Arizona’s Salad Bowl becomes fertile ground for Covid-19
YUMA, Ariz. — The Rev. Emilio Chapa was delivering a homily on a recent Sunday when he paused to lament a sight that had shaken him as he entered the sacristy before Mass.
The board where his staff posted requests for funeral services was covered...
California Food Policy Council gathers in Salinas to chart a resilient, equitable food future
SALINAS VALLEY — More than 75 food leaders, farmers, advocates and policymakers from across California gathered in November for Growing the Future Together, the first in-person statewide convening of the California Food Policy Council (CAFPC) since the pandemic.
Hosted in Salinas — the “Salad Bowl...
Monterey County agriculture pumps more than $11B into local economy, study finds
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County agriculture pumped more than $11 billion into the local economy in 2023 and supported 81,315 jobs, according to a new economic report.
Assistant Agricultural Commissioner Rich Ordonez released the latest comprehensive analysis of the county’s largest industry on Nov. 18,...
Work continues on King City High’s new FFA facility
KING CITY — Construction continues at King City High School as the new Future Farmers of America facility begins to look more like a finished building.
The site will include new agriculture classrooms and workshops for KCHS students in the FFA program, and replaces...
Students join Supervisor Lopez for annual pumpkin distribution in South Monterey County
SAN ARDO — Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez and his District 3 team marked the fifth consecutive year of distributing pumpkins to South Monterey County students, thanks to a generous donation from Braga Fresh Farms.
Lopez celebrated his birthday Oct. 14 by joining the team...
Regional drone program lands $1M grant
SALINAS VALLEY — University of California Santa Cruz’s CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) along with several partners has received a $1 million, 15-month planning grant to support regional drone education and workforce development from the James Irvine Foundation.
The funds will be...
Lavender Creek awarded 2024 SBDC Business of the Year for Monterey Bay region
GREENFIELD — Lavender Creek, a family-owned lavender farm and wellness brand located in South Monterey County, has been awarded the 2024 Central Coast Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Business of the Year for the Monterey Bay region.
The Central Coast SBDC’s recognition highlights Lavender Creek’s...
Greenfield High receives Farm to School grant
GREENFIELD — South Monterey County Joint Union High School District (SMCJUHSD) will launch two farm-to-cafeteria educational programs between Greenfield High School and the district’s Food Services Department.
The first-of-its-kind collaboration was made possible by a new grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s...
Enrichment program teaches hundreds of South Monterey County youth about farming
KING CITY — Hundreds of third-graders recently roamed the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City to learn about agriculture during the annual South County Farm Day.
Students from Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City schools attended the free educational enrichment program on Jan. 26,...
Celebrate coming of harvest in Paso Robles wine country
Wine grape harvest is just around the corner in the Paso Robles wine country.
