Welcome to the University of California, Cooperative Extension in Yolo County! To find out more about our office and staff, please see our
COUNTY PROFILES Yolo County 2008 Annual Report
Links to other resouces:
County of Yolo www.yolocounty.org.
Yolo Link, an online listing of resources and services available to Yolo County residents www.yololink.org
California Land Conservation Act of 1965 - Williamson Act http://www.consrv.ca.gov/DLRP/lca/
YoloCounty UC Cooperative Extension
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cooperate Extension?
Cooperative Extension is a part of a nationwide educational system which involves the USDA, the state land-grantUniversity system and County government. Cooperative Extension offices are commonly known as local problem-solving centers that house campus-based specialists and county-based farm, home, and youth advisors. Advisors work as teams tailoring their programs to meet local needs and bringing the University's based research information to the local community.
Yolo County Cooperative Extension provides a broad range of educational programs that are of benefit to farmers, rural and urban residents, community leaders, homemakers, parents, and youth. Extension programs focus on traditional and changing needs in the areas of agriculture, home economics, community and rural development, nutrition, environmental horticulture and 4-H and youth.
CE's many teaching tools include meetings, conferences, workshops, demonstrations, field days, video programs, newsletters and manuals. Thousands of volunteers extend CE's outreach, assisting the nutrition and 4-H youth development programs and the Master Gardener Program.
CountyFarmAdvisors’ work is aimed at sustaining and enhancing California agricultural productivity and competitiveness. Together with farmers, pest control advisors, institutions and industry representatives, they identify current and emerging agricultural opportunities and problems. The advisors collaborate with campus-based Cooperative Extension specialists and faculty to research, adapt, and field-test agricultural improvements or solutions and promote the use of research findings.
Extension programs enhance the work of other government and nonprofit agencies which join together to improve the quality of life for county residents. Extension Staff are educators helping to educate YoloCounty on their needs to grow better people, crops, and lives. We help make things better!
What is 4-H?
The 4-H Youth Development Program is a nonprofit youth educational program administered through the UC Cooperative Extension. 4-H stands for the four-fold development of youth: Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. 4-H currently serves 450 families in YoloCounty, including 400 Youth and 200 Adults. The program includes youth ages 5 through19 from all ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds who live in rural, suburban, and urban communities.
The 4-H Program provides youth with a variety of learning experiences that contribute to their personal growth and development. The program helps them to become self-reliant, responsible, and productive members of society. Universally recognized by its four-leaf clover emblem, 4-H serves youth through a variety of methods including organized clubs, school-enrichment groups, special interest groups, individual study programs, and camps.
One of the most important aspects of 4-H is the Club program. The club program has monthly club meetings to discuss their work in the project areas of Animal Science, Plant Science, Family & Consumer Sciences, Health & Leisure, and Social Science. Children can participate in such activities as small engines, woodworking, food, clothing, photography, computers, crafts, and large and small animals. YoloCounty 4-H clubs hold a competitive "Spring Show" at the Yolo County Fairgrounds in Woodland each year to display 4-H members' project work.
The 4-H club year usually starts at the beginning of the academic school year in September, and ends around the end of the academic school year in June. Parents also play an intricate role in 4-H because they serve as 4H leaders for the projects. Many of the 4-H parents are 4-H alumni and realize that their interests and expertise in 4-H projects and events are essential to the 4-H Program.
What is the University of California Nutrition Education Program?
The University of California Nutrition Education Program is funded by the USDA’s Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program, the State of California, various grants (including First 5 in the 08/09 fiscal year) and the County of Yolo to help improve the lives of youth. The Program is run through the Cooperative Extension Office and is committed to helping serve the residents of YoloCounty to lead healthier lives. We work with preschools, schools, youth programs, and other agencies to integrate healthy eating, food safety, hygiene, and physical activities in their programs. We also work with parents’ to improve the families’ nutritional habits. The program primarily serves schools that have at least 50% of their students qualifying for free or reduced price meals. .
Activities are prepared for teachers; hand delivered, uses educational standards and kindergarten readiness skills as their foundation, incorporates literacy, and is free of charge. Increasing food acceptance and food preparation skills are at the core of the behavioral changes promoted in the materials.
What is the Master Gardener Program?
Master Gardener volunteers provide free public education courses, demonstrations, and plant clinics throughout the county. Master Gardeners staff information booths at local events to expand their contacts within the county. Volunteers work with schools, disabled young adults, and other groups to provide classes and demonstrations in gardening and horticultural science. Volunteers serve as speakers and organize presentations for organizations, clubs, schools, and retirement homes. Trained horticulturists in the program are available to help diagnosis plant problems and answer gardening questions.
Services available to YoloCounty residents include a Master Gardener Hotline at 530-666-8737. Master Gardeners are also available to answer questions at local Farmers’ Markets. Trained volunteers will answer your gardening questions directly or will research more complex problems by using UC publications, reference books, or consult with Farm Advisors or UC Extension Specialists. Many UC publications on home gardening are available through the Master Gardener volunteers or through the UC Cooperative Extension Office.
They answer: “I have a question about my garden/landscape. What is this? Can you help?”
Farm Advisors
The Yolo Cooperative Extension has crop specialists, Farm Advisors, available to help solve your questions about commercial agricultural production. They cover everything from local diseases and pests, new crops, cropping patterns, management practices, soil and water quality, to variety characteristics. Please contact them to get all your questions answered.
For fruits and nuts including walnuts, almonds, prunes, peaches, and apples, contact:
For vegetables including processing tomatoes, contact:
For small grains, (corn, & wheat), contact:
For rice, contact:
For pest management, alfalfa, agronomy, dry beans, water quality, seed crops, and bio-fuels, contact:
I have a problem with my Livestock – Cattle/Sheep/Swine/Goats/Poultry. Can you help?
The Livestock and Range Management Program focuses on efforts to keep range livestock and the rangeland itself healthy and productive, and to encourage the healthy coexistence of introduced livestock and native plant and animal species in the range environment.
For livestock and range management information, contact:
Can you identify this bug?
The Yolo Cooperative Extension has two entomologists on staff to help identify and resolve any insect issues. Please bring samples to the office in sealed containers. Please contact either of the following people:
I have bats! What do I do?
If you have found a sick bat, do not touch it, please call the Health Department 530-666-8646. The Yolo Cooperative Extension has a Pest Management Specialist on staff to help resolve any bat issues. For bat information, contact Rachael Long.
Bats are good for farmers because they consume insects, but in recent years there's been a decline of bats due to a loss of roosting sites. By providing bat houses, farmers could help reverse this trend and simultaneously reduce pest populations.
Something is destroying my garden? What could it be?
Master Gardeners work to identify insects and pests causing damage to home gardens, including gophers, pocket voles, roof rats, aphids, caterpillars, and more. Plant samples can be dropped off for the Master Gardeners at the UCCE office during regular office hours.
My plant looks like it is dying what do I do?
Master Gardeners are available to answer questions and identify problems with home gardens and plants. Volunteer Master Gardeners hold office hours at the UCCE office on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9am-11am. Samples can be brought to the office during regular office hours and left for Master Gardeners. Samples should include the diseased portion of the plant, and if possible, a small sample of the healthy portion. Information such as the age, size, watering habits, and location of the plant will assist Master Gardeners in identifying the problem(s) with your plant. Specific home gardening questions or information requests can also be left on the Master Gardener Hotline at any time at 530-666-8737.
What is this plant or weed?
The Yolo County Cooperative Extension Advisors and Master Gardeners work to identify plants and weeds found in farmland and home gardens. Samples can be dropped off at the UCCE Office during regular office hours. These are just some of the questions we can answer. If we can’t answer your question we will help you find someone who can. If it grows, we’re the place! Contact us at 530-666-8143 or ceyolo@ucdavis.edu for more information!
Office Information
Yolo County
70 Cottonwood Street
Left Side Of Building
Woodland, CA 95695
Phone: (530) 666-8143
Fax: (530) 666-8736
Email: ceyolo@ucdavis.edu
County Director:
Kent Brittan
