Speaker: Ramiro Lobo
Ramiro Lobo is the University of California’s Small Farms & Agricultural Economics Advisor with areas of expertise ranging alphabetically from Ag Commodities through Subtropical Fruit and on to Urban Agriculture, not to overlook a detour through (and this is a moutful) the Protection of Food From Contamination By Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins.
He has published many many many papers on such topics as “Sample Costs to Establish an Orchard and Produce Guavas in San Diego County”. “Encouraging Adoption of IPM by Small Scale Farmers,” and “The Sensory Quality and Postharvest Performance of Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars Grown in Southern California”. I think it is safe to call him UC Agriculture’s own Renaissance Man.
For our April 10th meeting, however, he is going to talk to us about Dragon Fruit. Or Pitahaya. Or maybe Pitaya, which it turns out is a different genus altogether. If we are very good, he will tell us about the field research he’s been conducting. And teach us about pruning, propagation, pollination, and when it’s the right time to harvest your fruit for optimum quality.
I know many of us (including me)) have tried and failed to grow dragon fruit successfully in West Los Angeles. This is our chance to figure out what we’ve been doing wrong!
Members will receive all Zoom information in the forthcoming newsletter.