Agriculture

The 2024 Gilroy Rodeo broke records for highest attendance and the most contestants participating in the event’s seven-year history on Aug. 9-11.  More than 1,000 contestants competed and performed in the local rodeo, which is run entirely by volunteers and returns all of its annual...

Fans of fresh, ripe and local fruit will want to venture to Andy’s Orchard in east Morgan Hill before the short stone fruit harvest is complete in a few weeks.  Owned and operated by renowned grower Andy Mariani, the orchard off Half Road features many...

On Oct. 11-12, eight members from the Gilroy FFA chapter attended a Regional Leadership conference where more than 300 other students, all involved in the FFA, united at the 2025 South Coast Region FFA Chapter Officer Leadership Conference in Hollister. As an organization, the FFA’s...

Squeals of laughter and the scent of hay filled the air as children raced through the corn maze, picked out pumpkins nearly as big as they were, and enjoyed rides at the annual fall festival at Swank Farms—a beloved South Valley tradition marking the...

The San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo kicked off rodeo week on June 22 with the annual rodeo parade in downtown Hollister.  The procession began with a traditional cattle drive down the middle of San Benito Street, featuring dozens of steers, longhorn cattle...

The Gilroy Gardening Group held its annual plant sale April 19 at the Miller Red Barn in Christmas Hill Park. Now in its fourth year, the event featured thousands of organic plant starts for $5 each, including heirloom tomatoes, Asian vegetables, rare peppers and...

The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased 2,284 acres of ranchland in southern Santa Clara County for $23 million, the organization announced Jan. 29. The acquisition brings POST’s total holdings at the former Sargent Ranch property to 6,114 acres and preserves sacred native land that...

Two California legislators recently introduced a bill that will ensure the federal government pays out anti-dumping duties it has collected to U.S. producers of garlic, honey and crawfish.  Gilroy garlic grower Christopher Ranch is one of the companies in California that could finally receive the...

When I think about Anderson Dam, I think about what it means for the people of Santa Clara County. It is not just a structure holding water, it is a lifeline for our families, businesses, farms and our future. That’s why the seismic retrofit...

The Peninsula Open Space Trust this week announced the purchase and permanent protection of 80 acres within an ecologically important flood plain and wildlife corridor in Coyote Valley.  The 13th such conservation purchase by POST on the valley floor, this property, which POST is calling...