San Benito Magazine February 2021 - Drive the Lane Automotive and Motoring

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF SAN BENITO COUNTY | FEBRUARY 2021

1965 Ford Mustang

DRIVE THE LANE DEALERSHIPS ADAPT | PANDEMIC BUYING | AUTO REPAIR

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FEBRUARY 2021

BUSINESS

WINE

Auto dealerships adapt 6

Wineries hanging on 16

CAR BUYING

HOME OF THE MONTH

Things to consider 8

Hollister oasis 18

AUTO REPAIR

GARDENING

Shops remain open 10

Growing in containers 20

COMMUNITY

OUT & ABOUT

Car builder shares story 12

February 2021 calendar 22

Publisher

Design Director

General Manager

Editor

Production Operations Manager

Advertising Account Executives

Dan Pulcrano Erik Chalhoub Contributing Writers

Laura Ness Kate Russell

Kara Brown

Harry Allison

Sean George

Carrie Bonato Eileen Katis Cynthia Runyon

Editorial Production Manager

Katherine Manlapaz

ON THE COVER South Valley: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles | San Benito: Juan Reyes

Published by New SV Media Inc., Gilroy, CA Entire contents © 2021. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form prohibited without publisher’s written permission.

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EXPANDING OPERATIONS Jay Gill is the president/CEO of Gill Auto Group, the new owner of Gilroy Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM.

Rapidly Evolving Auto dealerships adapt to technological advancements, online buying 6

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Erik Chalhoub

BY ERIK CHALHOUB

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Erik Chalhoub

rom wireless charging docks to blind spot cameras in digital gauge clusters, the technology in vehicles is changing just as fast as the mobile devices that we carry with us everyday.

And that has changed the reason people buy cars.

Jay Gill, president/CEO of Gill Auto Group, which owns Gilroy Chevrolet Cadillac and the new Gilroy Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM, said customers in the recent past would purchase a new car maybe every five or six years.

Now, that number has jumped to roughly every two years.

“I tell our staff that people aren’t buying cars anymore, they’re buying technology,” he said.

“Technology is changing every day.

More and more, people are trading up because of the technology.”

Gill Auto Group has taken over operations of the former South County Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM at 455 Automall Drive, renaming it Gilroy Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM. The automotive group has owned Gilroy Chevrolet Cadillac across the street for the past 12 years.

Gill said the reopening of the dealership will help the city, bringing back about 50 jobs and roughly $30 million in taxable sales.

“It’s never good when you have an existing business and you have an empty building next to you,” Gill said. “It depresses the real estate market, it hurts the whole auto

mall and it hurts the city. The car business is so competitive right now that you have to have scale.

By having two stores next to each other, we’re able to have synergy.”

Gilroy CDJR General Manager Jose Lopez said many of the staff that lost their jobs when the South County dealership closed will be returning.

The store has an inventory of 300 vehicles.

Named the 2019 Large Business of the Year by the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, Gilroy Chevrolet continues to support youth sports and other local organizations.

Lopez said with the new dealership, the hope is to expand its community service.

“We are heavily invested in the community,” he said.

Gill Auto Group operates 10 stores across 13 brands, with dealerships throughout California and one in Hawaii.

Gilroy is its third Chrysler store.

Gil said the brand has a number of top-selling vehicles, such as Jeep’s Wrangler and Gladiator, as well as the upcoming revival of the Grand Wagoneer, in addition to the always-popular Ram trucks.

“The product is just amazing,” he said. “That’s true for a lot of brands.”

The Gilroy Auto Mall has had some major developments following the early struggles of the Covid-19 shutdowns.

Nissan of Gilroy recently moved into its new 23,948-square-foot

dealership at 6807 Automall Parkway.

In an earlier interview, owner Don Groppetti said the new facility and location is superior to its former spot at 400 Automall Drive.

The Hyundai dealership reopened with new ownership after being closed for most of 2020.

Buying online Covid-19 has shifted many things to the virtual world, and car buying is no different.

Most dealerships, including Gilroy CDJR, allow customers to complete the buying process online. Customers can take a virtual 360-degree tour of a vehicle they are interested in, while talking to a sales person on FaceTime or other video conferencing apps, Lopez said.

Test drives are now done without a salesperson present in the vehicle, and vehicles can be dropped off at a customer’s house within a certain radius.

Lopez said with many residents unsure about using public transportation during a pandemic, there is now a “high demand for customers to be in a car.” Gilroy Chevrolet Cadillac, for example, went from selling about 40 vehicles a month early in the pandemic to more than 100 in recent months, well above the pre-pandemic numbers of 80 to 90 a month, according to Lopez. ²

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Things to Consider When

Buying a Vehicle T he pandemic changed our travel habits considerably, and forced us to reconsider how we get around safely.

For example, the latest Hankook Tire Gauge Index found that three-quarters of Americans don’t feel comfortable taking public transportation because of the coronavirus pandemic, leading more people to get behind the wheel.

This increase in drivers is having an impact on our car buying decisions: Data showed that 44 percent of Americans have already considered a new vehicle purchase.

Many are likely to be first-time car buyers, too, as more than half of Gen Z and millennials are thinking about a new vehicle purchase.

In addition to the usual considerations when buying a vehicle—cost, performance, safety and reliability—the events of 2020 have raised new questions.

After a year of significant change, here are some things to consider when buying a new vehicle.

Your vehicle is just as much about comfort as it is mobility

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Erik Chalhoub

We’re spending more time in our cars, even when we’re not going places— waiting in parking lots for grocery

orders, lining up at drive-thrus, or even taking a conference call when home gets a little too noisy. So a vehicle’s interior should be a nice place to spend your time.

The good news is that there are plenty of standard features and affordable options to make that possible. The Gauge Index found NOW OPEN Gilroy Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM opened that Americans in the former South County CDJR dealership. consider everything from Bluetooth connectivity (62 percent) and in-dash navigation Deciding if it’s time to go (57 percent), to remote and keyless electric means considering a few start tech (56 percent) as important important factors. The first is factors when choosing their vehicles. range: What do you anticipate to Self-healing tire technology was be your regular mileage between also rated as an important feature charges? The average range of by 56 percent of Americans. today’s electric vehicles should be more than enough for daily commuting, errands and even the Is it finally time occasional afternoon road trip. to plug in?

Then, make sure you have access to charging infrastructure at home With increased range, lower and at your frequent destinations. prices and expansions in charging And calculate the true financial infrastructure, electric vehicles benefit, taking into account rebates, (EVs) are increasingly becoming a credits and a newfound freedom choice for drivers, with 62 percent of from the petrol pump. —BPT Americans likely to consider an EV.

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IN THE SHOP A mechanic at O'Keefe Engines in Hollister works on an engine.

Auto shops remain open Now is the time for repairs, businesses advise BY ERIK CHALHOUB

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With already limited public transportation options further impacted by Covid-19 concerns, the automobile is often the only choice to get to and from an essential activity for those whose destinations are too far to travel by bicycle or walking.

“If you think about it, now’s the best time to do auto repair,” said Sarah Gomes, office manager of Preferred Automotive in Gilroy. “Get it done while you’re not using it.”

Like all other auto repair shops in the South Valley and San Benito County, Preferred Automotive, 8460 Church St., remains open for business. Gomes said the shop is working with a “skeleton crew” after having to lay off two mechanics and an office employee, while the

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Juan Reyes

any people choose to ignore the check engine lights on their vehicles, that finicky blinker or other maintenance issues, thinking that taking it to the shop for repairs would require them to be without their only mode of transportation for days on end.

However, with people staying at home during the shelter-in-place order and those vehicles becoming driveway scenery, that excuse no longer holds much weight.

Auto repair shops are encouraging commuters that now is the time to stop procrastinating and set up a maintenance appointment, provided they have the financial means to do so.

remaining two mechanics are on an on-call basis. Owner David Rose, who previously stepped back and let the mechanics do their work, is now one of the wrenchers, Gomes added.

Since the shelter-in-place order went into effect, Preferred Automotive has lost most of its largest customers, such as ridesharing and fleet vehicles.

“We’ve taken a huge hit,” Gomes said. “It’s easily 80 percent of our business.”

Preferred Automotive, which is marking 20 years, offers a variety of services for all vehicles by appointment. Since the pandemic hit, the shop has shifted to a no-contact operation, such as allowing customers to drop off their keys in a drop box outside and over-the-phone payments.

After they complete the work, employees sanitize touch points throughout the vehicle, such as steering wheels, door handles and key fobs. The shop also offers vehicle pick-up and delivery.

“We’re doing a lot to accommodate everybody to stay safe,” Gomes said.

Other auto repair shops are doing the same. Now in business for 30 years, Advanced Auto Body, 16170 Jacqueline Court in Morgan Hill, for example, is offering free vehicle pick-up and delivery services for customers.

“People are still going to have cars, and people are going to need their cars fixed,” Gomes said. ²

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Stuart is the owner of Big Daddy’s Motor Cars, which specializes in building and modifying Ford Mustangs from the 1964-1970 era.

The company’s motto, “When design meets desire,” is what fuels Stuart and his crew of three.

“I can’t express enough how satisfying and how thrilling it is for me to not only do what I love, but to help some of these guys fulfill their dreams,” he said.

Learning to wrench

FAMOUS ‘STANG Les Stuart stands with the Pit Viper, a 1967 Ford Mustang that he rebuilt and modified from the ground up.

‘Design Meets Desire’ Morgan Hill car builder shares love of Mustangs with the world

BY ERIK CHALHOUB

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Erik Chalhoub

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es Stuart has no shortage of stories from customers that come through his Morgan Hill shop.

There is the almond farmer in Madera, who wants to drive his dream car before he dies.

Another man from Kentucky, who purchased a 1969 Mustang Boss 429 when it was new but had to sell it to put himself through college, wants that car back. But he wants one with all the modern technology and safety features.

Stuart, who was born in Brooklyn after his parents immigrated from Trinidad, first learned to wrench at the age of 14.

A close family friend had a 1959 MGA in need of a restoration, and he planned to give the vehicle to his daughter. After a year of work, Stuart helped the family get the car up and running.

That experience gave him the wrenching bug, and at 15, Stuart’s father gifted him his own MGA to fix.

“He figured it would keep me occupied because I was tearing everything apart and putting things back together,” he said.

It did, but not for long.

“In eight months I got the car running,” Stuart recalled.

The problem was, Stuart couldn’t legally drive, so he sold the vehicle and turned his first profit.

Then he bought his first Mustang.

He later purchased a 1969 Mach 1 by saving up enough money from his $3.50 an hour salary.

He was well-known in the local street racing scene, calling himself “untouchable” in his domain that stretched from Saratoga to San Jose and Fremont. ➝ 14

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In 2009 during a housewarming party celebrating Stuart and his family’s move to Morgan Hill, a friend brought a sign for Stuart to hang on the shop located on the property.

It read, “Big Daddy’s Motor Cars,” referencing Stuart’s military handle and the cars he was working on.

The business incorporated in 2018, and for the first year, its offerings were limited, Stuart said, only building customers a Pit Viper.

It eventually expanded to include builds of 1964-1970 Mustangs, and Stuart said he underestimated the demand once word of the business began spreading.

In 2019, Stuart was invited to an event in Saudi Arabia, where the government there selected 450 cars from the United States to participate in a show. There with his Pit Viper, Stuart said he got to meet car builders that he idolizes, many of whom have their own TV shows.

“It was an incredible experience,” he said.

The pandemic over the last year has also provided a surprising boost to business, Stuart noted, with many classic car owners having finished with the home improvement projects and the “honey-do” lists.

“Now they are turning their attention to the car sitting in the garage for the last 17 years, or they got the green light from their wives to pursue their dream,” he said.

With his business growing in popularity, Stuart stays humble.

“I’m just a guy that loves building cars, and I’m always looking for the next project,” he said. “Now I’m able to help some other people along the way.”

For information, visit bigdaddysmotorcars.com.

Erik Chalhoub

and he had a vision.

“The Mustang is a beautiful piece of canvas,” he said. “You can leave it alone and it has got lines, really good lines. You can modify it and bring out those lines.”

After five years of work, the affectionately named “Pit Viper” was complete, a completely customized HIGH DEMAND Damon Freeman works on one of the many Mustang with Mustangs being built at Big Daddy’s Motor Cars. countless performance upgrades and outfitted with modern technological 12 The Mach 1, however, was touches, from tire to roof. stolen, which devastated Stuart.

The car is a head-turner, from the “It really took the wind trips to the gas station to the local car out of me,” he said. shows and even international meetAfter serving in the military like ups, earning numerous awards. his father, Stuart pursued his passion It was made to be driven and for high tech in college, and was enjoyed, Stuart said, adding that recruited by Hewlett Packard. After a he doesn’t like “trailer queens” and nearly 30-year career across various bucks the trend of most car owners by tech companies, Stuart retired in allowing car show attendees to sit inside.

January 2020 as a vice president The immense interest the Pit Viper of product management at HP. received at shows was not lost on All throughout his career, he Stuart’s friend Vic Cozart, who helped was always working on a car. him show the car to the public.

“At car shows, I’m dealing with crowds,” Stuart said. “It The Pit Viper takes two of us to show the car.

After restoring two Triumphs and He (Cozart) started to get it.” six MGs (one of which he still owns and shows at car events, including the Taste of Morgan Hill), Stuart Big Daddy’s Motor turned his attention back to Mustangs, Cars incorporates the first American car that he One day in 2017 while in a jacuzzi, owned and could legally drive.

Stuart and Cozart began kicking Looking for his next build, Stuart around the idea of starting a came across a shell of a 1967 Mustang business centered around building at the side of a shop in Sacramento. It and customizing Mustangs. had been in a fire, but was rust-free and They already had the name. intact. Stuart said he took one look at it

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WINERIES ADAPT Martin Ranch is open for curbside pickup.

Wineries hanging on F

Curbside pickup, virtual cooking sessions are some of the offerings

BY LAURA NESS

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orced to do pickup only beginning in early December, our local wineries have sure been whiplashed by the pandemic. But it doesn’t stop them from pressing on. While the winegrower’s association has taken a temporary pause, the wineries are doing what they can to keep their customers well sated.

Calerrain Wines has been offering “Heat & Eat” meals, created by local chef, Marjorie Morelos-Galvan, of California Inspirations Catering, available via Tock for purchase, complete with wine pairings.

Morelos-Galvan lives in Gilroy and worked at The Grove in Hollister

and CordeValle. A recent meal to go that she prepared for Calerrain featured Asian sticky ribs and citrusy Brussels sprouts slaw, paired with the 2018 Calerrain Malbec, a favorite among the winery’s many fans.

Winemaker Geoff Mace says he’s made some progress, but has had to back off on plans for the many outside enhancements he was planning, including an outdoor kitchen, as it’s hard to fund with the current shutdown.

“Made some good progress but slowing down a bit on the kitchen,” he said. “Not being open on the weekend has been tough.” ➝ 18

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You’ve Come to the Right Place.

66 1st Street, Suite A, Gilroy, CA 95020 | (408) 847-8880 | informed-choices.org

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WINE

Grapefields and their 2018 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir vineyard designates are both highly recommended. There is something consistently impressive about the Tondré Grapefields vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands: no matter who makes wine from it, a core of dense, earthy power shows through. This 2018 Sarah’s Vineyard Tondré is ample and wonderfully lush with spicy plum, clove, dark chocolate and Raisinets (remember those?), yet the acid never hangs up its spurs. The 2018 Sarah’s Vineyard 2018 Muns Pinot is one of the best examples of wines from this vineyard, located high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, that I’ve yet tasted. Classy stuff, with bright floral notes—think rose petals and sandalwood— and spice-driven cherry and raspberry on the palate. The mountain acid is fantastic.

For Valentine’s Day, you might want to indulge in Sarah’s Sparkling Rosé, Grenache Rosé, and one of these excellent aforementioned Pinot Noirs.

Aver Family continues to offer their Saturday Supper Club cooking sessions, led by the talented and entertaining chefs from Truffle Shuffle. Another great gift idea for Valentine’s Day. Support your local wineries, along with your local restaurants, as best you can. We’ll get through this together. ²

Real Estate Experts

Martin Ranch is open for curbside pickup at the winery Tuesday through Friday, every week from 10am to 3pm, and on Saturday-Sunday, the first and third weekends of each month. Wine Club Manager Michele Swenson reports that she really enjoyed the Thérèse Vineyards 2017 Mourvèdre with turkey breast with herb stuffing and cranberries, and the Thérèse Vineyards 2016 Dos Ninas Syrah with a hearty vegetable soup, which sounds like the perfect pairing suggested by winemaker Thérèse Martin herself.

Martin says her current favorite wines for winter are from the Soulmate Series, which she and husband, Dan, craft together. They each have their own separate brands as well. She points to the Soulmate 2014 Syrah and the 2012 Soulmate Nebbiolo, as her two favorites at the moment. Any of the Soulmate wines would be thoughtful Valentine gifts for your favorite someone.

MOHI continues to offer popup wine shops, and a variety of takeout dinners, including fiesta bowls, pizzas and freshly made tacos, to go. For $49.95, for example, you get two taco plates that include three tacos each plus four margaritas or a bottle of wine. Get on their mailing list to stay up to date.

Sarah’s Vineyard has you covered if you’re craving Pinot Noir in all its wide-ranging glory. Their 2018 Tondré

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HOME OF THE MONTH

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VINEYARD ESTATES A pool is one of the many amenities of this Hollister home.

Countryside oasis in Hollister Home features vineyard, pool, horse stables and more

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his Hollister home described as a retreat sits on five-anda-half acres.

Located at 6445 Vineyard Estates Drive, the 3,668-square-foot home includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Inside, the home is outfitted with Brazilian cherry wood floors and vaulted ceilings. The kitchen features granite counters, stainless steel appliances, extensive cabinetry and an island with bar seating.

The main bedroom includes a spa-like bath, dual sink vanity, walk-in closet and fireplace. Each bedroom has its own private balcony.

Outside, there is a two-and-a-half-acre working Cabernet vineyard and horse stables. The backyard features a pool, patio, garden and more.

The home, built in 1989, is powered by an owned solar system and pre-wired for two ADUs. It is listed at $1,399,000 by Real Estate Experts. For information, visit tinyurl.com/yyrqn32z.

FEBRUARY 2021 | SOUTHVALLEY.COM | SANBENITO.COM

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GARDENING SELF-SUFFICIENT Growing vegetables in containers is a rewarding experience.

Growing vegetables in containers Finding the right pots and sunlight areas

BY KATE RUSSELL

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Choosing containers for your edible plants can be a lot of fun, just make sure that they have good drainage.

Overwatering can drown your container plants. Thrift stores are full of attractive, affordable containers.

You can also order beautiful new containers. Keep in mind, when selecting containers, that uncoated ceramic and wood containers dry out faster than metal, plastic, or glazed ceramic. Make sure your containers are safe for food before adding soil.

Kate Russell

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adishes, beans, salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic and many other edible plants can be grown in containers, given enough sunlight.

Without enough light, plants will not produce a harvest. Plants use sunlight, or artificially created sunlight, to create sugars using photosynthesis. Natural sunlight is ideal, but you can use inexpensive shop lights fitted with grow bulbs as an affordable replacement.

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Kate Russell

Soil is the lifeblood of your vegetable garden. This is the one area that warrants splurging. Since you are growing vegetables to eat, organic potting soil is your best bet. While there are plenty of prefertilized commercial soil mixtures available, some of those chemicals are known to cause health concerns.

What will you grow? Look in your refrigerator! What produce do you buy most frequently? Tomatoes are highly rewarding container plants, and cherry tomato plants can be prolific.

You can get many of your seeds and starters from plants you already have on hand. Bell peppers and tomatoes are chock full of seeds. If you cut the end from your bunch of celery and plant it, you will end up with celery stalks with far more flavor than you are used to. Next time you take the seeds out of a jalapeño, push them into some soil and add a little water.

Salad greens, radishes, and spinach are very rewarding vegetables from seed. Ask your gardener friends if they have extra seeds. I’ll bet they do!

Some plants need pollination to produce a crop. If your containers are outside, bees, wasps, flies, and other insects will provide the pollination needed. You can increase the likelihood of these helpful insects coming into your garden with flowers.

If you are growing vegetables in containers indoors, you can still have a successful crop if you pollinate by hand. Simply use a small paintbrush and gently touch the tip of the brush to each flower head, making sure to complete two circuits of each flower in a different order. The pollen from one flower must come in contact with a different flower to create tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and

pumpkins, which are, in fact, fruits.

True vegetables, such as lettuce and spinach, do not require pollination.

Once you try your hand at growing vegetables in containers, you will become self-sufficient in delicious, rewarding ways that you never thought possible.

The benefits of snow Our gardens don’t get snow every winter, but you may be surprised to learn that snow can help your garden and landscape. But first, let’s learn the truth about snow.

All of our lives, we’ve been told that bits of snow are snowflakes and that each one is unique. It ends up that snow isn’t nearly as flaky as we’ve been led to believe, and snowflakes are all identical, at first. How snow forms is far more interesting than one would think, too.

We all know that snow starts as water, which is made up of molecules.

You might not know that water molecules are lopsided. One side has a positive charge, while the other side has a negative charge. This is how surface tension occurs in water. It’s also why snow forms the way it does.

Snow starts to form when the positive side of several water molecules attach to the negative side of another molecule, creating a pyramid shape. At this point, they all look pretty much the same. As temperatures drop, this film of water turns to ice, suddenly shifting into the iconic six-sided shape that decorates Christmas cards around the world.

It’s when countless combinations of trajectory, humidity and temperature changes are factored in that each bit of identical frozen water becomes

unique snow crystals. Under the right circumstances, snow crystals can also form triangles, diamonds and pillars, but they are rare.

But how can snow crystals protect plants from freezing?

It doesn’t make sense!

If you wake one winter morning to see your garden blanketed in snow, don’t panic. While it is true that some plants will be damaged, a covering of snow also provides protection and stability.

Snow-covered soil tends to stay right around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, rather than getting colder. This happens because of tiny pockets of air trapped within and between the snow crystals. This air insulates and protects plant roots, earthworms and valuable soil microorganisms.

Those cold temperatures also help your trees be productive. Trees keep track of the number of hours they spend each winter between 32 degrees and 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

These are called chilling hours. Each fruit and nut tree variety has specific ranges of chilling hours needed to produce crops the following year.

Local gardeners are lucky to have their very own Chilling Hours station. You can look up your chilling hours online at the UC Davis website at tinyurl.com/y52jtqb8.

If temperatures happen to rise, the snow melts and plants get irrigated.

Another surprising benefit is that nitrogen and sulfur in the atmosphere are captured as each snow crystal falls. When it melts, those plant nutrients are released into the soil.

If snow falls on your garden this winter, take a cue from Nature and grab yourself a warm blanket and start planning your spring garden! ²

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O& A GILROY

‘LOOKING BACK’ “Looking Back in 20/20,” a group show of Gallery 1202 artists, focuses on the silver linings of 2020 through professional growth as artists. The exhibit runs through Feb. 26 at the gallery, 7363 Monterey St. A closing reception will take place Feb. 23 from noon to 8pm. For information, visit gallery1202.com.

‘EMERGING’ BY WHITNEY PINTELLO “Emerging” by Whitney Pintello will run at 6th Street Studios & Art Center, 64 West Sixth St., from Feb. 1-28. The exhibition will be completely window facing, and entirely viewable from the sidewalk. All inquiries for purchasing can be directed to Gallery 1202 at 7363 Monterey St., and all the proceeds go to the artist and to the studios to benefit local artists in the South Valley. For information, visit 6thstreetartstudios.org.

FREE MEALS FOR CHILDREN The Gilroy and Morgan Hill libraries host Free Grab & Go Supper Meals for children ages 0-18 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4-5pm. No registration is required. Drive-up or walk-up contactless service is available.

Two days of meals are given on Mondays and Wednesdays, and three days are given on Fridays.

PAINT’N WITH FRIENDS Tami Brown, owner of Paint’n

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PAINT FROM HOME Moya Art Gallery and Studio frequently holds virtual paint parties.

OUT & ABOUT

With Friends Art Studio & Gallery at 7560 Monterey St., Suite 202 in Gilroy, hosts frequent paint parties.

Each party is limited to eight painters, and participants will be seated six feet apart.

No painting experience is necessary. For information, visit paintnwithfriends.com.

PAINT PARTY Nacho Moya, the owner of Moya Art Gallery and Studio in downtown Gilroy, has been hosting frequent live paint parties on his social media channels, showing viewers the step-by-step process on how to paint everything from water lilies, to unicorns and Star Wars characters. For information, visit facebook. com/moyaartgalleryandstudio.

GILROY FARMERS MARKET The Gilroy Farmers Market is held every Saturday 9am-1pm at 6000 Miller Ave. Come and enjoy local vegetables and fruit, homemade soap, bakery items, hummus, garlic, flowers and more. For information, visit tcfm.farm.

MARIAN FILICE YOUTH PIANO COMPETITION This year’s competition will be entirely virtual on March 6. On the day of the competition, judges will be at the Gavilan College theater adjudicating. A live feed of the competition will be provided for the public on our website.

Two judges will adjudicate the competition and will offer written constructive comments for each contestant. Winners will be

announced at the end of each division. For information, visit gavilan.edu/academic/music/ piano_comp.php.

MORGAN HILL SPEECH TREK American Association of University Women, Morgan Hill Branch will host a virtual speech contest for high school students. The contest takes place Feb. 23 from 7-9pm via Zoom and Facebook Live. For information and to sign up, visit aauwmh.org.

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP The Book Discussion Group hosted by the Santa Clara County Library District will discuss the Silicon Valley Reads 2021 selection “Always Home” by Fanny Singer. The group will meet virtually using Zoom throughout February.

Silicon Valley Reads, the annual community engagement program, will offer a variety of recommended books and virtual programs in 2021 centered on the theme “Connecting.”

In February and March, Silicon Valley Reads will offer online public programs for all ages including author talks, performances, storytimes and more. For a listing of Silicon Valley Reads events, visit siliconvalleyreads.org.

MORGAN HILL FARMERS MARKET At the Train Depot Station parking lot, the Morgan Hill Certified Farmers’ Market brings together farmers, food producers and consumers from Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Hollister every Saturday, 9am-1pm on Third and Depot streets. For information, visit cafarmersmkts.com/ morgan-hill-farmers-market.

SAN BENITO COUNTY VIRTUAL WORKSHOP SERIES San Benito Stage Company is hosting a series of virtual workshops in February.

The workshops cover topics such as improv, monologues, script analysis and more. Space is limited. For information and to register, visit sanbenitostage.org.

‘BAD AUDITION…ON CAMERA’ San Benito Stage Company will present the virtual play, “Bad Audition…On Camera,” on Feb. 20. Directed

by Jenny Arbizu, the play is a version of the hit “Bad Auditions

by Bad Actors” that was written specifically for actors and audiences to experience on video chat. Visit sanbenitostage.org for information on show time, virtual access and/or further updates on this one-day event.

FEBRUARY 2021 | SOUTHVALLEY.COM | SANBENITO.COM

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Thank you Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and Hollister for allowing us to take care of your eye health for the past 5 years.

We are a state-of-the-art 5000-square-foot Regional Eye Center specializing in Cataract Surgery, Lasik, Glaucoma, Diabetic Eye Exams, and other eye conditions.

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Mayo Clinic trained, specializing in cataract surgery and glaucoma

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7652 Monterey St, Suite B GILROY, CA 95020 Tel: 408-842-2500 | Fax: 408-940-3945

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555 Knowles Drive, Suite 117 LOS GATOS, CA 95032 Tel: 408-940-3930 | Fax: 408-940-3945

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