UC Cooperative Extension - Kern County

2025 Pruning Demonstration

Kern County is located in the southern Central Valley of the state of California. Established in 1866, it extends east beyond the southern slope of the eastern Sierra Nevada range into the Mojave Desert, and includes parts of the Indian Wells Valley, and the Antelope Valley. From the Sierras the county extends across the floor of the San Joaquin Valley to the eastern edge of the Temblor Range, part of the Coastal Ranges. To the south the county extends over the ridge of the Tehachapi Mountains. According to the 2009 census, its population was 807,407. The county seat is Bakersfield (since 1874) with the original county seat being the former mining town of Havilah in the mountains between Bakersfield and Tehachapi.

The county has a large agricultural base and is a significant producer of oil, natural gas, hydro-electric power, wind turbine power, and geothermal power. As of 2009^[update], Kern remains California's top oil-producing county, with 81% of the state's 52,144 active oil wells.^[2] The county accounts for one-tenth of overall U.S. oil production, and three of the five largest U.S. oil fields are in Kern County. Kern is also noted for its mineral wealth, including gold, borate, and kernite. The largest open pit mine in California, which mines borax, is at Boron in Kern County.^[3]

Cooperative Extension is the informal off-campus educational arm of the University of California. It is a part of the Land-Grant College System, that since 1914, has provided the citizens of California and Kern County with the following programs to improve their quality of living.

4-H Youth Development

Citrus, Subtropical Horticulture, Pistachios

Cotton, Small Grains, Corn & Silage

Dairy

Deciduous Tree Fruits and Nuts

Entomology and Pest Management

Environmental Horticulture / Environmental Science

Irrigation Management & Agronomy

Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences

Livestock and Natural Resources

Vegetable Crops Pest Management

Viticulture and Small Fruits

Donation Pledge

All donations will be used exclusively for the delivery of Cooperative Extension programs in Kern County, including 4-H Youth Development, Food and Nutrition Education, and agricultural research.