Pajaro Valley Magazine | September 25, 2020

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE PAJARO VALLEY

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

Gardener’s Oasis

A supplement to The Pajaronian

Nursery meets rise in demand for landscaping supplies P4

GARDENING P6 | MIXING BOWL P7 | HOME OF THE WEEK P10

SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

2

rf

Raeid Farhat Real Estate Inc

Celebrating 20 years!

raeidfarhat.com

Are you Overwhelmed right now?

We are here for all your Real Estate needs

8 MAGAZINE

21 Brennan St, Suite 18, Watsonville, CA 95076 Phone: 831.761.7301

CEO & Executive Editor

Dan Pulcrano Publisher

Jeanie Johnson Editor

Erik Chalhoub Contributing Writers

Erik Chalhoub Tarmo Hannula Kate Russell Sarah Ringler Advertising Account Executives

Tiffani Petrov Lupita Ortiz

Give me a call today regarding buying or selling your property

Give me a call today regarding property management and current rent regulations

Ed Gagne

Kathy Oliver

REALTOR® 831.254.1432 egagne@baileyproperties.com Cal DRE #01450406

Broker Associate/REALTOR® 831.206.2249 Kathy@OliverPM.com Cal DRE #01116175 Owner of Oliver Property Management

Design Director

Kara Brown Design Layout

Hon Truong

6

Cover Photography:

Tarmo Hannula

Circle of Champions - Watsonville Office

4

Cover story

6

Gardening

7

Mixing Bowl

8

Photo Gallery

Published by WatsNews, LLC, Watsonville, CA. Entire contents © 2020. All rights reserved.

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

TO PLACE AN AD Email:

jjohnson@pajaronian.com Phone:

10 Home of the week

831.761.7301

PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020

4

We hope you are all doing well during the most confusing and scary times of our lives. Please be safe and sane and when you feel it’s overwhelming, practice patience and kindness and find some peace in it all. Change is difficult.

- The house rental playing field has changed with new laws regarding tenants’ rights that are not landlord-friendly and, to date, state and federal officials have offered little relief for rental property owners.

- The current fire is impacting our challenging housing market. Supply will be at a critical level with great demand.

- The current COVID-19 crisis is changing our industry constantly, as we learn more about it.

So, if you’re overwhelmed it’s natural in this environment. Some of you might be wondering about the current housing sales market. We can tell you this: For those of our clients who have decided to sell for one reason or another, the market remains strong. After listing the homes for our clients we have had healthy responses from buyers that have resulted in multiple offers and quick sales, much to the delight of the property owners.

If you have any questions regarding current rent regulations or to consider selling your property, we would be happy to assist you.

3

SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

4

CULTIVATING W COMMUNITY Nursery sees uptick in business as people turn to gardens during pandemic

By TARMO HANNULA

ith the pandemic outbreak, most of us heard this warning many times: Stay at home.

But that could have been softened a little bit with: “Stay at home and in the garden.” Because, for many of us, that’s what happened: People started plowing deep into their gardens and landscaping with the ample time around the house on their hands.

“March through May was definitely a busier time for us, with the Covid scare,” said Dora Beyer, whose family owns Alladin Nursery & Gift Shop in Corralitos.

“But then came the fires and smoke and that drove people back indoors again.”

Beyer said her business has seen a big uptick in demand for vegetables for the garden, indoor plants, landscaping makeovers and garden ornaments.

Alladin Nursery & Gift Shop is a retail

nursery and gift shop with plants and garden supplies for every need. The nursery features plants, cacti and succulents, fruits, flowers and trees that range from traditional favorites to more rare varieties, as well as a wide selection of tools, garden supplies, and pottery for the avid gardener.

“Even for people that don’t have a yard, indoor plants — even bonsais — and succulents have picked up,” Beyer said.

“There’s been a step up in demand for a whole range of things. People are really going after tomatoes and basil. Every day people are calling. But folks were also buying things like maple trees — decorative things for the yard and things to add to their arbor. People have also been asking for milkweed because it brings the monarch butterflies.”

But with Covid came a change in some product supply.

MEETING DEMAND Alladin Nursery & Gift Shop has experienced

a rise in business as people stay home and tend to their gardens during the pandemic.

PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020

tell her that gardening has become their “therapy.”

“Some elderly people have told me that this is their first time to come out,” she said.

“For those that are extra cautious, we do offer curbside service; we’ll bring your order out to your car.”

Beyer said her father and owner, Gustavo Beyer, above all, wants customers to feel safe and comfortable with the adjustments to the pandemic.

“We’ve been through floods, an earthquake, drought, fires, an economic recession and now the pandemic,” Beyer said. “But we’re still here. We’re just glad to be able to do our job and make sure people feel safe.”

Alladin Nursery & Gift Shop is located at 2905 Freedom Blvd. in Corralitos. It is open Thursday through Monday from 9am to 3pm.

For information, call 724-7517 or visit alladinnursery.com.

Photos by Tarmo Hannula

“Some of our suppliers shifted priorities with things like potting soil, certain steer manure and chicken manure out of production for a while,” she said. “For the most part, we do continue to offer most of our inventory.”

Aladdin just celebrated 100 years and with that comes a list of regulars, which, Beyer said, helps keep business alive.

“We are fortunate that our customers are very patient,” Beyer said. “We closed for about a week back in March. We reopened since and made some big safety adjustments, like requiring people to wear a mask, keep six feet distance and we adjusted our hours. Our checkout is outdoors and the gift shop is limited to three people. But we have people come here all the way from Sacramento; they come to see family and make it a point to come by.

They come from San Francisco. I think it’s word of mouth. We’re local; Watsonville’s a great place for businesses like this.”

Beyer said many in the senior community

5

6

Submitted photo

SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

GARDENING

PLANNING AHEAD There are many questions gardeners should ask themselves when choosing which tree to plant.

Tree selection Fall is the ideal time to plant bare root trees

By KATE RUSSELL

F

ruit and nut trees make excellent additions to landscapes, but how do you know which trees to plant? The questions below will help you select the best fruit and nut trees for your yard.

First, how big of a tree do you want? These trees are available in standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf sizes. Most standard fruit and nut trees can reach 20 feet in height and width, or more, though peach

and nectarine trees rarely grow larger than 12-15 feet. Semi-dwarf trees grow 12-15 feet, while dwarf trees only reach 8-10 feet. Smaller trees have the added advantage of being easier to care for and producing fruit sooner than larger trees.

Most dwarf trees can be grown in large containers.

How big of a crop can you use?

Different species produce different sized crops. Under ideal conditions, a dwarf apple tree might produce 200 pounds of fruit, a semi-dwarf

apple can yield 400 pounds, and a standard apple tree might produce 600 pounds. A dwarf apricot tree only produces 40 pounds and a standard apricot tree might yield 240 pounds.

What is your Hardiness Zone?

Hardiness Zones are geographic regions with specific annual minimum temperatures. This information helps you select plants appropriate to your microclimate.

The Pajaro Valley is in Hardiness Zone 9 (b).

How much sun does your yard get? Most fruit and nut trees need at least eight hours of sunlight each day to be healthy and productive.

Will you need a pollinator tree? Some fruit and nut trees are self-fertile. This means they have both male and female flowers and only one tree is needed to produce a crop. Other varieties need a second tree for cross-pollination.

Self-fertile trees are significantly more productive when there is a second tree nearby.

Which pests and diseases are in your neighborhood? Knowing ahead of time which pests and diseases are likely to affect your fruit and nut trees can help you select varieties that are resistant. This means less work for you.

Finally, how many chill hours do you get? Chill hours are the combined number of hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit experienced by a tree each year. Without adequate chill hours, trees will generally not produce. Most of northern California gets 800 to 1,500 chill hours.

Fall is the best time to plant bare root trees; just be sure to plant them at the proper depth. This means the flare of the trunk and any grafting are visible above the soil level. For the first few years, when your fruit tree produces flowers, it will live a longer, more productive life if you remove those blossoms before they start turning into a crop. This gives the tree the time it needs to generate a healthy root system.

Kate Russell is a UCCE Master Gardener.

THE MIXING BOWL

Gourmet canned tuna udon oil keeps the flavor better which seems borne out by the internet babble. One thing did seem clear, tuna packed in oil has a lot more calories.

JAPANESE TUNA AND UDON Salad: 1/4 cup dried wakame seaweed 8 ounces dried udon noodles 1-2 tablespoons of furikake or toasted sesame seeds 10-12 ounces tuna in oil, drained 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Dressing:

By SARAH RINGLER

B

eautiful, simple and enhanced by sprinkles of crunchy furikake, you can magically transform a traditional ‘50s standard, tuna-noodle casserole, into a more flavorful and healthier dinner delight. Plus, it can be served hot or cold. With the weather we have been having, those are good options.

You may need a trip to Yamashita Market at 114 Union St. for the udon, rice wine vinegar, mirin, toasted sesame oil, wakame, white miso and furikake.

All of those ingredients, together and apart, open the door to a flavor wonderland. They are standard Japanese ingredients and are appearing more and more in fusion dishes where cuisines worldwide are intermixing to form new flavor combos. This recipe is from Bart

van Olphen’s “Tinned Fish Cookbook,” and New York Times food writer, Sam Sifton.

Note that there are many varieties of furikake. I just try different ones each time and all have been a surprising accent to most rice, egg or noodle dishes.

I haven’t bought a can of tuna in a long time. I was surprised how, among the many brands, so few were packed in oil. I did find one brand that qualified. I assume the

PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020

Tarmo Hannula

TRANSFORMED CASSEROLE Thick udon noodles are the perfect base for absorbing these authentic Japanese ingredients.

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons mild cooking oil 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon mirin 1 teaspoon sweet white miso Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat and put the wakame in a medium bowl. Once the water comes to a boil, pour enough water over the wakame to cover it by 2 inches. Let the wakame soak for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

While the wakame soaks, cook the noodles according to the package. Drain and set aside in a wide serving bowl.

If you are using sesame seeds, heat in a small fry pan over medium heat until golden.

Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside. Drain the tuna, break in small chunks and set aside.

Add about 3/4 of the dressing and the wakame to the noodles and toss to combine. Top noodles with tuna, sliced green onions and furikake or sesame seeds. Serve hot, warm or cold. There is enough for two people.

7

PHOTO GALLERY

Anna’s hummingbird makes an early morning sweep of a garden in Santa Cruz.

Tarmo Hannula

RECYCLE TRIP

A man totes his recyclable goods across Main Street in Watsonville on his bike.

RIVER WALK A man crosses the

shallows of the San Lorenzo River at Main Beach in Santa Cruz.

Tarmo Hannula

8

DROPPING IN This

Tarmo Hannula

SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Have a recent photo you’d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to echalhoub@weeklys.com or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 18, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the name of the photographer.

TOPS In Their Field

Tom Brezsny’s

REAL ESTATE OF MIND

Provoking thought since 1990

Are You TOPS in Your Field?

Ed Show

Call Debra 831.761.7325

THANK YOU A tribute to first responders on Hazel Dell Road in Corralitos.

CalDRE #01719898

Still Serving Santa Cruz, Monterey & San Benito Counties

Direct Line: 831-707-8067 www.jessesellingcalifornia.com

Helping Buyers and Sellers ITIN Purchases Mobile Home Sales + Purchases

Ready to help with all of your real estate advertising needs.

PRINT & DIGITAL Ed Show

BUSY BEES A beekeeper at a Pajaro organic raspberry ranch coaxes a honey

bee swarm onto a frame, which will be placed into an empty bee box in order to start a new colony.

Tiffani Petrov Account Executive 831.761.7314 tpetrov@pajaronian.com

Tom Brezsny

Realtor® DRE#01063297

831-818-1431 getreal@serenogroup.com PA I D A D V E R T O R I A L

PAJARO - OCTOBER1,1,2020 PAJAROVALLEY VALLEYMAGAZINE MAGAZINE | | SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER25 25- OCTOBER 2020

Jesse Reyes

Busy week... First there was a 16-offer situation on the Eastside. Then 12 offers on the Westside, followed by 10 more in Capitola, 8 in Aptos and 6 each in Pacific Grove and North Monterey County.

When the dust finally settled, there were 6 buyers that emerged from the mosh pit victorious and another 52 (and their agents) who found themselves back at square one waiting for the next big offer scrum. That’s a lot of disappointed buyers and buyers’ agents.

In some ways none of this is new. It’s all a continuation of the fast-paced, low inventory, multiple-offer binge real estate has been on since it turned the corner on the distress market in 2013. Over the last 8 years, we’ve grown accustomed to sustained levels of craziness and the record price increases that come when too many buyers are chasing too little inventory for way too long.

But the part of this long crazy saga that’s new and that has caught everyone off guard is the blindingly quick surge in recent months that has brought unprecedented levels of market intensity and ferocity to the marketplace, like some mysterious switch was flipped.

Right now, it’s hotter than hot, and crazier than crazy (if that’s possible), and a lot of us have been left speechless by the results. All on the heels of a global pandemic, a recession, continuing calls for social justice and an unprecedented series of wildfires that has destroyed homes and left the skies all over the West Coast shrouded in an eerie orange glow.

Rather than stopping or even slowing down for a breather, the market has defied logic and leapfrogged past any measure of activity we’ve had before. In July, the median price hit $1 million for the first time ever. A year earlier, in July 2019, it was at $900,000 - an even $100,000 less. Last month (August) the median price for a single-family residence made another astounding jump to $1,050,000!

After 30+ years in the business, I’m seeing more pre-emptive and more non-contingent offers than I’ve ever seen before. That’s: no loan, no appraisal and no inspection contingencies. And: asis, no buyer inspections and certainly no thought of any renegotiation on price after escrow is opened. Offers 10% above list are not unusual. 20% is becoming quite common. And there have been more than a few 30% plus offers sprinkled into the mix as of late.

Where is it all going? When in doubt, it’s always best to go back to the most basic part of the real estate equation - supply and demand. And that’s where we’ll pick up next week.

9

722-3382

HOME OF THE WEEK

E. Romie Lane

South Salinas location under construction duplex consisting of 3Br-2.5 Bth dbl car garage each unit $829,000 2095 Penasquitas Dr., Aptos 37 Webb Road, Watsonville Condominium 3Br-2.5 Bths 2 car attached garage ,move in condition walk to the beach and Seascape Village shopping. $749,000

1039 Freedom Blvd.

Commercial Office For Sale. Seller Is Motivated. $450,000

JOHN ESPINOZA 840-2506

COMING SOON

Bank owned property call for details.

171 Zinfadel Court, Los Banos Two Story Home, consisting of 4 bdrs,and 2.5 bts. Living room, family room,fireplace.

Large lot. 2 Car Garage.

Offered at $359,500

EVERARDO QUINTERO 831-332-5545

BRE #00477281

BRE #00478150

RAY QUINTERO 707-4659

SALVADOR “SAL” ROCHA 724-6030

BRE #00789143

BRE #00913260

Submitted photo

1051 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville

SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

SPACIOUS PRIVACY This Corralitos home sits in

10

the La Cima Community.

Bay views from above Corralitos home located in private community

T

A digital solution for real estate professionals to attract prospects, sell homes and build listings For more information contact Tiffani Petrov, 831.761.7314

his custom home in the hills of Corralitos offers expansive views of the Monterey Bay. Located at 367 Summit Road, the 2,172-square-foot home includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms. It is one of six homes that form the La Cima Community.

It has a master suite upstairs, two spacious ground floor bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, an

outdoor shower, wine cellar and other amenities. There are mature and diverse landscapes outside, with a detached garage and studio above.

The Monterey Bay can be viewed from the expansive decks or the numerous picture windows.

The home, built in 1979, is listed at $999,000 by The Portola Group.

For information, visit tinyurl.com/ yxq3uuey.

HOMEOWNER’S SERVICE GUIDE Keep your home in top shape with the help of these local professionals.

4

3

For information on how to include your business, email sales@pajaronian.com

1

FURNITURE

31 E 5th Street Watsonville

(831) 722-1776

EQUIPMENT RENTAL

3

1

WINDOWS

Delta Glass 1811 Freedom Blvd.

285 W. Beach Street Watsonville

(831) 724-6385 delta_glass@sbcglobal.net

2

4

PLUMBING

PLUMBING

5

HOUSE CLEANING

HOUSE CLEANING

(831) 722-0334

JOHN SKILLICORN Realtor®

CALBRE #01875872

831-818-1540 | www.JohnSkillicorn.com | johnskillicorn@att.net

PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 1, 2020

Baker Bros.

2

5

11

SANTA CRUZ NATURALS

C10-0000237-LIC

C10-0000238-LIC