Agriculture

Squeals of laughter and the scent of hay filled the air as children raced through the corn maze, picked out pumpkins nearly as big as they were, and enjoyed rides at the annual fall festival at Swank Farms—a beloved South Valley tradition marking the...

Hollister Animal Control officers recently cited a local resident on suspicion of having too many chickens in violation of the city’s municipal code. The resident, however, says the citation is unfair because the city’s ordinance is not written clearly enough. Hollister Police Department’s Animal Care...

A group of local residents is once again attempting to get San Benito County voters more involved in local land use decisions, citing ongoing growth challenges and a history of excessive influence by developers. On Jan. 31, proponents submitted a notice to circulate a petition...

The San Benito County Supervisors on June 18 unanimously approved a low impact camping ordinance—a move that proponents say will allow rural landowners the chance to host small-scale camping on their properties.  The ordinance, which will go into effect later this month, will expand access...

The proponents of a local initiative that would require voter approval before rural and agricultural property owners in San Benito County can rezone their land have gained enough signatures to place the measure on the November ballot, according to sources. The results are not official,...

After a slow start to conserving water in our community, residents started stepping up their efforts in late August. We need more of this effort, but it’s very encouraging news to see our community respond. The following data, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, was...

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 4 approved an allocation of $100,000 for the Community Food Bank of San Benito due to the disruption of funding to CalFresh.  In a press release, the county said the expense highlights the board’s commitment to...

Southwest Hollister residents often bring their vegetable scraps to a neighbor who raises goats, turkeys, chickens and ducks. They will come waddling up to the fence when people walk by expecting to get some delicious treats. Southwest Hollister residents often bring their vegetable scraps...

Local CalFresh recipients will see a delay in their benefits in November due to the federal government shutdown, says a notice from the San Benito County Health & Human Services Agency.  San Benito County currently serves 7,742 people and 3,794 families with CalFresh benefits, which...