serving santa Cruz, Monterey, san Benito and san Luis Obispo Counties
March 2014
Giornata — Wines That Represent a Family Lifestyle BY PAULA MCCAMBRIDGE PASO ROBLES — Brian and Stephanie Terrizzi of Giornata are inspired by the great wine tradition of Italy and also motivated by Brian’s escape from the soul-crushing world of cubicles he inhabited in his past life as a financier. Brian draws comparisons to that work life with the cult classic 1999 movie,
“Office Space,” a spoof of the confines of the cubicle world that was more fact than fiction — “Yeeeeah, did you get that memo?” That world where workers are separated from the earth by layers of asphalt, cement, glass, suits and ties is far removed from the one where the Terrizzis now live in the heart of California’s Central Coast. They, along with their 8-year-old twin
daughters Aida and Kate — both named for grandmothers — now live their lives close to the ground. Their wines are created from all-Italian varietals grown in local soil. They raise a pig each year while a friend raises a cow followed by sharing their locally grown, well cared-for meat with each other. They get wheat from a farmer friend to mill their own flour and are looking for a good corn varietal to
grind their corn to create polenta; they make their own honey and olive oil, too. Everything the family does is connected to everything else, making their superior wines, not their stand-alone success, but one example of their thoughtful lives. “In the European model, wine is a part of life,” Brian said. Please turn to Page A4 - Giornata
New farm law will benefit California Submitted Article
A dynamite charge knocks loose 50,000 tons of granite Tuesday at the A.R. Wilson Quarry in Aromas as part of Graniterock’s aggregate processing line. Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian
Making up Watsonville’s bedrock Graniterock a mainstay for 114 years
By TODD GUILD
Of the Register-Pajaronian
T
he siren warning that a blast was imminent at Graniterock’s A.R. Wilson Quarry came two minutes before 25,000 pounds of explosive would hammer loose a landslide of rocks and boulders. When the time came, electronic timers ignited 74 explosive charges, sending a massive cloud of stone and dirt into the air. This was followed by the roar and rumble as the rock tumbled into the quarry. Far from the dramatic explosions for which Hollywood is famous, this controlled blast in late January put more than 50,000 tons of quality granite precisely where the company’s engineers wanted it. Jeremy Hunzie, who leads a team tasked with removing dirt and other debris from the granite so it can be mined, called the event a “boring blast.” The remark was far from disparaging. “We want our job to be boring,” he said, referring to the company’s strict adherence to safety standards. Indeed, safety messages
are emblazoned onto trucks and other places throughout the company. Next, two massive bulldozers took over, each capable of pushing 70 tons. Their
mission was to move the pile of car-sized boulders and make them accessible to the Please turn to Page A3 - Graniterock
Graniterock workers lead a tour of their massive crusher. Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian
The five-year federal farm bill signed into law Feb. 7 by President Obama will enhance food production and natural resources in California, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation. Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger said the law includes a number of conservation programs to share costs of stewardship work performed on farms and ranches. For example, the Air Quality Initiative in the farm bill allows farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to participate in a cost-share program to help them upgrade equipment, decrease emissions and address federal air quality regulations. Securing continued funding for the program was a key priority for CFBF during farm bill negotiations this year, and Wenger said House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, played a crucial role in assuring the Air Quality Initiative remained in the final version of the bill. “This was a true team effort involving several members of the California congressional delegation, and Kevin McCarthy proved instrumental in the final discussions,” Wenger said. “As a result, the Air Quality Initiative will continue to benefit air quality both in California and elsewhere in the nation.” Wenger thanked the leaders of the House and Senate agriculture committees, California members of the House committee and Sen. Dianne Feinstein for their efforts to bring the lengthy farm bill discussions to conclusion. He noted that the new farm law reauthorizes and strengthens livestock disaster assistance programs at a time with California ranchers face severe losses due to drought, and renews other emergency programs. Nutrition assistance remains the single largest component of the bill. The new law also authorizes investments in research on “specialty crops” such as fruits, vegetables and nuts, and on programs to encourage people to eat more Please turn to Page A2 - Law