Agriculture

On a normal Friday afternoon, the farmers market in downtown Watsonville—which draws vendors and customers from Hollister, Gilroy and beyond—is a bustling, joyous event, with gaggles of children playing in a bounce house and families happily in long lines to purchase fresh produce and...

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 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...

Local and county officials met with agricultural leaders at the restored Miller Red Barn to discuss policy changes aimed at supporting South County farmers, emphasizing a desire to collaborate closely to craft rules that update the county’s aging ordinances while reflecting the modern reality...

The County of Santa Clara has launched a program that will allow ranchers and livestock owners to access restricted areas during wildfires and other emergencies to feed their animals, check their health and, if necessary, evacuate them. The County has granted more than 40 Livestock...

The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on proposed management updates for oil and gas leasing and development on public lands in Santa Clara, San Benito, Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, as well as portions of Fresno,...

A pair of young wild barn owls were reunited with Mother Nature Sunday thanks to the efforts by the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center. Dozens of people took part in an upbeat send-off party at Little Uvas Vineyards in San Martin. The hour-long twilight gathering...

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...

In my last column I highlighted Rosy and Rich Bergen’s Little Uvas Vineyard (LUV) and their facility called “The Garage” at 255 Fitzgerald Ave. in San Martin. Their long range plan is to have other businesses, like other wineries and eateries, help fill the...

The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased a nearly 2,500-acre portion of the Sargent Ranch in southern Santa Clara County, according to the organization’s president. The property is located near the site of a proposed sand and gravel mine. POST President Gordon Clark spoke with this...