58 F
Watsonville
August 18, 2026

Harvesting a home

The Meyer Farm Worker Housing held its grand opening on April 20, and in the coming weeks will house 216 workers in the space on north First Street and Broadway.

Paso Robles Lavender Festival returns

Far more than just a pretty face, lavender — with its tiny purple blooms and distinctive perfume — has become one of the most popular plants all across the county. To celebrate its many purposes, the Central Coast Lavender Growers Association and Paso Rob

Driscoll’s to build first commercial vertical strawberry farm

One year after announcing a new research and development partnership to grow strawberries indoors, Watsonville-based Driscoll’s and Plenty Unlimited Inc. are building a new indoor vertical strawberry farm.  Together, the companies aim to accelerate the growth of Driscoll’s top crop by using Plenty’s growing platform. According...

New ag center breaks ground

The Rancho Cielo Youth Campus was the site of a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ted Taylor Agricultural Center on April 8, with speakers including Bruce Taylor and John Phillips, founder of Rancho Cielo.

Photo Gallery May 31, 2024

These are a collection of images from our photojournalist Tarmo Hannula that did not make it into stories, but we think should be enjoyed. Do you have a photo you’d like to be considered for our gallery? Send it to editor@pajaronian.com.

A deep drive into Los Angeles

On day two of our nine-day road trip to Los Angeles in May, My wife Sarah and I headed south from Santa Barbara, but not before we scouted out the burial site of my mother’s parents at the Santa Barbara Cemetery.  Thanks to online research,...

Leaders selected for 2020 Focus Agriculture class

WATSONVILLE—A group of 21 community leaders have been selected for Class 31 of the Focus Agriculture program.   The “first-in-the-nation” program, created by Watsonville’ Agri-Culture organization, is designed to teach community leaders about agriculture in Santa Cruz County and the Pajaro Valley.  After receiving a number...

Pilot program launches to recycle agricultural plastic

A new program launched by the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF), ReGen Monterey and Flipping Iron, Inc. is joining a growing effort to recycle more plastic from local farms and ranches. CMSF, an organization aiming to protect California’s coastal ecosystems and communities, conducted an assessment...

Farm Discovery at Live Earth raises $87K for education, produce programs

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville-based organization Farm Discovery at Live Earth announced that it raised $87,800 at its annual benefit dinner on Sept. 24. “Mesa: Farm Discovery Fall Feast in the Fields” was held at Live Earth Farm in Watsonville, and drew attendance from across the region. Guests were...

A cleaner future

Like many agricultural businesses in the Pajaro Valley, Sambrailo Packaging, the Watsonville-based packaging company that has been involved in the agricultural industry for the past 94 years, got its start in apples.
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Victor E. Rugh III

Feb. 28, 1942 - July 28, 2026Watsonville, CAVictor E. Rugh III, age 84, of Elgin, Illinois, passed on to his eternal home on July...

Donna Gale Crane-Bailey

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