Food & Farm News
» November 4, 2008 «
Turkeys will be plentiful for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving shoppers will find plenty of California-grown turkeys this season. Prices consumers pay will vary from store to store. Some will offer free turkeys with the purchase of a set amount of other groceries, while others offer bargain prices. The California Poultry Federation advises consumers to take advantage of the low Thanksgiving prices and freeze an extra bird for later use. Consumers wanting free range, heritage or organic turkeys will find good supplies but prices will be higher.
Rain delays citrus harvest 
California citrus farmers are noticing smaller yields this year but say the overall quality remains excellent. Harvest is roughly two weeks behind schedule, and recent rains have delayed picking further as citrus needs to be picked dry. Farmers welcome the rain, however, as California has endured two years of below-average rainfall. Citrus prices are strong now, but some growers worry the nation's economic woes could have an impact on demand.
Experts work at building a better bee
A breeder at the University of California, Davis, has developed a new breed of bee. The hybrid is described as very gentle, hygienic and productive. The hope is the new line of bees will have increased resistance to pests and disease. The bees were developed to help California beekeepers avoid colony collapse disorder and other maladies. The work is part of a continuing effort to yield a long-term solution for better pollinators.
Good for the gremlins. Good for the grapes.
What happens to the Great Pumpkin when Halloween is over? Composting experts at Sunset Scavenger in San Francisco say expanded curbside compost collection programs are encouraging residents to put food scraps--including pumpkins--in their compost collection cart. When residents and businesses in San Francisco, Oakland and other nearby cities toss the family pumpkin in their (green) compost cart, the gourd ends up in the food scrap pile at a modern compost facility. The finished compost is applied to a local vineyard.
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