‘Wow, I did that’—students savor avocado harvest For students at Esperanza Education Center, an adult transition program serv- ing students with disabilities in south Orange County, there was something deeply satisfyingabout handpicking2,000 pounds of avocados. in planting, weeding, maintenance, har- vesting andmore.
“We can provide opportunities for stu- dents to learn skills that could help them potentially find employment in a gar- den center, in a nursery, as landscapers,” Suppes said. “Theprogramwaswildlysuc- cessful out of the gate.” Mike Seyler, an Esperanza teacher who accompanies the students to South Coast REC, has seen firsthand thepositive impacts of the partnership. He said one student—who at first balked at the idea of beingoutside, gettingdirtyandperforming physical labor—eventuallygrewto like the workandtookgreatpride inpullingcarrots from the ground and sharing them with his family. “To physically actually ‘see’ the work youdid—they don’t always get todo that,” Seyler said. “It was cool to see someone, whodidn’tnecessarily likebeingoutdoors, really enjoy it now.” The change of pace—and place—was especiallybeneficial foroneyoungwoman atEsperanza.Buechesaidthenatureof the work and the setting helped the student growsocially, as sherelishedthe teamwork and camaraderie needed to accomplish their goals on the farm. “We really saw a different person come out through her experiences there—she
“There’s a tangible, visual element where you’re like, ‘Wow, I did that—I did it, I can see it, I can feel it inmy bones and my muscles,’” said Ray Bueche, princi- pal of the school inMission Viejo, within the Saddleback Valley Unified School District. “There’s a real sense of accom- plishment that you’re seeing in some of these students.” Ranging in age from 18 to 22, the students are in an adult education pro- gram that helps advance their inde- pendent living skills and prepare them for meaningful work and careers. They are able to experience the thrill of the harvest—and a variety of other farming activities—through the school’s inno- vative partnership with the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center, a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources facility that supports researchers and delivers outreach and education programs. GivenUCANR’semphasisonworkforce development, JasonSuppes, acommunity education specialist at South Coast REC, contacted Bueche in 2019 about a poten- tial collaboration. While Esperanza has
A student from Esperanza
Education Center, an adult transition program in Orange County, harvests avocados as part of a workforce devel- opment program.
many partnerships with retail stores and nonprofits that give students invaluable work experiences, none of themoffer the farm environment that South Coast REC could provide. “Part of developing (our students) is get- tingawide rangeof opportunities inavari- etyof vocational areas,”Buecheexplained.
“Agriculture is one that’s very hard for us to find.” Unlike other job sites that bring the stu- dents in less frequently, South Coast REC committed to hosting the young people every week for three hours (COVID-19 measures permitting), with Suppes and colleagueTammyMajcherek leading them
See SCHOOL, Page 9
The Future of Fungicide Is Here: Be the first to the future with BASF Cevya fungicide ADVERTORIAL
Growers know how quickly disease can turn a beautiful, high-yielding crop into an ugly poor- producing one. Make the right product decisions to keep your crop at its best.
Be the First to the Future
Cevya ® fungicide is the first isopropanol-azole fungicide, providing fast activity and long-lasting residual control compared to other DMI fungicides currently on the market. Its unique chemistry offers the flexibility to manage complex diseases, making it an ideal fungicide for almonds, grapes, pome fruit and stone fruit — even for resistant strains.
Almonds: scab, shothole, rust, anthracnose, Alternaria (spring and summer diseases)
Grapes: Phomopsis, powdery mildew
Pome Fruit (apples): scab
Stone Fruit (peaches): brown rot
Stone Fruit (tart cherries): cherry leaf spot
The unique chemistry and long-term marketability of Cevya fungicide deliver a viable disease-control option for years to come, despite increasing fungal pathogen resistance and stringent global environmental and regulatory criteria. To learn more about BASF fungicides, contact your local BASF representative or visit the FutureOfFungicideIsHere.com or Agriculture.Basf.Us .
Always read and follow label directions. Cevya is a registered trademark of BASF. ©2022 BASF Corporation.
4 Ag Alert February 23, 2022
Powered by FlippingBook