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IN THIS NEWSLINE ISSUED December 22, 2006:
- NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION SOLUTION
- CALS HEAD OF AMERICAN INDIAN PROGRAMS TO SERVE ON U.S. PRESIDENTIAL BOARD
- ARIZONA COTTONSEED RESEARCH MAKING STRIDES
- CONTROLLING EXOTIC PLANTS IN ARIZONA GIVEN CONGRESSIONAL BOOST
- MEMORIAL SERVICE: FORMER COUNTY EXTENSION DIRECTOR SHERWOOD WINANS
- PROLONGED DROUGHT EFFECTS ON RANCHING
- NUMBER 1 HORSE TRAINER RETURNS TO SUPPORT RACE TRACK INDUSTRY
- NEW LA PAZ COUNTY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT GREENHOUSE UP AND RUNNING
- RAINWATCHERS WANTED
- IRON DEFICIENCY IN ARIZONA SOILS
- NEW PUBLICATION ON MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND WOODLANDS
- TWO NEW AGRICULTURAL REPORTS AVAILABLE ONLINE
- BIOSOLIDS LAND USE IN ARIZONA
1 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION SOLUTION
December and January are a time when many people resolve to make behavior changes to improve their health and personal finances. Typically, these resolutions are made separately, such as "lose 10 pounds" and "save $1,000."
The Small Steps to Health and Wealth program has been developed to assist consumers in working on health and financial behavior changes together and use the same methods to improve both aspects of life.
An interactive workshop, which will describe the 25 strategies that can be adopted to simultaneously improve one's health and personal finances, is being repeated Thursday, January 4, 2007 at the Pima Cooperative Extension office, 4210 N. Campbell Avenue in Tucson.
Participants will be led through a discussion of each strategy and encouraged to select three or four strategies to implement as part of a personal action plan. The class content is based on the book, Small Steps to Health and Wealth written by Rutgers Cooperative Extension faculty members Dr. Barbara O'Neill, CFP, and Dr. Karen Ensle, RD.
The workshop is free and the workbook will also be available for purchase for $16. Consisting of 35 short, user-friendly chapters, the Small Steps to Health and Wealth workbook encourages participants to set health and/or wealth goals and take action to achieve them by identifying small progress steps. The book includes a discussion of similarities between health and personal finances and 25 behavior change strategies. It concludes with a planning worksheet for readers to use to set personal goals and action plans and a list of online health and personal finance resources.
Linda Block, Pima County Cooperative Extension
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pima/fchs/small_steps/index.html
2 CALS HEAD OF AMERICAN INDIAN PROGRAMS TO SERVE ON U.S. PRESIDENTIAL BOARD
Joseph Hiller, Assistant Dean for American Indian Programs and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, was recently selected by President George W. Bush to serve on the President's Board of Advisors on Tribal Colleges and Universities.
The Board of Advisors will ensure that tribal colleges and universities have full access to federal and private programs and funds that benefit other higher education institutions. The board will also make recommendations to the president and the secretary of education on ways the federal government and the private sector can help tribal colleges strengthen and expand their resources, programs, facilities and use of technologies.
Hiller is the director of the Arizona Extension Indian Reservation Program (EIRP), which was authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill.
Extension Indian Reservation Program funding has enabled the University of Arizona to hire Cooperative Extension agents on the Colorado River Indian Tribes, Hopi and San Carlos Apache Indian reservations, Hualapai and Havasupai reservations. It has also allowed the University of Arizona to join with New Mexico State University and Utah State University in a consortium to hire and place two Cooperative Extension agents on the Navajo Nation.
Joe Hiller, American Indian Programs
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/americanindianprograms/
3 ARIZONA COTTONSEED RESEARCH MAKING STRIDES
Cotton variety breeding research in Arizona is producing improved varieties with increased profit potential tied to increased yields, improved heat tolerance, and lower micronaire, according to Randy Norton, resident director of the University of Arizona's (UA) Safford Agricultural Center in Safford, Ariz. While Arizona growers would see the greatest benefit, other growers across the Cotton Belt also stand to profit.
Norton is testing new germplasm in three locations on two fronts: advanced strain testing for seed companies, plus preliminary and advanced strain testing for the Arizona Cotton Growers Association's (ACGA) breeding program.
To read the entire article in the December 5, 2006 issue of Western Farm Press, go to the link below.
Randy Norton, Safford Agricultural Center
To learn more:
http://westernfarmpress.com/news/120506-arizona-cottonseed/index.html
CONTROLLING EXOTIC PLANTS IN ARIZONA GIVEN CONGRESSIONAL BOOST
Congress recently passed a bill to strengthen the ongoing battle against nonnative plant species that have damaged river systems throughout the West. The Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act will support activities to control these nuisance plants that have challenged all efforts to eradicate them.
The effort to eradicate thirsty nonnative species has gained momentum due to the ongoing drought; a mature salt cedar or Russian olive plant can consume up to 100 - 200 gallons of water a day.
The exotic plants crowd out native trees like willows and cottonwoods, add salinity to the soil, and lower the water table. A dense growth of salt cedar can reroute a river's flow, thus interfering with its ability to control floods and move sediment. Wildlife species are left without the natural backwaters they need.
Removing the plants without causing river bank erosion can improve stream flows and help restore native vegetation. Strategies to eradicate the salt cedar have included bulldozing, chemically treating salt-cedar infested land and releasing beetles that feed on the plant.
The new law directs the Bureau of Reclamation to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct at least five salt cedar and Russian olive assessment and demonstration programs. The bill authorizes $20 million for FY2006 and $15 million annually from 2007-10 to provide grants to states and public/private partnerships to identify the best ways to eradicate these nonnative species.
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/novdec06/news.html
5 MEMORIAL SERVICE: FORMER COUNTY EXTENSION DIRECTOR SHERWOOD WINANS
Former La Paz County Extension Director S. Sherwood (Woodie) Winans passed away on Sunday, December 17. Winans retired from Cooperative Extension in 1999. Throughout his 35-year career with the University of Arizona Winans was active in Colorado River water issues, 4-H Youth Development programs and Master Gardener Training, and worked extensively with the Colorado River Indian Tribes.
There will be a memorial service this Saturday, December 23 at 3:00 p.m. at the Senior Center, 100 Quiroga Drive, Patagonia, 520-394-2494. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the local 4-H Leaders Council or to the 4-H Youth Foundation. Cards of condolence can be sent to the Winans family at P.O. Box 414, Patagonia, AZ 85624.
A second memorial service has been scheduled for Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 11:00am at the La Paz County Park in Parker. For more information, contact the La Paz County office at 928-669-9843.
Jim Christenson, Cooperative Extension
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/lapaz/
6 PROLONGED DROUGHT EFFECTS ON RANCHING
The tawny flats of Warbonnet Ranch in Southeastern Arizona shivered as a stiff wind rummaged through grass coaxed from the ground by summer rain.
The grass and the rain, scant though they were, bought rancher Larry Todd another season, maybe two. And on the parched ranges in the middle of a drought, a rancher and his cattle can't ask for much more. Unless it's just more.
In 2002, the driest year of this cycle, the Tonto National Forest sharply reduced the number of cattle allowed to graze, and by fall, the herds had shrunk to barely 8 percent of normal capacity, according to University of Arizona livestock specialist Robert Kattnig.
To read the entire story that appeared in the December 18, 2006 Arizona Daily Star, visit the link below.
Robert Kattnig, Department of Animal Sciences
To learn more:
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/160807.php
7 NUMBER 1 HORSE TRAINER RETURNS TO SUPPORT RACE TRACK INDUSTRY
CALS alumni Todd Pletcher for the first time this year participated in the UA's Racetrack Industry Symposium, now in its 33rd year, in early December. Pletcher graduated in 1989 where he majored in Animal Sciences.
He was introduced at the symposium not as the man who trained a record 17 horses in last month's Breeders' Cup, but rather as a "super-trainer," a term the industry created to define his impact in the sport.
To read the full article from the December 6, 2006 Arizona Daily Star, visit the link below.
To learn more:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/159175.php
8 NEW LA PAZ COUNTY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT GREENHOUSE UP AND RUNNING
A new grower-cooperative greenhouse has been built in La Paz County in western Arizona. The facility, just north of I-10 in Vicksburg, was developed through a partnership between La Paz County Cooperative Extension and Vicksburg Farms. The research greenhouse is currently growing several varieties of hydroponic tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet peppers, hot peppers, four varieties of eggplant and a mix of different-flavored basils.
The project became a reality through the support of Rock Cramer, a local rancher/farmer who had a vision for future agricultural systems in the desert Southwest. The facility will feature research on a variety of alternative crops, smaller scale operations, and impacts of "less-than-ideal" water chemistry and weather conditions to determine if "controlled environment structure" (CES) agriculture is a possibility for rural agricultural development throughout Arizona.
Because no soil is used in hydroponic systems, there are no weeds to impede plant growth, and thus no herbicides are needed. In addition, considerably less water is needed compared to conventional, soil-based agriculture. The combination of reduced need for pesticides and increased water savings make this an environmentally friendly method of crop production.
Tours of the greenhouse facility are available on Wednesdays by appointment only. To arrange a tour, Contact Debbie May (520) 237-6405 or Linda Masters (520) 237-6854.
Linda Masters, La Paz County Cooperative Extension
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/ceac/
Into every life a little rain must fall. Sure, but how much and when? University of Arizona climatologist Mike Crimmins and hydrologist Gary Woodard are asking for the Salt River Valley's help in answering those questions.
Crimmins and Woodard are behind an Internet project called RainLog.org, which is a statewide network of volunteers measuring rainfall at their homes and businesses. Every day that a drop falls, volunteers record the data and electronically send it to Crimmins and Woodard in Tucson.
To see the whole story in the December 17, 2006 East Valley Tribune, visit http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=80754
Michael Crimmins, Soil Water and Environmental Science
To learn more:
http://rainlog.org
10 IRON DEFICIENCY IN ARIZONA SOILS
Home gardeners who are struggling with stubborn layers of caliche in their yards may be interested in a new Cooperative Extension bulletin: "Recognizing and Treating Iron Deficiency in the Home Yard."
Iron deficiency is a frequent problem for some ornamental plants in the low desert areas of Arizona. The underlying cause is the high pH soil level. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) builds up in desert soils because precipitation is not sufficient to wash or leach these naturally occurring materials out of the soil.
Calcium carbonate deposits are often visible as light colored lumps which range in size from less than 1 inch to several inches across or as a solid layer, ranging from a few inches to several feet in thickness. When these deposits form solid layers they are known as caliche. In this high pH environment, iron solubility is minimized. In desert soils there is usually plenty of iron; it just is not soluble enough to provide adequate nutrition to certain plants.
The three-page extension bulletin suggests ways to treat iron definciency by acidifying the soil, applying iron fertilizer to the soil, or applying iron directly to the plant foliage.
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1415.pdf
11 NEW PUBLICATION ON MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND WOODLANDS
A new CALS publication Management of Forests and Woodlands, part of the Climate Change and Variability in Southwest Ecosystems Series, describes how climatic changes, water availability and other forest stresses are changing the face of forests in the high mountains of the arid Southwest.
Forest management decisions in the past have left some forests and woodlands in the Southwest with high tree densities, making them more susceptible to bark beetle outbreaks and stand-replacing wildfires. Forest stands with an unnaturally high density of trees and biomass (i.e., collective dry weight) can experience increased mortality during periods of low rainfall and potentially could be negatively affected by even slight increases in average temperature during the growing season.
Increasing temperatures can reduce water availability to plants through higher evaporation rates, while greater variability in precipitation may increase the frequency of drought. Higher temperatures already are being linked to an increase in the number of acres burned in western wildfires, particularly in some mid-elevation Rocky Mountain forests.
Tom DeGomez, School of Natural Resources
To learn more:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/natresources/az1424.pdf
12 TWO NEW AGRICULTURAL REPORTS AVAILABLE ONLINE
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has issued two new agricultural reports based on faculty research conducted over the past year. The table of contents for each can be found at the links below:
Turfgrass, Landscape and Urban IPM Research Summary 2006 Includes research on termite survival and control in urban environments, and on pest, disease and weed control in turf: http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1421/
2006 Vegetable Report Covers research conducted on melons, chile peppers and lettuce: http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1419/
13 BIOSOLIDS LAND USE IN ARIZONA
A new CALS publication, "Biosolids Land Use in Arizona", describes how biosolids are produced, summarizes federal and Arizona regulations that control their disposal on land, present an overview of the research on biosolids at the University of Arizona, and answers some common questions about the land application of biosolids.
The land application of biosolids (non-hazardous sewage sludge) has been in practice in Arizona since the 1960s. The controlled use of biosolids in agriculture and land reclamation provides numerous benefits. Biosolids are an excellent renewable source of plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, copper and zinc. Biosolids provide much needed organic matter to desert soils, improving their structure and water holding capacity.
The use of biosolids as fertilizers helps reduce the dependence on oil-derived commercial synthetic fertilizers and saves valuable landfill space. However, even treated municipal biosolids can contain organisms (pathogens) capable of transmitting and producing diseases and very low (trace) levels of toxic chemicals. Therefore, there are potential risks associated with the repeated use of biosolids, including the accumulation and uptake of pollutants in soils and plants, and groundwater and surface water pollution.
But alternate forms of sludge disposal, such as land filling, incineration, not allowed in Arizona, and ocean dumping, practiced in coastal states but banned since 1988, are costly and pose greater risks to our health and the environment.
Janick Artiola, Soil, Water and Environmental Science
To learn more:
To learn more: http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/consumer/az1426.pdf
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