valley will always be near and dear to Fritz’s heart, we’ll miss seeing him out here as often as we have in the past. Yet he’ll still have a connection with us in the Central Valley given that many species of ducks and other waterbirds that visit us here originate from that region.

Fritz, thanks for all your years of great work here in California. Best wishes in your work up north!

Paul Buttner is Manager of Environmental Affairs for the California Rice Commission.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

New Guest Video- Conservationist tours Rice Country

Paul Baicich with Great Birding Projects comments during his tour of wildlife in Sacramento Valley rice country.

Monday, November 19, 2012

New Debra DeWit Blog: Plenty of thanks to go around

Greetings and a happy early Thanksgiving to everyone!

This past week was really busy. I was wrapping up school before break and my dad and grandpa finished the rice harvest. Now it's time for some time off.

My grandpa is on his way to Africa to help with rice growing there. He'll be gone until December. My parents, my brother and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving by ourselves enjoying delicious food and hopefully an easy day.

I hope you all enjoy your holiday!!

Debra DeWit: "I grew up in Davis and have been around both my grandpa’s and dad’s rice farms most of my life. My grandpa was the one that started farming and passed the tradition on to my dad. My dad farms rice in Yolo County and my grandpa farms rice in Sutter, Yolo and Sacramento counties. I enjoy talking to my dad and grandpa about their days in the fields and gaining more knowledge about the crop and the business. Currently, my family and I live in Davis, and I go to the high school there. I like to hang out with friends, write, draw, go hunting with my dad and my grandpa, teach Sunday school and going to youth group."

Friday, November 16, 2012

New CRC Blog- Honoring a visionary in conservation

By Paul Buttner

I can’t just let Dave White, Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), move on without a very sincere “thank you” on behalf of the California rice growers and the millions of waterbirds that rely on the 500,000 acres of flooded, working lands habitat provided by California ricelands. Dave has announced his departure from NRCS, effective December 3. However, the results of his interest and enthusiasm for helping to promote waterbird habitat programs in California rice and beyond will continue for years to come.

At the time Dave White was appointed to serve as NRCS Chief about four years ago, we and several of our valued conservation partners—Audubon California, PRBO Conservation Science and The Nature Conservancy—were busy having workshops with rice growers and testing out fresh ideas to further enhance the value of California ricelands for waterbirds. Come about 2011, we had the best ideas on the table and monitoring results from pilot-scale implementation of these new practices.

Hearing about this effort, Dave saw a set of new conservation ideas and a working lands conservation coalition that seemed ready to graduate from study phase to pilot program phase. As such, he acted to make funds available, through the good work of his California State Office, to expand this effort into a subregional pilot program in 2011. The result is the newly created Waterbird Habitat Enhancement Program (WHEP). This program now has over 100,000 acres of ricelands in California enrolled—20 percent of our industry—in just two years time. These acres are now sprinkled with expanded options for waterbird nesting, feeding and loafing through the construction of nesting islands and improved water management practices along with many other enhancements.

Earlier this year our industry honored Dave White and his team, including the efforts of the California State Office, with its Circle of Life Award for both making funding available and assisting with program development and implementation. Here is a photo of Dave accepting his award from me at his office in March.

Dave, you leave NRCS with a great legacy of being a “can do” type of leader and melding that with a tremendous vision for the role that working agricultural lands can play in helping to protect critical wildlife habitat needs such as migrating waterbirds and other species of wildlife. I sincerely thank you for your positive impact wildlife conservation and wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Paul Buttner is Manager of Environmental Affairs for the California Rice Commission.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

New video- Final field harvest

Family farmer Brian McKenzie describes his feelings as they harvest the final rice field of the 2012 season.

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.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

New Guest Video: Three Steps to Deeper Nature Appreciation

Naturalist, educator and artist John Muir Laws explains three prompts he has found that could greatly enhance your nature observation.

Monday, November 12, 2012

New guest video- Come visit the Flyway

The Nature Conservancy's Sandi Matsumoto talks about the amazing sights along the Pacific Flyway.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

New CRC Blog- Saving Killdeer is all in a day's work

By Paul Buttner

As the wildlife guy for the California rice industry, I often draw the short straw by having to drive around and see all the beautiful wildlife that use California wildlife. It's a tough job but somebody’s got to do it! Nearly 230 species use these fields, some more than others. This list includes over a dozen species of beautiful shorebirds from the small Western Sandpiper to the much larger Long-billed Curlew.

Each of these shorebirds occupies its own special niche on the farming landscape. The one that always mystifies me is the Killdeer. This is because the Killdeer loves to lay its eggs on gravel roads. Yes, the same gravel roads that cars drive upon. Yet the species lives on!

Grower Mike DeWit of DeWit Family Farms has developed a highly complex Killdeer egg protection system.

Once he locates the eggs through careful observation of the movement of the parents, he places the perfect cardboard box on the roadway forcing him and all of his crew to drive on the other side of the road until the new arrivals hatch. In this case, he unofficially joins forces with John Deere (see the logo on the box) but I’m sure he has shared the glory with other product manufacturers over the years.

I can vouch for how acceptable the cardboard box protection system was to the mother birds. This is because my first photo had one egg. However, when I stopped on my way out, less than one hour later, there were two!

I tip my hat to Mike for going extra mile (literally!) to preserve the beautiful birds calling his farm home. Many of these special shorebirds are in decline globally and can use all the help they can get.

Paul Buttner is Environmental Affairs Manager for the California Rice Commission.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

New CRC Blog- I don't golf

By Julie Cader

Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.

This was worth taking a Friday afternoon off from work. A wine tasting and food pairing presented by the Auburn Chamber of Commerce at The Ridge Golf Club and Events Center. Local wineries from Auburn including Mt. Vernon, Lone Buffalo, Fawnridge, and Vina Castellano showcased their delightful wines with food pairings from local restaurants including Latitude, Bootleggers, Monkey Cat and The Ridge.

I was especially impressed with sous chef Tim Koltun’s presentation of Arancini di Riso, using California Arborio rice, a short-grain type of rice. These little “oranges of rice” were yummy balls of risotto, coated with breadcrumbs. What a wonderful treat and a great way to end a hectic week.

After a few tastes of wine and some amazing food, I even considered playing a round or two! Now where did I put those clubs…

New Blogger Steve Butler- Rolling along with the weather

Learn about how rice farmers deal with occasional wet weather during harvest season.

Steve Butler farms rice with his son, Tom, in Sutter and Yolo Counties. They are the latest in a four-generation family commitment to farming.

Friday, October 26, 2012

New Guest Blog- Rice contribution to greenhouse gas production

By Luis Espino

I recently read an interesting article that forecasts the production of greenhouse gases (GHG) from ricelands by the end of the 21st century¹. The authors used data from 63 studies conducted in 30 different locations in 8 different countries.

This article prompted me to try to put rice-related global and local GHG emissions into context. In other words, what are the estimated contributions of ricelands in general and California ricelands more specifically to global GHG emissions? This information is not easy to find, so I thought it would be good to share it here. I compiled estimates from two sources, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (global data, 2005) and the California Air Resources Board (California data, 2009). There are probably other estimates out there, but I think the ones I present here are reliable.

As you can see, worldwide ricelands account for 1.3% of all GHG emissions. California agriculture and forestry account for 0.06%, and California ricelands contribute a minute amount to GHG emissions on a global basis. Even when considered on a statewide basis, ricelands emissions are only 0.1% of California’s total GHG inventory.

¹Van Groenigen, K. J., C. van Kessel, and B. Hungate. 2012. Increased greenhouse gas intensity of rice production under future atmospheric conditions. Nature Climate Change (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1712)

Luis Espino

Luis Espino is a Rice Farm Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension.

Reposted with permission from UC Rice Blog: California Rice Production.

New Don Bransford Blog- Sacramento Valley rice harvest nearly complete

Rice Grower Don Bransford of Colusa County updates progress on this year's harvest.

Don Bransford: This fourth-generation family farmer has grown rice in Colusa County since 1980. Don has a long history of service to the community and agriculture, including nearly 30 years on the Board of Trustees and Governing Board for the Colusa Unified School District. He currently serves as President of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District. Don’s interests include photography, as he enjoys capturing the majestic wildlife often seen in his rice fields. Don and his wife Diane have four children.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

New Punch Haskell Blog- The Finish Line

I was able to finish my rice harvest over the weekend. It was a great fall with close to ideal conditions. The first thing that I think of as another harvest is done is a sense of relief.

To me the rice harvest is the fun part of the year. You’re getting your crop in and enjoying the fruits of your labor for the year.

There is still work to be done in the valley, as many of my comrades are continuing to harvest. Fortunately it looks like for on most farms it’s just a matter of waiting for fields to dry out a bit. The ground didn’t get muddy enough where special tracks will be needed for the harvest equipment, which is helpful because that takes a lot more time and labor.

Hopefully with a period of dry weather the balance of the rice crop will be harvested soon and without any more interruptions.

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

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

New Guest Blog- Banquet in the Rice Field

By Phil Robertson

Half a million acres of California rice fields provide the highest quality rice to the world market, feeding not only millions of people but also millions waterfowl that migrate to and through our great state. As I write this the table is being set. Rice is being harvested with some rice being left in the fields. The fields are then flooded--an invitation to ducks, geese, shorebirds, wading birds, raptors and a wide variety of insects and invertebrates.

I recently visited one such banquet in Sutter County. Here is some of what I saw.

Don't miss the party and be sure to thank the rice farmer for what he provides us and our feathered friends.

Phil Robertson is a photographer and nature enthusiast from Lincoln. He provides travel, scenic and wildlife photos to private collectors, wildlife artists, various non-profits, environmental consulting companies, travel companies and local and regional publications and corporations.

New CRC Blog- Raptor Rapture

By Jim Morris

Having lived my entire life in the Sacramento Valley, coupled with more than 20 years working with farmers, I have seen a lot of interesting sites on the roads less traveled in the North State. I consider a recent encounter in Yuba County as among the top of the list.

I was in the Marysville area to chronicle the rice harvest. While driving my truck on a small road adjacent to the rice field, out flew an absolutely magnificent bird.

I knew I had something special in my sights. Owls are among the favorite birds on the planet and I had one about 15 feet away in a rice field and in broad daylight no less. Fortunately I have my cameras pretty much ready to go and was able to take this photo.

I later learned that this is a male Short-eared Owl. It was out in the afternoon most likely looking for lunch. This species is one of the only owls that hunt by day as well as at night. I was also fortunate to shoot some video of this dramatic bird.

I’ve heard from many rice farmers that Burrowing Owls are no stranger in and around the rice fields. However, this Short-eared Owl was a revelation for me. A real thrill in the countryside and one more reason to keep the rice fields going strong – providing a home for nearly 230 wildlife species.

Friday, October 19, 2012

New Video Blog- Rice harvest well underway

Rice grower Charley Mathews Jr. describes the latest activity on the 2012 harvest.

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.

New CRC Blog- Dragonfly- Dining on a higher level

By Julie Cader

Julie is Finance & Administration Manager for the California Rice Commission, and a big proponent of trying new recipes- especially if they feature California rice.

Wikipedia describes being an entrepreneur as one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods. Studying under Douglas Dale of Wolfdale’s in Tahoe City, Billy McCullough, Chef/Owner of Dragonfly, launched his entrepreneurship dream high in the Sierra over a decade ago. Billy, Zoey and Phebe Bell were on hand at Truckee’s Annual Wine, Walk & Shop event providing wine and food enthusiasts with a sampling of Dragonfly’s delicious fare.

Billy’s creations tend to lean towards a Pan-Asian flair with California’s Nishiki rice used in many of the amazing selections on his ever-changing menu of fresh, seasonal products. Whether it be the Thai Tamarind-Cilantro Fisherman's Stew, the Surrealistic Starkey Inside Out Roll or other delightful entrees, you are sure to have a wonderful dining experience at Dragonfly. A true entrepreneur, Billy has indeed followed his dreams in the charming town of Truckee, California.