Above:
Sonoma County hillsides covered with lupine blooms... spring has officially sprung!
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In this month's edition:
- How to attend virtual RCD Board Meetings
- RCD offering HSP application assistance
- Employment opportunities in critical food and agriculture infrastructure
- AFT's Farmer Relief Fund applications are live!
- CropMobster Exchange: A community resilience platform
- Upcoming Sheep & Grapes Workshop
- Reminder: It's California Tiger Salamander mating season!
- From the field: Habitat enhancement project at Green Valley Creek
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These awesome sights of spring remind us to get out into the fresh air, warm up in the sun, and delight in the beautiful visions of spring in Sonoma County.
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Stay Involved with Gold Ridge RCD
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Office Update:
Due to COVID-19, the Gold Ridge RCD office is working remotely.
If you would like to contact any of our staff members
, please reach us by
phone
or
email
.
Phone calls to the office will be forwarded to our respective home offices. Thank you!
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How to Attend Virtual RCD Board Meetings
Every third Thursday of the month (via Zoom)
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Your voice matters! We would love to hear your thoughts...
In an effort to protect public and employee safety, we will be hosting our monthly Gold Ridge RCD Board Meetings
virtually
for the foreseeable future. Please find below the schedule and instructions for attending upcoming RCD Board Meetings. Your presence is important to us.
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Upcoming
Gold Ridge RCD Board Meetings:
Tuesday, April 21,
3:30-5:30pm* Special
Thursday, May 21,
3:30-5:30pm
Thursday, June 18,
3:30-5:30pm
Thursday, July 16,
3:30-5:30pm
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Gold Ridge RCD is offering application assistance for the 2020 Healthy Soils Program
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If you haven't had a chance to view
last week's e-blast
describing the CDFA's 2020 Healthy Soils Program, here is a brief introduction and a link for more information.
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Did You Know?
CDFA is now accepting applications for its Healthy Soils Program (HSP)
, with
$28 million
in funding available statewide
for
on-farm soils health practices
that sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gases and improve soil health.
You could receive up to
$100,000
in grant awards to support your agricultural operation in making changes that benefit soil health. Gold Ridge RCD is here to help you apply to CDFA's
Healthy Soils Program
.
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Grape growers, get connected with your hub!
See the latest news from the
North Coast Soil Health Hub
, a network of grape growers, resource managers and scientists working to improve soil health under the vines.
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Employment opportunities in critical food and agriculture infrastructure
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We're in this together!
If you, or anyone you know, is currently searching for work, please check out
OnwardCA.org
to connect with local resources, opportunities, and potential employers. Critical industries such as food and agriculture are
still hiring
and in dire need of extra hands. It is no surprise that these industries have been deemed as "essential" infrastructure.
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Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)'s
farm-related job board
has additional employment opportunities.
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CropMobster Exchange:
A community resilience platform
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"COVID-19 has delivered a big time reminder and wake-up call…
Local matters more than ever!"
CropMobster Exchange
strives to foster community resiliency by connecting individuals with local resources such as food and services. In times of social distancing and closed storefronts, this online resource allows us to strengthen our community through mutual aid. Connect with a
wide range of resources
on their
exchange page
, including
job opportunities, webinars, ranch assistance, tools,
and even
animals
!
CropMobster Exchange is easy to use, just enter your zip code and find resources near you.
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American Farmland Trust's
Farmer Relief Fund applications are live!
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What is the Farmer Relief Fund?
The AFT will award farmers with cash grants of up to $1,000 each to help them weather the current storm of market disruptions caused by the coronavirus crisis.
Eligible applicants
include any small and mid-size direct-market producers. These are defined as producers with annual gross revenue of between $10,000 and $1 million from sales at farmers markets and/or direct sales to restaurants, caterers, schools, stores, or makers who use farm products as inputs.
If this describes your farming operation,
apply here.
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Sheep & Grapes Workshop
FREE 2-part online workshop on April 17th and April 24th!
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Napa RCD is hosting a free in-depth, two-part online workshop. Sign up for
both
days to hear ten experienced Wine Country farmers and university sp
ecialists discuss grazing in vineyards. Join in to learn about:
Day 1: April 17, 2020, 8-11 am
- Benefits of sheep grazing on soil health and vineyard floor management, and how sheep are managed around the grape production cycle
- Sheep health, physiology, and management
- How a new project seeks to understand how sheep-vineyard systems may be utilized to increase soil health and soil organic carbon while providing multiple production benefits
Day 2: April 24, 2020, 8-11 am
- How vineyard managers in California’s Wine Country have used sheep in their vineyards
- How shepherds and ranchers provide grazing services to vineyards
Speakers:
- Amélie Gaudin, UC Davis, Assistant Professor of Agroecology
- Dave Koball, Noble Vineyard Management, Director of Viticulture
- Glenn McGourty, UC Cooperative Extension, County Director & Viticulture Advisor
- Jake Knobloch, Somerston Vineyards, Vineyard Manager
- Kari Flores, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Farming Operations Manager
- Kelsey Brewer, UC Davis, Graduate Student
- Macy Stubstad, Rudd Vineyards, Vineyard Manager
- Miguel Garcia, Napa County RCD, Sustainable Agriculture Program Manager
- Robert and Jaime Irwin, Kaos Sheep Outfit, Owners
- Stephanie Larson, UC Cooperative Extension, County Director & Livestock Range Management Advisor
Presented by:
Napa RCD, UCCE, Fibershed, and CAFF
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It's California tiger salamander mating season!
Let's be sensitive of these awesome endangered species
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Around this time of year, a unique amphibian appears throughout the local lands...
California tiger salamanders
(
Ambystoma californiense
)
emerge from underground burrows and make their way to vernal pools and ranch stock ponds across Sonoma County. Within these bodies of water, female California tiger salamanders can lay up to 1,300 eggs each, depositing them individually or in small clusters.
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Although they are a rare sight to see, California Tiger Salamanders are absolutely unforgettable with their yellow and black coloring, large stocky build, and rounded snout. Unfortunately, due primarily to habitat fragmentation and habitat loss, the Sonoma County population is
endangered
.
Gold Ridge RCD is asking for your help to ensure proper care is taken to avoid disturbing this magnificent species during such a crucial time in its life cycle.
If you find a California tiger salamander or become aware of a possible breeding pond,
please keep your distance and refrain from handling.
To legally handle a California tiger salamander, you actually need a special permit. We thank you in advance for your respectful interactions with this native species. For more pictures and species info, see
Cal Herps
!
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From the Field: Habitat enhancement at Green Valley Creek
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Socially-distanced GRRCD field work activities have continued through COVID-19
, including
habitat enhancement projects
at Green Valley Creek. Projects like these make it possible for many species of wildlife and plants to continue thriving in our local ecosystems.
Pictured below
is one of the large pools along GVC featuring a lush, healthy fern enjoying a moment in the sunlight. Noelle Johnson, Conservation Planner, also spotted a lamprey (pictured top right). Lampreys, like salmon, spend part of their lives in the ocean and part in freshwater creeks. These jawless fish return annually between Feb-May to spawn in their natal streams.
Cheers to an abundant spring and healthy streams!
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