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FOREWORDThis is the first annual report of applied research being conducted at the Leslie J. Nickels Soil Laboratory, located in Arbuckle (Colusa County). The sixteen projects discussed on are on the "cutting-edge" of almond production research and are all being conducted by academic staff of the University of California Cooperative Extension. The report is intended to provide a brief overview of the scope of the projects being conducted and to identify those researchers who are conducting the work. It is impossible to provide detailed information in a summary report, such as this, so the interested reader is encouraged to contact the researchers directly for further clarifications or explanations.The Nickels Estate is a truly unique research facility that brings together growers, industry staff and University researchers to work toward the singular mission of developing information that will permit the California almond, walnut and prune industries to remain competitive in a world market. It was established through a bequest by the late Leslie J. Nickels, in 1968. Mr. Nickels vision for the facility was laid-out in his Will. He envisioned the Estate as "a soil laboratory to make studies, conduct research, compile and publish data and statistics, and make recommendations to farmers, agriculturalists, horticulturists, orchardists, agronomists, and other interested persons, of soil conditions, methods of soil improvement and betterment, water conditions, irrigation improvements and allied subjects, in Northern California in general, and in the Arbuckle area of Colusa County in particular". The original bequest of over 200 acres of unimproved land was managed by a court-appointed Trustee. The primary purpose of the Estate was to conduct research, as outlined above, but a secondary purpose was to provide scholarships for local high school graduates to pursue college degrees in certain disciplines. A memorandum of Understanding was signed in 1983. In this MOU, the University of California was named as the lead agency to conduct and coordinate the research. Former Colusa County Farm Advisor Tom Aldrich was instrumental in developing this MOU and making the research facility a reality. That was no easy task, as the bequest was unimproved ground, with minimal equipment and no operating budget. The Estate was then, and remains today, self-sufficient. There is no external support, other than some industry contributions to support labor, and the profits from the crops grown there are the primary resources used to operate the facility. In the early days, the Trustees were forced to sell-off small parcels of the Estate to generate capital for orchard establishment, operating costs, etc.. It had a rocky start, but through the determination and hard work of Aldrich and other individuals, the Estate flourished and began generating information that today forms the basis for efficient almond production. The data developed there have had statewide and international impacts. Today, the Estate is slightly over 200 acres. About 110 acres of that are planted to almonds, with minor plantings of walnuts and prunes. The remainder of the Estate is fallow and available for future development. The Estate is managed by three Trustees that are appointed by the Colusa County Superior Court. The Trustees provide an annual accounting to the Court and are responsible for the fiscal oversight of the facility. Two of the Trustees are Directors for the Colusa County Water District, which was named as the primary governing body in the original Will, and the third is the County Director for the Colusa UC Cooperative Extension office. The Colusa County Pomology Farm Advisor, currently John Edstrom, coordinates the applied research and field activities occurring at the Estate and communicates closely with the Trustees. A Research Advisory Committee, composed of University researchers, meets annually to evaluate research proposals and to review the progress of ongoing projects at the facility. There are currently in-excess of 20 projects being conducted at Nickels. A part-time Farm Manager and full time assistant provide the labor to facilitate the ongoing research. Additional labor is hired at key times such as harvest and pruning seasons. As mentioned, the primary source of revenue to operate the facility is derived from sales of the almond crop grown there. The Estate is a member of Blue Diamond and sells the nuts through this venue. The California Almond Board has graciously provided a $10,000 annual grant during the past several years to the Nickels Estate to help defray labor costs. The County of Colusa has also helped support the Estate Field Assistant over the years. The salaries of the researchers conducting work at Nickels is paid by the University of California. The structure and support of Nickels is a collaborative effort bringing together the University, the County and the almond industry. It is an arrangement that has worked well and which has allowed the many almond production technology breakthroughs to occur. A field day is held annually in May to showcase the research being conducted. The researchers are available to explain their projects and extend the information to the end-users. This event is well-attended and attracts growers from throughout the state, as well as internationally. The Estate also serves additional educational needs, including on-site sprayer calibration and worker safety seminars, tours for visiting scientists and students, hosting groups such as Ag In The Classroom and as a demonstration site for entry-level almond farmers. We hope that you find value in this annual report. We are proud of the past accomplishments that have evolved from Nickels and anticipate equally exciting things in store in the future. If you have suggestions for improving the value of the Estate and making it more responsive to industry needs, we hope that you will take the time to contact us at the address listed.
TRUSTEES: Raymond Charter Gregory Ramos Mike Murray
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Send mail to jlschmierer@ucdavis.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
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