Agriculture

The community room of the Gilroy Library transformed into a walk-through installation on Nov. 5, depicting the life of civil rights champion and co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union, Dolores Huerta, who coined the phrase, “Sí se puede” (Yes, we can). Huerta briefly taught...

The 2024 Gilroy Rodeo broke records for highest attendance and the most contestants participating in the event’s seven-year history on Aug. 9-11.  More than 1,000 contestants competed and performed in the local rodeo, which is run entirely by volunteers and returns all of its annual...

Valley Water and the National Weather Service urged the community to prepare for winter storms during a news conference held Nov. 13 at a sandbag distribution center in San José.  Last winter, Valley Water partnered with Santa Clara County and local cities to help residents...

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has voted to limit development across some 7,500 acres in unincorporated Coyote Valley in an effort to preserve agricultural land for local farmers. The plan, which the board approved unanimously Dec. 14, will limit the number of single-family...

The inaugural Sobrato FFA Car Show was a resounding success on May 20, with 113 classic cars entered and more than $4,000 raised for the local high school’s chapter of the Future Farmers of America, according to Sobrato High School Agriculture teacher Kayla Erath.  The...

Lifelong San Martin resident Kenneth Ludewig, a local “treasure” who brought joy to countless South Valley residents as the creator and operator of the former San Martin Country Park & Pumpkin Patch, died unexpectedly on Nov. 7, according to family members. He was 74...

UC Santa Cruz recently acquired and established the Strathearn Ranch Natural Reserve, a 2,400-acre oak-studded grassland property in San Benito County that will be used for field research and outdoor education for the university’s students, staff and researchers.  The UC Board of Regents approved the...

A newly funded housing complex in Morgan Hill will include units specially dedicated for farmworkers, the city announced on July 11.  The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors originally signed off on a $13.2 million proposal for the site on June 28.  The Magnolias will be...

Nirmal Nair is a “techie” in his professional background, but he has always been a “foodie” with a strong interest in health and wellness. This combination of abilities and passion led him to start Sempera Organics mushroom farm in Morgan Hill about 18 months...

The Rotary Club of Morgan Hill hosted and sponsored a community tree planting project on Jan. 31. Rotary members, joined by volunteers and South County officials, planted young trees on the West Little Llagas Creek Trail between Watsonville Road and Middle Avenue. Pictured below,...