Land Trust plans Rocks Ranch conservation
AROMAS—The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County plans to protect nearly all of the 2,640-acre Rocks Ranch in Aromas from development, the organization announced Feb. 11.
The ranch has been in the spotlight recently following the San Benito County Supervisors’ intent to rezone a portion...
Calabasas students plant garden at Whisky Hill Farms
An eager group of fifth graders filed through fresh beds of dirt at Whisky Hill Farm (WHF) in Watsonville Sept. 13, ready to plant their very own seedlings.
Laura Arnow’s fifth grade class from Calabasas Elementary School were there to finally transplant crops they had...
Pilot program weighs notification of pesticide use
WATSONVILLE—A new pilot program to inform residents of hazardous pesticide applications at area farmlands, under the umbrella of the Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, will go into motion in August.
The program was outlined by Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo at a community meeting at...
Apple season in full swing at Pista Farmlands
Apple harvest is underway, and at Pista Farmlands in the Pajaro Valley, the season is shaping up to be a bountiful one.
Pista Farmlands is a 75-acre plot of land about one parcel northwest of Watsonville, consisting mostly of apple orchards that supply fruit to...
Open Farm Tours returns this weekend
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The annual Open Farm Tours will return this weekend—albeit in a different capacity.
Pre-registration is now required for small, socially-distanced outdoor tours at the following farms: Thomas Farm and Luz Del Valle Farm in Aptos, and GroundSwell Farm in Santa Cruz. Additional participating...
Watsonville Farmers’ Market thrives in winter months
WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville Certified Farmers’ Market continues to offer an array of fresh fruits and vegetables, and gives back to the community every Friday in downtown Watsonville.
While many shoppers stop by for a bag of kettle corn, fresh flowers, eggs, hot prepared foods or a...
Christmas tree sellers optimistic despite national shortage
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, tree farms across the nation are thrust into the spotlight and sellers start their busiest time of year.
This year, the industry is holding steady, despite a nationwide shortage that is pushing up prices. Heatwaves and fires that...
Monterey Bay Rose Society’s pruning workshops begin
CENTRAL COAST—The California cut flower industry has changed drastically in the last 30 years. Once controlling more than half of cut flower sales in the U.S., it has gradually been overtaken by competition from overseas growers.
The Pajaro Valley, once a mecca of rose growing,...
Eco Farm keynote addresses food sovereignty for Indigenous communities
In 2014 Elizabeth Hoover, associate professor in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley, set out on a road trip across the U.S.
Hoover covered 20,000 miles over four months, visiting 29 different Indigenous communities and asking everyone she met one question: How do...
Emmett M. Geiser Field overhaul project nearly complete at Watsonville High
After decades of proposals and campaigns, Watsonville High School is on the verge of completing its $5 million-plus major overhaul of Emmett M. Geiser...
