Agriculture

Valley Water officials shared progress updates and timeline revisions for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project during a community meeting Feb. 20, announcing the release of the final Environmental Impact Report for the project, as well as giving a general update on the project...

I recently went out to visit another winery in San Benito County, where the wineries and the wines share a similar place in the world of California regions—we had a history of being leaders in winemaking going back to the 19th century, we are...

The 90th San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo treated crowds to traditional competition events, performances, exhibitions, demonstrations and vendors at the fairgrounds in Tres Pinos June 28-30.  Participants from youth to seniors competed in barrel racing, bronc riding, bull riding, calf roping, mutton...

A regional land preservation organization recently purchased a 1,986-acre ranch in west Morgan Hill, pledging to permanently protect the property that includes sweeping views and critical wildlife crossings, as well as homes for native and endangered species.  The Peninsula Open Space Trust announced on April...

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...

Santa Clara County planning officials have walked back controversial proposed land use policy changes that would have reclassified animals as non-livestock, following fierce opposition from equestrians, ranchers and agricultural advocates who warned the amendments could devastate rural businesses and displace thousands of horses and...

The Amah Mutsun Land Trust board of directors appointed Noelle Chambers as its new executive director.  Chambers is the former Vice President of Conservation at Peninsula Open Space Trust, where she worked for 20 years and helped execute the successful protection and transfer of 30,000...

Now that a design contract has was approved this month for a new wildlife crossing in Coyote Valley, conservationists and transportation planners expect that construction on the project could begin by 2028.  The wildlife crossing is proposed to provide infrastructure for safe passage for animals...

What do you do when you’ve owned and operated one of Morgan Hill’s oldest and best known restaurants—a place I’ve called “Morgan Hill’s living room”—for years? You start a winery in San Martin, of course.  But it’s not just a winery; it’s a potential destination...

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...