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CapitalPress.com
January 16, 2015
People & Places
In search of the perfect sweet potato
Scott Stoddard’s
quest ‘like trying to
rope a cloud’
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By TIM HEARDEN
Capital Press
MERCED, Calif. — For
17 years, Scott Stoddard has
been on a quest to find the
perfect sweet potato.
Stoddard, 45, a Universi-
ty of California Cooperative
Extension vegetable crop ad-
viser, has done numerous field
trials of new varieties in an
effort to find the right combi-
nation of color and storability.
A predecessor, retired ad-
viser Bob Scheuerman, spent
more than 30 years trying to
perfect sweet potato crops
and helped develop the red-
skinned Garnet variety that’s
popular in grocery stores
around Thanksgiving and at
Christmas.
“It’s sort of like trying to
rope a cloud, it seems some-
times,” Stoddard told the
Capital Press. “It’s been very
elusive.”
Stoddard plants numer-
ous plots in cooperating
growers’ fields to test variet-
ies developed in labs at Lou-
isiana State University and
North Carolina State Uni-
versity, with which the UC
has collaborated for more
than 50 years. Often what
works in a lab doesn’t play
out in the field, he said.
“The thing that makes
these so difficult is that what
really looks good in eval-
uations and trials one year
ends up not being a good va-
riety,” he said. “The genetics
on them are very squirrelly.
They drift around a lot —
more so than with other va-
rieties. Just when you think
you’ve got something that’s
a nice, new cultivar, all of
the sudden it’s no good any-
more.”
All the work on sweet
potatoes is natural for the
UC office in Merced Coun-
ty, which is in the heart of
the state’s prime sweet po-
tato growing region. Nearly
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Scott Stoddard, a University of California Cooperative Extension vegetable crop adviser in Merced, Calif., holds several sweet potatoes.
He has been involved in numerous tests of new varieties that attempt to capture the right attributes such as color. The commodity is
popular during the fall and winter holidays.
Western Innovator
Scott Stoddard
Age: 45
Occupation: University of California
Cooperative Extension vegetable
crop adviser
Residence: Atwater, Calif.
Family: Wife, Andrea; sons, Ben, 6, Miles, 9, and Gavin, 12
Website: http://cemerced.ucanr.edu/
19,000 acres of sweet po-
tatoes are grown in Merced
County alone, bringing a
value in 2013 of about $207
million, according to the Na-
tional Agricultural Statistics
Service.
Sweet potatoes can be a
healthful, sweet treat, as-
suming the consumer doesn’t
go overboard with butter or
brown sugar. They’re sourc-
es of Vitamins A, B-6, C and
E as well as potassium and
manganese.
In California, sweet po-
tato classes come in four
colors — tan Jewell with or-
ange flesh, light yellow Jer-
sey with white flesh, purple
Oriental with white flesh,
and red Garnet with deep or-
ange flesh, the UC explains
on its website. Sweet pota-
toes are harvested from July
through October but they’re
in demand year-round.
Identifying lines with red
and purple skin that grow
and store well is a high pri-
ority for the industry because
the Garnet class dominates
many markets in California,
a UC essay notes. The red
variety is in high demand in
Los Angeles, the San Fran-
cisco Bay area and Seattle
markets, grower and Cali-
fornia Sweetpotato Council
vice president Jason Tucker
said in the essay.
Stoddard said many peo-
ple in the West choose sweet
potatoes in the same way
they shop for peaches, look-
ing for more red blush in the
skin.
“About 10 years ago at
a meeting I did a survey of
growers as to what issues,
what things I should be
working on,” he said. “One
of the big ones that came up
consistently is finding a new
red. … That’s a major part
of the market here in Cali-
fornia, so I’ve tried to put
a lot of emphasis into those
results.”
Stoddard tests about 10 to
20 new varieties each year,
he said.
“Of the 20 … I end up
throwing away 80 percent of
those,” he said. “There are
only a few we go forward on
that look promising.”
The last new variety that
enjoyed widespread commer-
cial success was developed
in the 1980s, when the Red
Diana “came along by acci-
dent,” Stoddard said. But the
scientists keep trying.
One
variety
that’s
emerged from Stoddard’s
fields six years ago is a pur-
ple sweet potato with white
flesh called Murasaki, which
is now grown commercially.
Stoddard has been work-
ing at it since 1998, when
he came to the Merced ex-
tension office after having
worked in private industry in
Virginia. A Wyoming native,
he studied soil science at the
University of Wyoming and
earned a bachelor’s degree at
the University of Kentucky.
“I really like the practi-
cal, applied side of exten-
sion,” Stoddard said. “I like
actually being in the field
talking directly to growers.
… The real hands-on, ap-
plied nature of the job really
appealed to me.”
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Chores remain a natural part of the day
By RYAN M. TAYLOR
For the Capital Press
T
OWNER, N.D. — A
friend of ours was visit-
ing for a couple of days
last week, so I extended the
courtesy that I usually extend
to our honored guests — the
chance to help with chores.
You know, get out in the cold
and the wind, cut some twine
off the hay bales, carry a few
feed buckets.
I sprinkled in some special
“one-time” chores (a.k.a. the
neglected things that I was
waiting for some help to do)
with the regular tasks. As the
sun was setting, I told him we
could call it a day and head
to the house for a little hot
brandy. I don’t know if he ap-
preciated the chores as much
as the hot brandy. For me, I
Cowboy
Logic
Ryan Taylor
know it’s the chores that make
the hot brandy better, or the
coffee or cocoa or hot cider or
whatever’s warm and tickles
your taste buds.
Seasonal rhythms
If there’s one thing to be
said for life on a farm or a
ranch, it’s that everything has
a season and there’s a rhythm
to things. I sometimes doubt
my musical rhythm, but I
know the rhythms of the ranch
and I can keep the beat pretty
decent.
I love chores, I hate chores,
I tolerate chores, I share my
chores. But, love them or hate
them, it doesn’t really mat-
ter because, regardless, the
chores will always be there.
That steady presence is
both what I appreciate and
despise about chores. It’s the
“to-do” on the list of things to
do that never has to be listed.
They’re just there.
Value of chores
They’re the foundation of
the day to build from. First,
get the chores done, and then
tackle a bigger job or some
special project, or go to town,
or save the world. I appreciate
the foundation. I can count on
chores to give me a few hours
of rote responsibility and do
some thinking about the rest
of the day.
There’s a temptation to
eliminate chores or get the
time required for them down
to zero, but I think that would
be a mistake. When I get out
of the tractor to cut the twine
off the bales, it takes time,
but it lets me see the cows
a little more closely and see
if they’re healthy and get-
ting enough to eat. When I
bucket the calves, and open
the gate for them, I can see if
one is getting a little droopy
or needs a little extra care. I
can see if the last one in has
enough bunk space to get his
fair share.
Teaching foals, kids
Most years, we have a foal
on the ranch to wean and hal-
ter break. Dad always remem-
bered one of the first horses he
got when he was a kid, a wild
2-year-old colt that hadn’t
been touched and wasn’t hal-
ter broke. Dad was about 12
and every day he’d lead that
colt from the barn to the well
north of the barn for a drink
of water. By the end of the
winter, the horse was plumb
halter broke and not nearly so
wild. A repetitive chore made
for a good horse, and a re-
sponsible kid.
These days, I could turn on
a hydrant and water our filly
right in the barn, but I like to
catch her, halter her, lead her
to the well for a drink, give
her some oats and brush her
a little. They are chores that
take some time, but it’s good
for the horse, and, honestly,
it’s good for me, too.
I’ve already finished one
chore today — I got this col-
umn written. If you’ll excuse
me, I’m going to go catch that
filly and lead her out for her
morning drink.
Calendar
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send an email with information to
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JANUARY
NATIONAL
Jan. 28-31 — American Sheep
Industry Association annual meet-
ing, Nugget Resort and Casino,
Sparks, Nev., www.sheepusa.org/
About_Events_Convention
REGIONAL
Jan. 26-29 — Washington-Or-
egon Potato Conference, Three
Rivers Convention Center and
Toyota Center, Kennewick, Wash.,
www.potatoconference.com
OREGON
Jan. 17 — 2015 Lambing
School, co-sponsored by the Or-
egon Sheep Growers Association
and Oregon State University Ex-
tension, registration deadline Jan.
9, 541-673-0369 or email johnand-
peggyfine@charter.net
Jan. 21 — Oregon Ryegrass
Growers Association annual meet-
ing, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Linn County
Fair and Expo Center, Albany, 503-
364-2944.
Jan. 26 — Agricultural Safety
and Pesticide Accreditation Work-
shop, sponsored by the Central
Oregon Safety and Health Associ-
ation, Deschutes Farm Bureau and
Helena Chemical Co., 1-5 p.m.
Bend, $45 ($20 for Farm Bureau
members), www.cosha.org
Jan. 26-27 — Mid-Oregon
Construction Safety Summit, The
Riverhouse, Bend, www.cosha.org
Jan. 27 — Oregon Blueber-
ry Conference, 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.,
Jantzen Beach Red Lion Hotel,
Portland, oregonblueberry.com/
conference
Jan. 27-29 — Northwest Agri-
cultural Show, Portland Expo Cen-
ter, http://www.nwagshow.com/
Jan. 29 — Cattlemen’s Work-
shop, 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m., Blue
Mountain Conference Center, 404
12th St., La Grande, 541-562-
5129
WASHINGTON
Jan. 20 — Agricultural Market-
ing and Management Organiza-
tion, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Northern
Quest Casino, Airway Heights,
sponsored by Washington Asso-
ciation of Wheat Growers, 1-877-
740-2666, www.lcammo.org
Jan. 26-29 — Washington-Or-
egon Potato Conference, Three
Rivers Convention Center and
Toyota Center, Kennewick, Wash.,
www.potatoconference.com
CALIFORNIA
Jan. 16 — Young Almond and
Walnut Orchards workshop, 8:30
a.m.-noon, Community and Senior
Center, Woodland, 530-822-7515,
http://cesutter.ucanr.edu/
IDAHO
Jan. 16 — Family Foresters
Workshop, Coeur d’Alene Inn, 208-
446-1680, http://www.uidaho.edu/
extension/forestry/content/calen-
darofevents
Jan. 20-22 — Idaho Ag Expo,
Holt Arena, Idaho State University
Jan. 21-22 — Idaho Potato Con-
ference, Idaho State University stu-
dent union, Pocatello,
Jan. 21-23 — Idaho Horticulture
Expo, Boise Centre on the Grove,
inlagrow.org
Jan. 30 — Organic conference
of the use of cover crops to enhance
soil fertility, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
Herrett Center, College of Southern
Idaho, Twin Falls, sponsored by
Northwest Center for Alternatives to
Pesticides, University of Idaho and
Oregon State University, preregistra-
tion required by Jan. 26, www.pesti-
cide.org or 503-312-1415
FEBRUARY
NATIONAL
Feb. 1-3 — American Sugarbeet
Growers Association annual conven-
tion, Long Beach, Calif., www.ameri-
cansugarbeet.org
Feb. 19-20 — Family Farm Alli-
ance annual meeting, Monte Carlo
Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, 707-
998-9487 or ffameeting@aol.com
OREGON
Feb. 3 — Focus on Weed Man-
agement pesticide applicator’s short
course, 7:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m., $80,
Building 19, Lane Community Col-
lege, Eugene, 541-463-6103
Feb. 19-21 — Oregon Logging
Conference, Lane County Fair-
grounds and Convention Center,
Eugene, 541-686-9191, www.ore-
gonloggingconference.com
Feb. 24-25 — Oregon Dairy
Farmers Annual Convention, Salem
Conference Center, www.dairyfarm-
ersor.com/101-convention-general
CALIFORNIA
Feb. 5-7 — Sierra Cascade
Logging Conference, Shasta District
Fairgrounds, Anderson, sierracas-
cadeexpo.com/
Feb. 6 — Tehama Walnut Day,
8 a.m.-noon, Elks Lodge, Red Bluff,
530-822-7515, http://cesutter.ucanr.
edu/
Feb. 6 — Glenn-Butte Walnut
Day, 1-5 p.m., Silver Dollar Fair-
grounds, Chico, 530-822-7515,
http://cesutter.ucanr.edu/
Feb. 10-12 — World Ag Expo,
International Agri-Center, Tulare,
http://www.worldagexpo.com/
Feb. 25 — Sutter-Yuba-Colu-
sa-Yolo-Solano-Sacramento Walnut
Day, Veterans Hall, Yuba City, 530-
822-7515, http://cesutter.ucanr.edu
WASHINGTON
Feb. 3-5 — Spokane Ag Expo and
Pacific Northwest Farm Forum, Spokane
Convention Center, http://www.agshow.
org/ag-expo-home.html
MARCH
OREGON
March 16-17 — Oregon State Uni-
versity Blueberry School, LaSells
Stewart Center and CH2M Hill
Alumni Center, OSU campus, Cor-
vallis,
http://osublueberryschool.
org/
March 20-22 — Northwest
Horse Fair & Expo, Linn County
Fair and Expo Center, Albany, www.
equinepromotions.net
CALIFORNIA
March 3 — Walnut (7-year-olds) No
Pruning-Pruning Comparison Field
Meeting, morning, Nickels Soil Lab,
Arbuckle, 530-822-7515, http://ce-
sutter.ucanr.edu
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Index
California ................................ 9
Dairy .................................... 15
Idaho ...................................... 9
Livestock ............................. 15
Opinion .................................. 6
Oregon .................................11
Washington ........................... 8
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