Food lines grow as feds suspend food assistance
With thousands of San Benito County residents set to lose their CalFresh benefits due to a suspension of federal funding, local organizations and service providers are preparing for a surge in the need for food assistance this month.
On Nov. 4, the board of supervisors...
San Benito County advises residents to prepare for delay of November food stamp benefits
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...
A rodeo for everyone
The ninth annual Baler Buckaroo at Hollister High School on Oct. 23 brought classmates from all backgrounds and abilities together to enjoy an inclusive hands-on rodeo experience catered for students with special needs.
Hosted by the Hollister High FFA program, the Baler Buckaroo took place...
Weighing in at the State of the Region
Government, business and nonprofit leaders around San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties staged the 2025 State of the Region Oct. 17 at CSU Monterey Bay to discuss a vast list of topics from healthcare and air mobility to hospitality, tourism, advances in the...
South Valley farm maintains Halloween fall tradition
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...
Conservation groups buy 668 acres of South Valley farmland
Three connected agricultural properties straddling the border of San Benito and Santa Clara counties were recently purchased by conservation organizations, ensuring the lands totaling more than 600 acres will remain an active link in a vital regional ecosystem.
The Peninsula Open Space Trust on Oct....
Amah Mutsun Tribal Band acquires ancestral property
The Amah Mutsun Land Trust this week announced that by the end of 2025, it will acquire a 50-acre property near the intersection of Highways 129 and 101 in San Juan Bautista—marking the first time the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band has regained full access...
Amid fears of ICE, farmers markets see mixed impact
On a normal Friday afternoon, the farmers market in downtown Watsonville—which draws vendors and customers from Hollister, Gilroy and beyond—is a bustling, joyous event, with gaggles of children playing in a bounce house and families happily in long lines to purchase fresh produce and...
Weekly market offers fresh, local produce
Every Saturday, scores of people make the drive to Pinnacle Farms market in San Juan Bautista to buy fresh, organically grown produce.
Owners Phil and Katherine Foster began farming in San Benito County in 1968. Today they grow certified organic fruit and vegetables on 295...
Suncoast Organic Farm serves up artisan bread and craft beer
In the rolling hills south of Hollister, the Miller family have transformed a former walnut farm into an eclectic “destination bakery” that reflects their philosophy of giving new life to old structures and traditions.
The heart of Suncoast Organic Farms is a century-old barn that...
