Orchard Systems Program
Resources
Sacramento Valley Olive Fruit Fly Trap Counts: https://ceglenn.ucanr.edu/OrchardCrops_MainPage/Olives/Olive_Fruit_Fly_Trapping_Data/.
Sacramento Valley Orchards Website: https://www.sacvalleyorchards.com/ - The combined source of UCCE articles, updates, research, and events for tree crops in the Sacramento Valley.
Growing the Valley Podcast: https://www.growingthevalleypodcast.com/ - An excellent podcast with information on all things orchard management, hosted by farm advisors Luke Milliron and Phoebe Gordon.
Irrigation and Water Resources Website: https://ceglenn.ucanr.edu/Irrigation_and_Water_Resources/ - Glenn County Irrigation and drought resources from Curt Pierce, Glenn County Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor.
Announcements & Events
Are you receiving your orchard newsletters?
The farm advisor team in the North Sac Valley provides growers and industry members with quarterly newsletters providing orchard management considerations, updates on ongoing research both locally and statewide, and in-depth articles on current production challenge. Please access the subscription request here to get the most up-to-date information from UCCE! To sign-up, visit: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=21282.
Farm Advisors
UCCE Farm Advisors serve as a local connection to UC research and information. The team in the Sacramento Valley works to develop and provide extension resources with the latest management recommendations, implement local research programs that address the unique needs of our region, and make farm calls to growers to assist with challenges in the field. Are you seeing something unusual in your field? Would you like help diagnosing a disease or identifying a weed? Do you have an idea for a new research project? Give us a call!
Glenn-Based Farm Advisors
Becky Wheeler-Dykes – Orchard Systems and Weed Ecology
Becky Wheeler-Dykes serves Glenn, Tehama and Colusa Counties as an Orchard Systems and Weed Ecology Farm Advisor. Her research goals include expanding current work on olive knot and olive fruit fly, continuing projects testing new varieties of major crops in the region, and providing more tools for growers in weed management. Becky can be reached by email at bawheeler@ucanr.edu or by phone or text at 530-884-9313.
Curt Pierce – Orchard Systems and Weed Ecology
Curt Pierce works with other UCCE Advisors and community stakeholders on local water issues such as improving efficiencies, precision irrigation, scheduling, and system maintenance of agricultural irrigation systems; as well as groundwater recharge, water flow measurement, diversion, and drainage. His research focus is on precision irrigation and drought mitigation strategies for tree crops. Curt can be reached by email at calpierce@ucanr.edu or by phone or text at (530)304-7346.
Cross-County Farm Advisors Serving Glenn County
Luke Milliron – Orchard Systems Farm Advisor based in Butte County, serving Butte, Glenn, and Tehama Counties. Luke can be reached by email at lkmilliron@ucanr.edu.
Jaime Ott – Orchard Systems Farm Advisor based in Tehama County, serving Tehama, Glenn, Butte, and Shasta Counties. Jamie can be reached by email at njott@ucanr.edu.
Sudan Gyawaly – Area-wide Integrated Pest Management Advisor based in Butte County, serving Butte, Glenn, Tehama, and Yuba/Sutter Counties. Sudan can be reached by email at sgyawaly@ucanr.edu.
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Orchards Newsletter
News, Updates, and Articles on Orchard Crops in the Northern California Area.
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Walnut Newsletter - Winter 2026
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Almond Newsletter - Bloom 2026
In This Issue
- Almond Orchard Management Considerations: February & March
- Research updates on almond Red Leaf Blotch
- Preventing Bacterial Blast Damage in 2025
- Phytophthora sampling in the Stockton East Water District
- Honeybee Health: A 2025 Retrospective and 2026 Outlook
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Orchards Prune Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2025
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Orchards Prune Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2025
In This Issue:
- Upcoming UCCE Orchard Events
- Fall/Winter Prune Orchard Tasks
- 2025 Season Retrospective
- New UC Davis Prune Varieties Prove Promising 2025
- Advancing Prune Bloom: What we Know so Far
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Walnut Newsletter - Fall 2025
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Walnut Newsletter - Fall 2025
In This Issue
- Walnut Orchard Tasks
- Post-harvest Ground Squirrel Management
- Pre-Emergent Herbicides: 2025 Herbicide Demonstration Trial for Walnut
- New Staff Research Assistant
- Save the Dates! Fall & Winter Meetings
UCCE Northern Sacramento Valley Almond Newsletter - Fall 2025
Glenn County UCCE Sacramento Valley Almond Newsletter - Summer 2025
In this Issue:
- Almond Orchard Management Considerations: July - Sept
- Hull Split: 2025 Considerations
- Harvest: 2025 Considerations
- A July Nitrogen Leaf Result of 2.4% is the Goal
Glenn County UCCE Sacramento Valley Walnut Newsletter - Summer 2025
In This Issue
- Orchard Tasks – Summer
- Native Hedgerows for Weed Management
- Maximizing Walnut Quality
- Ethephon Use for Managing Walnut Harvest and Quality