Agriculture

The Conservation Fund purchased the Richmond Ranch on Jan. 22, a 3,653-acre property in southern Santa Clara County.  The Fund is a national organization that provides money to bridge the acquisition of conservation lands by private and public sources. In this case, they are buying...

In my last column I highlighted Rosy and Rich Bergen’s Little Uvas Vineyard (LUV) and their facility called “The Garage” at 255 Fitzgerald Ave. in San Martin. Their long range plan is to have other businesses, like other wineries and eateries, help fill the...

In a milestone for creating a major new source of drinking water, California has approved its first standards for turning sewage into potable water supplies delivered to homes and businesses. The State Water Resources Control Board, in a unanimous vote Dec. 19, outlined for the...

The 9,400-acre Silacci Ranch—a sprawling landscape that stretches from the Salinas Valley floor to the peaks of the Gabilan Range—will be protected forever from suburban sprawl following a recent agreement between the property owner and a California land trust.  The Silacci Ranch is located in...

Avian influenza, a “highly pathogenic” viral disease that infects poultry and birds—and is potentially transmissible to humans—has been detected in San Benito County, according to local public health officials.  The disease, also known as “bird flu,” was found recently in poultry flocks in a number...

It’s hard to find a job fighting climate change, oddly. But the organic farming industry is one place where a person can make a living making a difference.  Food systems account for 20% to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to data from the...

The San Francisco Bay Area is likely to be warmer and wetter than normal for the next three months, forecasters said Nov. 18. A winter season outlook update shows a higher probability of above-normal temperature and precipitation for December, January and February, the National Weather...

This column is probably more along the lines of what many would expect from a wine related column—this one is about a South Valley winery. This winery represents many of the aspects of my past columns, so let’s take a look. We are fortunate to...

Hollister High School’s agriculture and FFA program has earned a ranking of No. 11 out of more than 380 ag programs in the state of California, improving its ranking from No. 15 last year, according to a press release from the San Benito High...

Locals named to Dean’s List Hollister residents Ema Alfaro, Miranda Hernandez, Daniela Hernandez and Anessa Ocampo were named to the Stanislaus State University Dean’s List for the spring 2023 semester.  To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher and...