Press Room

Land has been tilled at UC Merced’s smart farm, the first physical step in  developing the state-of-the-art project.

“Even though it’s just a blank field, we have overcome some pretty big  obstacles to be where we are today,” said Danny Royer, Experimental Smart  Farm coordinator for the university. He spoke Nov. 16, at the farm,  describing the work done so far and what’s next.

Plans call for the farm to grow oats, grain, tomatoes and squash. But the  primary crop for the 45-acre property roughly a half-mile south of campus  will be data.

Conditions will be monitored, and a dashboard will be created that student  researchers can access.

“We can look at different pest control strategies, different watering  strategies, knowing that the smart farm is keeping track of all this  background information,” said Professor Tom Harmon,  who co-leads the smart farm with Professor Joshua Viers.

“We want the farm to operate on two levels,” Harmon said. “One, it should  be tracking itself as a system in terms of water-energy work. And then at  the process level you can come in and do very detailed research for that.”

The information that comes out of the farm will then be used to determine  new experiments.

“Data will be going back to campus, and students will be able to run  simulations and transfer that back,” Viers said.

But first, the initial crops must be planted.

Planting will start soon, Royer said, after the invasive weeds, star thistle,  and juncus grass that have taken over the area are mitigated.

“Really, if we wanted to mitigate it the way I’ve been taught to mitigate  it, we would disk this and leave it fallow for three years,” he said. “We  don’t have three years so we’re going to have to deal with this in other  ways, such as discing multiple times.”

In the meantime, soil samples have been taken and data is being collected  to establish baselines for research.

The initial crop plan calls for a winter forage, “kind of an oat-wheat  mix,” Royer said. “Winter forage is great — the crop residue is heavy in  organic matter.” This helps the soil regenerate.

“The more organic matter we can start incorporating at the beginning, the  better.”

The university is working on establishing a memorandum of understanding  with Merced College, allowing students there to cut and bale the hay, which  would then be sold to the owner of the cattle that will graze the area.

The cows are another important part of the plan, Royer said. Livestock  activity also helps the soil regenerate.

Plans also call for four acres of intensive row crops, such as tomatoes,  squash, melons and corn. These products can ultimately be used for  community supported agriculture, or CSA boxes that will be sold.

Longer term, the farm is set to host farmers markets and other  public-facing activities, as well as provide experiences for students  outside of those who will directly use the data.

“One of my favorite features is an observation tower,” Viers said. The  tower was requested by the humanities department. Students will be able to  view the farm from above for sketching and other activities.

But building out all the plans will cost money.

“We have funds to do the initial infrastructure and buy or lease some  equipment,” Royer said.

Full buildout would cost tens of millions, Harmon and Viers estimated.

“We’ll be seeking help from the community, sort of a virtual barn raising, to gather the necessary funding,” Harmon said.

They are also exploring funding sources such a research grants to pay for  it. UC Merced’s recent designation  as an agricultural experiment station (AES) will open other avenues of  funding. University of California President Michael Drake recently  announced that the Merced and Santa Cruz campuses have received the  prestigious designation, the first time it’s been earned in more than 50  years.

The smart farm is UC Merced’s AES facility.

“With the AES designation, Santa Cruz and Merced have the potential  additional funding from the University’s budget for (agricultural)  research, and they will be able to make a stronger case for competitive  grants in the larger research area,” Drake said.

https://mercedcountytimes.com/ground-tilled-for-uc-merceds-new-smart-farm-development/

A new type of nursing home is on its way to being completed in Merced.

Golden Valley Health Centers broke ground Friday on a new senior care facility at its campus on Childs Avenue. Merced PACE, which reimagines the way seniors are cared for, is expected to be completed sometime late next year with a tentative opening date of July 2024.

“There’s nothing like it here in Merced County,” said GVHC president Tony Weber.

PACE, which stands for Program All-inclusive Care for the Elderly – after the Medicare plan of the same name – is designed as a sort of one-stop-shop for seniors and their medical care needs. The PACE facility comes with a full team of primary care physicians, dental and vision providers and physical therapy specialists. It also features a day center that provides meals and social activities, acting as a sort of home away from home rather than a cold, sterile hospital environment.

“Maybe it’s because I’m getting old and I’m feeling the need for some PACE services, but I just think it’s a tremendous program for our seniors,” said Weber. “For seniors that are on the verge of having to go to a nursing home or go to the hospital, this program works very, very hard. We manage their care closely to try to keep them independent and at home, healthy and out of the institutions.”

It’s an alternative to traditional nursing homes, where seniors often have to leave their homes and communities behind. With PACE, seniors can live at home and still have their needs met.

“If you’re in healthcare, you’ve heard the term managed care. When managed care first came along, it was kind of a dirty word because people felt like it was a way to exclude services from patients and just keep more of the revenue,” said Weber. “But the PACE program is what I call the epitome of managed care in a good way. It’s the type of managed care that the whole healthcare system should be involved with.”

Golden Valley opened their first PACE facility in Modesto last year. It already serves around 200 seniors in that area, and the high demand is what prompted the expansion to GVHC’s first and largest campus here in Merced.

“It’s been unbelievably successful and we’ve seen how it changes people’s lives and not only for the seniors, but for their families,” Weber said. “I really wanted to bring a PACE program right here on the south campus where it all started for Golden Valley.”

GVHC celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this year. The non-profit is funded by federal programs, grants and donations, and began in 1972 as a health clinic for migrant farm workers in the Central Valley. The campus on Childs Avenue is the non-profits oldest and largest facility in the Valley.

https://mercedcountytimes.com/gv-health-breaks-ground-on-new-senior-care-facility/