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Santa Clara County Agriculture, Food & Gardening Articles



Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Mushroom fest returns with big changes for 2023

The Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras festival—which has raised and awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships during its 41-year tenure—will see some big changes for 2023, including a name change, admission fees and extensive safety upgrades, according to event …

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.

Metro Silicon Valley logo LOCAL NEWS
The Bracero Legacy Rooted in California Agriculture

Stanford’s Cecil H. Green Library exudes an Ivy League elegance. Art-deco pendulum chandeliers hang from vaulted ceilings, casting spotlights. Lacquered wood-paneled bookcases line the perimeter of the great room, which is so large that it never seems like anyone else …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Nursery Plants Remain Santa Clara County’s Most Valuable Crops

Nursery crops remained at the top in Santa Clara County, growing by 19% in 2021 to exceed $109 million in value, according to the 2021 crop report released Aug. 31. Mushrooms, meanwhile, grew by 5% but remained in second place …

Image caption: Dig into daily tips provided by two master gardeners.
Welcome to Sacramento Digs Gardening

We’ve made our proprietary content management platform available for fellow publishers.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
Invasive Fruit Fly Found in San Jose, State Declares Emergency

The oriental fruit fly, which comes from Asia and has recently spread to Pacific Islands, is considered a "significant threat" to both the natural ecosystem and the state's multibillion-dollar agriculture industry.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Lion Ranch’s secret sauce

Kim and Todd Englehardt are dedicated to Rhone varieties at their Lion Ranch vineyard in San Martin, where they have two parcels: a two-acre site at the tasting room, which is all reds, and two-and-a-half acres of mixed whites and …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Study: Employers Fail to Keep Farmworkers Safe From Covid

Although farm and food production workers were considered essential workers during the pandemic, many of California's food employers endangered those workers, violating Cal/OSHA's Covid-19 guidelines more often than most industries, a new report said. The California Institute for Rural Studies’ …

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Pumpkin Patch Will Reopen in Coyote Valley

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority has entered a three-year lease to allow Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch and Fruit Stand to reopen at a new location at Laguna Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard in Coyote Valley. The 60 acres …

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Leal Unveils Farm-To-Table Restaurant Coming to Morgan Hill

South Valley hospitality and restaurant developer Frank Leal last week unveiled MOHI Farm, his newest dining concept on tap for downtown Morgan Hill that will offer farm-to-table eating with ingredients produced by local and other nearby growers. The restaurant is …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Gilroy Gardens Opens up to Cyclists for Second Year

To celebrate National Bike Month, Gilroy Gardens is opening its park to bicyclists during a free event on May 20 from 4-7pm. Ride the Gardens made its debut in 2021, and its 300-attendee cap was quickly reached.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Garlic Festival NOT Moving to Stockton

Gilroy Garlic Festival organizers were taken off guard Sunday, when an event promoter in San Joaquin County announced that it would host the city’s much-beloved gathering in 2022. The Tony Noceti Group, which puts on events such as the San …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Garlic Festival: ‘Massive’ events no longer realistic

The Gilroy Garlic Festival will not host its traditional event this year or for the “foreseeable future,” organizers announced this week. A series of smaller, more intimate events still on tap for 2022 aim to bring the festival back to …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Brilliant blooms: Flower breeder showcases the latest trends in home gardening

The “future of work” has accelerated due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with many workers ditching the commute and instead setting up their home offices. With people spending more time at home, many want their space to be more visually pleasant. …

Image caption: César Chávez in 1979, originally photographed for U.S. News & World Report.
What’s the Best Way to Celebrate César Chávez Day?

Californians have the perfect opportunity to remember César Chávez by making March 31 a day of service.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Garlic Festival eyes new venue, events

The rising costs of hosting a massive event have forced Gilroy Garlic Festival organizers to rethink the city’s signature event in a way that substantially supports local nonprofits without breaking the bank. A difficult two years, with the shooting in …

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Ag meets tech at Sempera Organics

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 …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Organizer: New Fresno garlic festival not a competitor to Gilroy

The organizers of a new garlic festival in Fresno County say the event is not meant to rival Gilroy’s long-standing tradition, but rather, is a celebration of the California-grown bulb and the people behind it. The National Garlic Festival, put …

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Mushroom Mardi Gras returns in 2022

After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras will return to the city’s downtown for Memorial Day weekend in 2022, according to organizers. The two-day outdoor food, art and music festival will take …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Amazon purchases Gilroy farmland

Online retail and web services giant Amazon purchased 60 acres of farmland in Gilroy, documents filed Dec. 22 with the county show. According to the documents recorded by the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder’s Office, Amazon.com LLC purchased the land at …

Featured

RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
California Dirt
RCDs were created to avoid a repeat of the Dust Bowl. Now they work with landowners to preserve the air, water and natural habitats that sustain us all.
Dairy products are California’s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance
Greener ways to feed the world’s growing population
Fresh and dried fruit, wine, nuts and more can be found at Casa De Fruta, a venerable stop for drivers traversing Pacheco Pass.
Roadside Attractions
Apples and berries, steaks and dairy...and much more
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
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
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment
The hidden price tag of “reclaiming” swamps and marshes as usable land.
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
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.
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