Rancho de Rodney

09/27/2025

Tomorrow morning we are planting purple and veronica cauliflower, rainbow chard, red cabbage, and collard greens, to go with the red napa, broccoli rabe, and romaine we planted earlier this week. Also got to participate in the Sweet Potato Project Harvest sponsored by West Fresno Resource Center. That fellow in the African American Farmers T-Shirt is retired Master Gunny Mike Snell. Fellow in the plaid is farmer extraordinaire and submariner Will Scott, Jr., hanging out with the big wigs.

09/24/2025

Rancho de Rodney has made the "Green Green Book" again!

09/16/2025

Come and visit us - we farm at the African American Farmers of California Demonstration Site, and we will be out for the Sweet Potato Harvest on September 27, 2025!

🌾 Calling All Small Farmers, Advocates & Ag Allies! 🌾

Join our friends at the African American Farmers of California for the 7th Annual Growing Together Small Farmer Conference — happening September 25–27 at CSU Fresno! 🧑🏽‍🌾🌻

This three-day event is packed with powerful workshops, networking, and support for California’s diverse farming communities — including veteran farmers making their mark in agriculture.

📍 CSU Fresno
📅 Sept 25–27, 2025
🔗 Register, sponsor, or become a vendor here: https://www.wfresnofrc.org/Small-Farms-Conference

💬 Questions? Reach out to Juana Santana at [email protected]

Let’s grow together. 🌱

09/12/2025

https://www.herlifemagazine.com/centralvalley/i-love-my-farm-life/i-love-my-farm-life-patricia-miller/

Patricia Miller, California Farm Champions 2023 Farm Advocate of the Year presented by Community Alliance for Family Farmers, sat down with HERLIFE Magazine recently to share her dedication to family and community.

09/11/2025

This week we are at the California Earthworker Summit in Santa Cruz, CA with fellow members of the African American Farmers of California. Got to take in the prize vegetables and educational tables at the County Fair too.

09/02/2025

Today we are delivering 78 pounds of tomatoes, peppers, squash, and eggplants from our last summer harvest. This one is going to the downtown Fresno Presbyterian Church for their food distribution. Getting ready to do fall planting next week.

09/01/2025

Saturday we delivered 180 pounds of tomatoes and cucumbers to the Big Red Church for their food insecurity program.

08/27/2025

This week we donated 189 pounds of fresh produce, sourdough bread, watermelon syrup, Chow Chow, and Habanero Gold Jelly to My Homies kitchen in Downtown Fresno. Jelly with a KICK!

08/25/2025

If you are home canner - this is absolutely vital info. ALWAYS check your vinegar acidity! Heinz once put out a product labeled "pickling vinegar" that was only 4%.

Let's talk about vinegar.
Science-based, tested recipes recommend using vinegar with an acidity of 5%. Before you purchase vinegar, read the label to make sure it is 5% acidity as some bargain brands can be as little as 4%.

Can vinegars with a higher acidity be used? Yes, BUT...
be careful. Many specialty vinegars are 6% or 7%. The label often says "6 grain" or "7 grain". We find these on many European vinegars. Grain = acidity.

We do not advise using any vinegar over 7% acidity (grain) as it may irritate the stomach. Vinegars over 7% may be considered "cleaning vinegar" and should not be used for cooking.

There is a "Pickling Vinegar" on the market that is diluted with water and contains sugar. It is advertised as a ready mix pickling vinegar. We do not recommend this as not all tested recipes use diluted brine. Always read the label. This label will state 2.5% acidity.

Always mix your brine per directions of a tested recipe using vinegar with 5% acidity. Some recipes add water in the brine, some will not.

08/21/2025

This week we delivered 302 pounds of produce and canned watermelon syrup to the downtown Fresno Presbyterian Church. And we topped 5,000 pounds for the year so far! We are also applying for a Cottage Food Permit to permit giving of samples when we teach food preservation. Keep your fresh produce bounty around all year.

08/17/2025

https://ucanr.edu/blog/uc-master-gardener-program-statewide-blog/article/national-volunteer-month-gardeners-heart

In April, we celebrate National Volunteer Month, honoring all of the contributions that volunteers make in our communities.

08/16/2025

https://fresnoland.org/2025/08/14/medicaid-cuts-in-fresno-county/

With about 52% of Fresno’s residents relying on Medi-Cal, upcoming changes could affect access to care.