Community

Ann Sobrato High School’s horticulture students got their hands dirty April 17, planting a pollinator and harvestable hedgerow of fruit trees, herb shrubs and native plants along the western edge of the school’s two-acre farm.“We’re delighted that the students have this opportunity to learn about planting and about the many ways that hedgerows can benefit farms,” said Vera Gomes, Sobrato’s Assistant Principal and a long-time agriculture program teacher.The high school has a long-term goal to develop a 10-acre organic row crop and orchard demonstration farm next to the current farm, which mainly focuses on animal husbandry.Later in the spring, the students will plant a windbreak hedgerow of native shrubs and trees along the northern edge of the school farm. These two hedgerows—over 10,000 square feet combined—will have habitat and windbreak functions and will also be used as a teaching tool. The hedgerow design and planting is overseen by Sam Earnshaw of Hedgerows Unlimited, which has established over 400 miles of hedgerows in California.The hedgerow planting is a partnership between the high school’s acclaimed agriculture program, in which about a third of the school’s 1,500 students are involved, and Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting agriculture near cities.SAGE is working with the high school on the hedgerow and the demonstration farm planning as part of the project Revitalizing Specialty Crop Agriculture in the Coyote Valley, which is funded by a California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block grant. This project is guided by the Coyote Valley Agricultural Enterprise and Conservation program Advisory Committee.

New SV Media Inc. has acquired Out & About magazine. The monthly joins a family of publications that includes the Morgan Hill Times, Gilroy Dispatch, the Hollister Free Lance, Good Times in Santa Cruz and Metro in Sili- con Valley. “We look forward to building...

The Morgan Hill Public Library is offering a free seminar, titled “Secrets of College Admission," from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 28 hosted by Marisela Gomes of Collegewise Morgan Hill.

GILROY— It’s not a free Google shuttle, but luxury commuter buses with Wi-Fi and low fares are set to begin service between South County and the high-tech north within weeks, a partner in a new transit venture said.

The only annual fundraiser sponsored by the South Valley Fleurs Garden Club featured hundreds of sought-after heirloom tomato, vegetable and herb plants grown by club members. There was also a wide selection of annual and perennial ornamentals, as well as decorative flower pots and garden tools and accessories for sale. The Garden Club will use proceeds from the sale to support a number of community projects including the EduGrow Planting to Learn Program, which helps fund local school gardens and agricultural education activities. Proceeds also fund monthly maintenance of the Nordstrom Park Butterfly Garden in Morgan Hill, the Hollister Fire Safe Garden, the Gilroy Senior Center Planter and, through the Adopt-a-Planter program, manage the seasonal plantings of the Morgan Hill downtown planter boxes. The sale took place at the BookSmart parking lot, at the corner of E. Second and Depot streets. 

Have your heart melted by puppies and kittens, or find a new companion for life at a pet adoption fair hosted by Morgan Hill Girl Scouts at BookSmart Saturday, April 18.The Girl Scouts are teaming up with Morgan Hill nonprofit Town Cats and the Santa Clara County Animal Shelter to find rescue homes for sheltered pets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the downtown Morgan Hill bookstore, located at 80 E. Second Street.

Morgan Hill residents and visitors of all ages who are interested in keeping farming activities and occupations alive for local students attended the Sobrato Future Farmers of America’s Community Farm Fun Day April 12. The event took place at Sobrato High School and featured a petting zoo, games, prizes and food. The horticulture department held a plant sale for local gardeners, according to Sobrato FFA Reporter Emmanuel Calivo.“This event is a fun way for our community to interact with our agriculture program and to learn more about the things we do and study,” Calivo said.It has been a busy spring for Sobrato FFA, whose members attended the 2015 South Coast FFA Spring Regional Meeting at King City Joing Union High School March 20. One purpose of this annual gathering is to elect the FFA regional officer team, which leads a group of 38 chapters in the region.“We were incredibly proud of our chapter president, Zuha Aslam, who was elected by the delegates to serve as the 2015-16 South Coast Regional Vice President representing the Santa Clara section,” Calivo added. Sobrato FFA was also commended for its website, sobratoffa.org, at the regional meeting, and six members participated in the public speaking competition after advancing from lower sectional levels.

The Rotary Club of Morgan Hill will host its 10th annual Dazzle dinner and auction from 5 to 9 p.m. May 29 at Clos LaChance Winery in San Martin (1 Hummingbird Lane).

Pediatric and obstetric units at Saint Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy will shut their doors within 90 days to cut costs in a system that has been hemorrhaging money to the tune of $100 million a year and is up for sale.