Santa Clara County Local News: Agriculture, Food & Gardening


All Local Agriculture, Food & Gardening News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: California’s farm workers help feed the whole country.
How California Feeds the Country

California stands as America’s agricultural powerhouse, growing half of its fruits and vegetables. Here’s how California farming has shaped the state, from the early missions to today’s “factories in the field.”

Image caption: The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works

The Williamson Act, passed in 1965, now keeps more than 16 million acres of farmland out of the hands of developers. Here's how the law puts the brakes on the development of California agricultural properties.

Image caption: Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment

Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation projects have helped to build California, but they are also damaging the state’s environment for people, plants and animals by eliminating essential wetlands.

Image caption: How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland

California has used reclamation districts to turn millions of acres of unusable swamps into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush. Here’s how it happened.

Image caption: Dairy products are California’s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance

California is a leading producer of agricultural crops. So it’s not surprising to find cutting-edge ideas taking root here.

Image caption: RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
California Dirt

What do resource conservation districts protect? Pretty much everything that’s worth saving.

Gilroy Dispatch logo From Gilroy Dispatch...

04/22/2025
Image for display with article titled Gardening for a Cause

The Gilroy Gardening Group held its annual plant sale April 19 at the Miller Red Barn in Christmas Hill Park. Now in its fourth year, the event featured thousands of organic plant starts for $5 each, including heirloom tomatoes, Asian vegetables, rare peppers and a diverse selection of annual flowers—all grown by the group’s members in their home gardens.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/18/2025
Image for display with article titled Silicon Valley College District First to Provide Free Meals

Leilany Huerta-Hernandez remembers her throbbing headaches in the late afternoons because she couldn’t afford to purchase food as a West Valley College student. Her hunger was ever-present, but she felt ashamed to ask for help.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

04/17/2025
Image for display with article titled San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market Returns

The San Jose Downtown Farmers’ Market is returning after a three-year hiatus, with vendors planning to sell fresh corn, tomatoes, citrus fruit and more delights on Wednesdays near the Hammer Theatre.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/16/2025
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the lawsuit Wednesday, saying the tariffs hurt “states, consumers and businesses.”

California Local Pin Marker From The Mercury News...

03/28/2025
You'll be able to enjoy garlic flavored ice cream to your heart's content at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, returning in July after an absence of six years.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/26/2025
Food aid is one of numerous competing priorities California lawmakers will have to juggle in the face of steep potential federal cuts.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/25/2025
Across California, only one in five eligible college students receive CalFresh due to complicated requirements and an arduous application process. With two-thirds of students experiencing food insecurity, many campuses have started helping them apply for CalFresh.

Gilroy Dispatch logo From Gilroy Dispatch...

03/21/2025
Image for display with article titled March 23 Panel Focuses on Women in the Santa Clara Valley Wine Industry

One could not celebrate Women’s History Month without acknowledging the tremendous impact women have had on the local wine industry here in the Santa Clara Valley.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

03/18/2025
Image for display with article titled Los Gatos Orchard Could Become Townhomes

Wild mustard is in full bloom at one of Los Gatos’ last orchards, where hundreds of bare, brown walnut trees stand as remaining vestiges of the town’s agricultural past. That may soon change.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Altos Town Crier...

03/18/2025
In their March 11 meeting, the Los Altos City Council voted to proceed with the library courtyard project despite concerns about the impact on the adjacent Los Altos Heritage Orchard.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

02/25/2025
Image for display with article titled Downtown San Jose Street Becomes Permanent Pedestrian Mall

San Jose officials have approved the permanent restriction of vehicle traffic at a popular downtown street in an effort to increase fast-growing economic vibrancy in the business district.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

02/24/2025
The governor vowed to clear the way for more groundwater recharge. Has it worked? “We’re still tinkering around with small numbers,” one expert says.

California Local Pin Marker From Los Altos Town Crier...

02/11/2025
Learn more about approval of the planned development of an 8,265-square-foot courtyard project at the Los Altos main library, and why some community members object to the design and concerned about the impact of an adjacent orchard.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/21/2025
Trump apparently wants to override new Biden-Newsom rules that have widespread support among Southern California cities and some Central Valley farmers.

California Local Pin Marker From Palo Alto Online...

01/13/2025
In their meeting on January 12, the Palo Alto City Council agreed to support the expansion of restaurant street parklets into their neighbor's space without the need for prior permission. Read on to learn more about this change of policy.

San Jose Spotlight logo From San Jose Spotlight...

01/07/2025
Image for display with article titled Santa Clara County Agritourism Threatened by Development

Santa Clara County officials remain out of compliance with state housing laws, which could put their agricultural tourism efforts in a race against developments proposing to pave over the Valley of Heart's Delight remaining farmland — with or without their approval.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

01/03/2025
Those in California who’d like a latte with a side of weed have gotten their wish now that a new law goes into effect that permits licensed cannabis dispensaries to add sit-in cafes to their sites.  

San Jose Inside logo From San Jose Inside...

12/20/2024
Image for display with article titled Widespread Cockfighting in CA Identified as Possible Source of Bird Flu Emergency

California may have more than a million fighting birds, according to the Center for a Humane Economy.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/20/2024
New operating rules for massive Delta systems will increase water deliveries to Southern California cities and some growers. Salmon numbers could drop, especially in dry years.