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Santa Clara County Agriculture, Food & Gardening Overview



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One of the largest food banks in the nation, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley brings healthy food to people in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties every month.

California Local Pin Marker Local Agriculture, Food & Gardening Digest

Palo Alto City Council Backs Parklet Exapansions

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.

A Surprising Immigration Raid in Kern County Foreshadows What Awaits Farmworkers and Businesses

01/09/2025

“If this is the new normal, this is absolute economic devastation,” says one local economist.

California Local Pin Marker Recent Articles

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
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 …

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
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.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Demand for Senior Meals Underestimated Cost

San Jose temporarily limited meals for older adults at city community centers in early December amid a budget shortfall — a move that left recipients flustered.
The San Jose Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services is responsible for administering …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Clara County Wants Tourism to Save Iconic Farmlands

Fruit picking, wine tasting and weddings — Silicon Valley leaders want to preserve the romance of their farmlands through tourism as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” gives way to strip malls and tech campuses.
The Santa Clara County Board of …

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Silicon Valley Lawmaker Revives Food Benefits Program

Thousands of families will be able to shop for free fresh fruit and vegetables, after a Silicon Valley lawmaker obtained needed funding.
Assemblymember Alex Lee has secured $10 million to restart the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) …

Morgan Hill Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Housing Options Expand for Ag Sector

A new family farmworker residential development celebrated its grand opening in Morgan Hill on Nov. 20, adding 73 more homes to the city’s stock of affordable housing.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
Where Silicon Valley Residents Can Get Free Thanksgiving Meals

Numerous organizations are making sure people looking for a hot meal this Thanksgiving don't go hungry.
CityTeam is preparing 50 turkeys, 300 pounds of mashed potatoes and 200 pounds of vegetables for Santa Clara County residents facing food insecurity, along …

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
Downtown Gilroy Celebrates Gourmet Alley

Downtown Gilroy’s new Gourmet Alley, designed to be a pedestrian friendly corridor, officially opened to the public on Nov. 8.

San Jose Spotlight logo LOCAL NEWS
San Jose Farm Park Advocates Accuse City of Retaliation

Supporters of an East San Jose farm say they've been trying for years to get the city to invest more in the beloved community park. Instead, city parks officials responded by cutting off the relationship with the group.
The 40-year-old …

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From Local News Matters: Water War on the Delta

“This is a local story about a global issue, the future of water. In a three-part series of field reports and podcasts, Bay City News reporter Ruth Dusseault looks at the tunnel’s stakeholders, its engineering challenges, and explores the preindustrial …

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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