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
A2- The Land - March 2014
Jeff Schmidt recalls the good old days By WENDY SANS
Of South County Newspapers
Bitterwater resident Jeff Schmidt turned 90 recently, and it seems there’d be no one better to reminisce with about the good old days. Late in the evening, on Jan. 26, 1924, Nessen Schmidt used an old crank telephone to contact the operator in King City to summons Dr. Brumwell, who he hoped would be able to drive out to Bitterwater to help deliver their new baby. Thirty minutes after his initial phone call, the operator called back stating that the roads were too slick and muddy for the doctor to drive out there, but that he would try to make it out on his motorcycle. Dr. Brumwell arrived about 1:30 a.m., covered in mud. After he washed up and had several cups of coffee, he helped deliver Jeff Schmidt at 5 a.m. on Jan. 27, 1924. The story of Jeff ’s birth is a reminder to Jeff of how it used to be in the good old days. One of the most significant changes Jeff reflects on has to do with one of life’s most simple tools, the telephone. He can tell you with detail about the old crank telephone used back in the good old days. The ones that you had to crank several times in
PUBLISHER Jeremy Burke publisher@register-pajaronian.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Brian Williams editor@register-pajaronian.com STAFF WRITERS Todd Guild, Tarmo Hannula, Wendy Sans, Paula McCampbridge ADVERTISING Tina Chavez tinac@register-pajaronian.com Susie Ronzano sronzano@register-pajaronian.com Allison Stenberg astenberg@register-pajaronian.com Sadie Witkins switkins@register-pajaronian.com Jillian Hogan jhogan@register-pajaronian.com Sheryl Bailey sheryl@southcountynewspapers.com Brandi Schmidt-Garza brandi@southcountynewspapers.com
The Land is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without wri en consent from the publisher. The Land made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. The Land is a division of the Register-Pajaronian and South County Newspapers.
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order to reach a neighbor or the town operator. It was a time when there were no phone numbers, but instead a “code” of rings that each neighbor had. Anyone could pick up the phone when it rang, even if the phone call wasn’t for you. Neighbors could listen in to anyone’s conversation at any given time, thus the term “party lines.”
With today’s technology, one might find it hard to believe that is the way it used to be. But, according to Jeff, “the system worked real good because real people were involved, now real people are out of work.” Jeff ’s biggest complaint about today’s phone system is that it’s too automated. “You can’t even find a real person to talk to anymore when you’re calling a business.” Another of Jeff ’s fond recollections of the good old days were his days at Bitterwater School. Bitterwater was, and still is, a two-room school house. There was no electricity back then so the school was heated with wood stoves and lit up with gas lamps. There was no running water, but there was a cistern on the back porch that contained water and one single cup in which all the kids drank from. The teachers disciplined all the children back then with a paddle and a ruler, far from the way it is today. The older kids were responsible for the janitorial duties of the school, and, believe it or not, it was considered a privilege to be chosen for the monthly duty. The job consisted of wiping down the chalkboard, cleaning the erasers, sweeping the floors and collecting wood for the woodstove. All of this for $3.50 per month. Back then, Bitterwater had an “open campus.” At lunch, the kids would climb
over the schoolyard fence and run and play “Hares and Hounds” all over the adjoining hills of the Selleck Ranch. When lunch recess was over, the bell would ring and back over the fence they would go back to school. All of the boys were allowed to carry pocket knives back then so many a lunch hour were spent playing “mumble peg” with their knives. Back in the day, there were so many families in Bitterwater with young children that when it came time for high school, there would be as many as 15-20 teenagers on the Bitterwater bus to town. Today, there’s only two kids that ride the bus to town. Jeff attended King City High School back in the day. He recalls playing basketball and running track. They didn’t break the teams up based on grade or skill level, they were broken up by size. They had the midgets, the lightweights and the heavyweights. The gymnasium was so small back then that is was referred to as “the crackerbox.” It wasn’t long enough for a full court basketball game so they played with two half courts instead. There were no cheerleaders back then, only one “cheerman.” Classmate Red Purdy would cheer the crowd on with a megaphone as big as he was. Back in the day, life was simpler, slower and one might think, a little easier.
Vineyard Team to host soil moisture monitoring workshop Submitted Article PASO ROBLES — As the current drought and efficient water use continue to be an important topic, the Vineyard Team and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers are partnering to present “Soil Moisture Monitoring for Vineyard Irrigation Management.” The morning-long seminar will be held on Wednesday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to noon in Paso Robles. The first half of the seminar will be indoors at Broken Earth Winery and
Law
will include presentations on how water moves in soil, measuring and monitoring salts in both soil and water, and the use of soil moisture sensors in determining irrigation schedules. Afterward, attendees will go to nearby Serena Vista Vineyards for hands-on field demonstrations on the placement of soil moisture sensors, which is part of a larger two-year irrigation demonstration project funded by the USDA. “Obviously, water is crucial to everyone here on the Central Coast, and we want to help give farmers the best tools
and information to help them maximize their water-use efficiency,” said Kris Beal, Executive Director of the Vineyard Team. “Soil moisture measurement is one important tool in helping growers make informed irrigation decisions.” This presentation is open to all. Cost is $25 for non-members and free for Vineyard Team and CAFF members To register or for more information, contact the Vineyard Team at 466-2288 or visit www. vineyardteam.org.
that our customers need, while sustaining our land and our businesses for future generations,” he said. “This new farm law will help us to achieve that goal.” The California Farm Bureau Federation
works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 78,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 6.2 million Farm Bureau members.
Continued from page A1
of those foods. Wenger said those programs will benefit both farmers and food shoppers in California. “The ultimate goal for farmers and ranchers is to grow food and farm products
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The Land- March 2014 - A3
Graniterock
Continued from page A1
night crew. Using other earth-moving equipment, that team would scoop the boulders into a house-sized crusher, reducing them to soccer-ball-sized rocks that would be transported via a mile-long conveyor belt to a secondary processing station. There, crushing machines would further reduce the rocks into a variety of sizes from superfine sand to one-and-a-half-inch gravel, all of which has different uses in the construction industry. Airport runways, for example, must be able to support the weight of airliners and need gravel mixes with larger diameters. Driveways for homes, on the other hand, need smaller sized gravel. The base rock that goes under concrete slabs, furthermore, must be formulated to easily compact and be extremely strong. Each of those requires a different mix of gravel size and formulation. The 800-acre A.R. Wilson Quarry in Aromas is fed by a mass of granite that formed more than 200 million years ago, and will allow Graniterock to provide granite products to its local customers for many years to come. Unlike the solid, towering granite monoliths of Yosemite National Park, however, this granite sits atop the San Andreas Fault, which for eons has pre-fractured the stone and made it all the easier to mine. But throughout the history of the quarry the weight of the granite has made it incredibly difficult to mine, from the time the company was founded in 1900 by Arthur Roberts Wilson and Warren Porter at a time when men with picks and shovels worked alongside steam engines to break rock at A.R. Wilson quarry. Even after the company has automated most of the mining processes, shipping the final product still poses a financial challenge to customers. This, marketing services manager Keith Severson said, called for an innovative solution. Because trucking is notoriously expensive - $90 per hour - the company developed “Granite Express,” an innovative way to load its product onto waiting trucks, any time of day. “Every minute adds money to the final product,” Severson said. Truckers drive under a loading machine, and guided by radio frequency, the automated system loads the exact size and shape of rock they need. This has reduced loading time by half, Severson said. “It’s like a 24/7 ATM for rock,” he said. Nearby, another machine is capable of loading a 100-ton railcar in three minutes, Severson said. To make sure its products meet customers’ needs, the company has an onsite research and technical services division that tests for gravel size and for strength of its stone projects. “Lots of science goes into making our products,” Severson said. While Graniterock’s products are
This hefty Caterpillar 992K loader can deliver 28 to 30 tons of rock in a single scoop. It is shown here alongside Jeremy Hunzie (right) and Keith Severson of Graniterock. Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian.
shipped as far as the Marshall Islands to make satellite launching pads, approximately 99 percent stays local and is shipped out to all points from Santa Cruz to South San Francisco via a system of 400 rail cars, each capable of holding 100 tons. The company also offers decorative rock, concrete supplies and building materials. Its products go to large and small contractors, paving companies and a legion of large and small customers. The company boasts hundreds of longstanding customers, including Santa Cruz Underground and Paving, Inc. and Granite Construction for projects that include roads, paving and landscaping. Pavex Construction, the company’s construction division, offers services such as commercial site development, grading, paving, mass excavation and earth moving. The company has had a hand in construction projects throughout the area, including airports in San Francisco, San Jose and Salinas. The primary takeoff runway was a Graniterock project, as was part of San Jose Valley Medical Center. “Graniterock is proud to have been a literal cornerstone and part of the foundation of the Watsonville community,” Severson said. “We live and work in this town and have been helping make it the wonderful and unique environment it is since 1900.” For a video of the blast, visit www.youtube.com/registerpajaronioan. For information, visit www.graniterock.com.
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Conveyor belts are used to heap up various sizes of aggregate. Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian.
A Proud Tradition. Farming in Southern Monterey County since the 1930’s
Neil Bassetti Farms, LLC. Greenfield, CA
A4- The Land - March 2014
Giornata
Continued from page A1
The Terrizzis recently planted their own three acres of grapes — they’re people who appreciate even small victories and often wrap them in humor — Brian’s humor is dry, and Stephanie’s is often accompanied by infectious laughter. “We planted our three-acre estate,” Stephanie said, laughing, fist pumping the air. The wine they make is under their Giornata label, though Brian, along with winemaker Chris Brockway of Broc Cellars also create Broadside, recently featured in the New York Times. Giornata is not only grown from Italian varietals, but also follows Italian winemaking traditions, including storage in giant terra cotta pots called amphora or in a botti, which is a wooden container that holds 11 barrels-worth of wine. Both amphora and botti were shipped to the United States from Italy. The amphora, which visitors are welcome to view when they visit the winery, were a tradition in early Italy before winemakers mostly switched to wooden containers in the 1600s. “There are places in Eastern Europe where they never switched to barrels,” Brian said. “About 20 years ago, there was a movement in Italy to bring them back. These were the first in California, along with AmByth Estate.” Brian worked in Italian wineries when he first began exploring the industry, and the couple makes a trip back each year to research the trade they love so well. “We try to get to Italy every year,” Stephanie said. “We want to understand the history, the food and the culture. We try to meet with two producers each day, the most traditional and most modern we can find. It’s the most eye-opening experience.”
Though they learn from the masters, their philosophy is their own. “We’re not about copying them, but taking these traditions and modernizing the, customizing them for this region,” Brian said. “With us, it’s about more than building our own winery in California — there are people who create an estate and a big winery that people have to drive out to. In Italy, this is more common. I like this sort of urban winery.” Brian has worked across the state and in Italy — “Clean Brian, cleeeean,” Stephanie imitates Brian’s Italian co-workers as they yelled to him when he cleaned the tanks. Stephanie has worked in wine across the state, including a stint at Gallo up in Healdsburg. How many people can say they learned to drive a tractor at Gallo? The Terrizzis say their winery is built on their hard work and drive and is all part of their dream, which relies on their plan. They have day jobs; they borrow money from the bank, they say. They face the same struggles anyone does, and they’re willing to put in the work to make Giornata grow. “If your dream doesn’t have some fear attached then you’re not dreaming big enough,” Stephanie said. Brian said, “It’s sort of a utopian vision — I think if it’s something we care about and we can do it on limited resources then maybe it can serve as a model for others. It’s an interesting way to live and goes much deeper than selling wine.” For more information on Giornata, go to www.giornatawines.com. Giornata is located at 470 Marquita Ave. in Paso Robles. To make an appointment, call 434-3075.
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The Land- March 2014 - A5
Paraiso Vineyards
The Smith family currently (from left) son Jason, father Rich and mother Claudia and daughter Kacy are the driving force behind the classic Paraiso Vineyards operations. Deborah Mills/South County Newspapers
By DEBORAH MILLS
Of South County Newspapers
SOLEDAD — Paraiso Vineyards created the first boutique and tasting on the Historic River Road driving tour 17 years ago even though the vineyard was planted in the late 1970s. Now the Smith family owned and operated operation will be expanding to opening another tasting room in Carmel come this April. They are in the process of giving their classic wines a new look by introducing a second label. “It’s exciting times for us,” said Jason Smith, son of Rich and Claudia Smith. “We are currently working on another high end low production reserve wine.” Rich and Claudia themselves are known for being visionaries and the first stewards of the land that is Paraiso Vineyards, where now their son Jason oversees all aspects of
the vineyard and winery operations alongside his father. Their daughter Kacy helped start the Paraiso brand by selling wine right out of college. She ultimately chose the academic world instead of the wine industry but it virtually impossible for her not to be involved. Their current tasting room is located at Paraiso Springs Road where it sits on the edge of the “Santa Lucia Bench” in the midst of the Smith family estate. Their tasting room bar offers samples of the full line of Paraiso wines, which includes a few bottlings that can only be found there. Pinot Noir is their specialty, with Chardonnay, Riesling and Syrah also in the mix and par of their daily offerings. Their motto is that they are definitely serious about the quality of their wines but never snobby about it. All of the Smith family vineyards are
Bob and Margaret Botta dedicated to dairy business By DEBORAH MILLS
Of South County Newspapers
SOUTH MONTEREY COUNTY — Bob and Margaret Botta owned and worked their dairy just north of Greenfield for 40 years. In 1948, Bob came from Switzerland to see his uncle in Greenfield and ended up staying. At that time, Bob and Margaret were only boyfriend and girlfriend, but two years later he sent for her and they were married in San Jose. Together they had one son, Sergio. This June 28 will mark their 64-year wedding anniversary. “We all worked together,” said Margaret. “He (Sergio) was just 7 years old when he would drive the tractor to go feed the cows. He was a good boy and worked hard.”
Margaret also cooked for all the men that worked at the dairy. Back in Switzerland, Bob, like his father, was trained to be a baker. But once in America, he discovered the baking business was different here and then got into the dairy business. Bob passed on his baking skills to his granddaughter Sabrina Botta, who is a baker and uses his recipes. On the advice of his uncle, he went to work in one of the local dairies. Bob first worked with Able Breschini, who had a dairy in the Mission District outside of Soledad. After a year, a Swiss acquaintance who sold sausage directed him toward one owned by Sam Rotta, since Breshini went out of business. In 1960, Bob went into partnership with Al Clark and they formed the Clark and Botta Please turn to Page A6 - Botta
Rich and Claudia Smith back in 1973 in a field of wildflowers off of Jolon Road. Rich is holding his son Jason and Claudia is holding their daughter Kacy. The Smith family behind the Paraiso Vineyards wines. Submitted photo
SIP (Sustainability in Practice) certified, which verifies that they implement and are committed to environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees and the economic viability. In the same space, they have assembled a collection of classic French Country home décor items and fashionable accessories. The deck out back of the tasting room is inviting to take pleasure in a glass of wine overlooking the picturesque Salinas Valley.
Visitors are welcome to spend a couple of hours or the day, and are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the panoramic view. The tasting room is open seven days a week. Monday through Friday hours of operation are from noon to 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Upon the opening of their Carmel location that tasting room will be open seven days a week.
organicgirl | NewStar Fresh | Epic Roots 900 Work St. | Salinas, California 93901
A6- The Land - March 2014
AG Briefs Agriculture Day returns March 19
The Ventana Wilderness land that is now protected Condor property. Submitted photo
The Wilderness Land Trust protects 29 acres of private land in California’s treasured Ventana Wilderness Submitted Article The Wilderness Land Trust just completed purchase of a 29-acre private property surrounded by the Ventana Wilderness in Central California. The property is located adjacent to the Milpitas Special Interest Area of the Los Padres National Forest, on the access road to the Santa Lucia Memorial Park, including a campground and trail entrance point to the Ventana Wilderness. Just 35 air miles southeast of Monterey, acquisition of the property protects campground and trail access to the Wilderness and prevents future development in the home range for the endangered California Condor. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, it’s important to work with valued partners like The Wilderness Land Trust to protect natural and cultural
resources adjacent to the Ventana Wilderness and enhance public access to these special lands,” said Los Padres National Forest Supervisor Peggy Hernandez. Ancestors of the Salinas people called the upper reaches of the San Antonio River home for many centuries. In 2005, at the urging of Salinan descendants and others, the Milpitas Special Interest Area was created by the Los Padres National Forest. “Those who frequent the Ventana Wilderness and surrounding lands all have their special places, but few are as magical and spectacular as Milpitas Special Interest Area(SIA),” said Mike Splain, Executive Director of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance. The area has been enjoyed by academics, individuals and families for many years. In 2012, the Ventana Wilderness Alliance facilitated an agreement between Los Padres
Our Roots Run Deep in King City Salinas Valley California
National Forst and Mountain Heritage Associates to create a comprehensive management plan for the Milpitas SIA with input from the Salinan trives, recreational users, and the local community. This acquisition by the Wilderness Land Trust further protects the outstanding ecological, scenic, and cultural values of the area. This property will be the third the Trust has protected in the Ventana Wilderness in the last two years. It also protected the 120acre Lost Valley property in late 2012 and the Three George’s property in late 2013. Both of these properties were in the home range of the California condor. “The land is one of only three properties remaining in private ownership in or adjacent to the Milpitas Special Interest Area,”said Aimee Rutledge, the land trust’s California Program Manager.
June 28 will mark Margaret and Bob Botta’s 64th wedding anniversary where they both had dedicated their lives not only to each other, but the dairy business. Deborah Mills/South County Newspapers Botta - Continued from page A5
First St. & Lonoak Rd. 831-385-6225
Dairy, formerly the Clark and Togni Dairy, where they sold their milk to Borden up in San Francisco. They started with 95 cows and when Bob sold the dairy they had 800. Upon the purchase, one of the first things Bob did was update the dairy from the old school of milking the cows by hand to one of the first modern dairies in the area where they utilized milking machines. Borden would come daily and, prior to him selling the dairy, picked up anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 gallons of milk. Each cow produced roughly six gallons a day. The first milking occurred in the early morning at 1 a.m. and the second milking 12 hours later. The reason is the milk had to be ready for pick-up at 5:30 a.m. seven days a week. For the first 11 years, Bob never took a day off. He did this so he could have complete ownership of the dairy and everything was bought and paid for. “Either you think I am crazy or not telling the truth,” said Bob. Bob and Margaret upon selling the dairy in 1988 moved to Gonzales where they still reside today.
WATSONVILLE — The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau in conjunction with the organization, Agri-Culture, will host the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon on March 19 at the Agricultural History Project’s Codiga Center and Museum located at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Reservations and sponsorships for the luncheon are available for $45 per person at www.sccfb.com/content/national-ag-day-luncheon or call (831) 724-1356. The Al Smith Friend of Agriculture Award will be presented during the luncheon. This year’s award will be presented by last year’s honoree, Thomas Rider, owner of H.A. Rider and Sons. Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture co-sponsor a poster contest (grades K-6) and poetry contest (grades 7-12) in Santa Cruz County and Pajaro Valley schools. The winning entries will be displayed during the luncheon and a placemat featuring the 2013 poster contest winner, Siena Gallo, fifth-grader from Linscott Charter School in Watsonville, will be used on the tables. Also on the placemat will be the 2013 poetry contest winning entry by Kyle Galloway, seventh-grader from Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville. This year’s contest winners will be introduced at the luncheon. Another feature of the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon is the presentation of the Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship. The selection of the Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship is based upon the student’s scholastic record, agricultural potential, special activities, personal histories, letters of recommendation, and financial need. For information, call 724-1356 or email sccfb@sbcglobal.net.
Second Saturday On The Farm features robotics in agriculture
WATSONVILLE — The Agricultural History Project Center and Museum continues its monthly Second Saturday On The Farm on March 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Highway 152 outside Watsonville. This event is free, but donations are appreciated. The March 8, Second Saturday on the Farm features a scheduled talk on how robots are used in the agriculture industry in Santa Cruz County and around the world, plus LEGO building, robotic car races, programming, drawing a robot, competing sumo robots, hayrides, movies, practice cow milking and other activities for children. — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — LEGO building, robotic car races, programming a BeeBot robot, drawing a robot, sumo robotics and other fun activities for children. — 1 to 1:20 p.m. — Learn to Discover, an educational nonprofit organization, will be discussing robots in the agriculture industry. — Ongoing — Tractor driving, practice cow milking, water pumping and other fun activities for kids. Brian and Shelly Laschkewitsch from Learn to Discover will be facilitating many of the learning activities about robotics at this event. Learn to Discover is a nonprofit that designs, develops and delivers high-quality, hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) courses and activities to kids from pre-school through high school. Second Saturday on the Farm, held every month, offers a chance to experience a little of the history of farming. Each month focuses on a different aspect of the farming experience and explores the history as well as activities for kids and adults related to each topic. The Agricultural History Project Center and Museum revitalizes the connection with farms and ranches by creating events for families, stimulating discussions on current issues and displays of local history with the land.
The Land- March 2014 - A7 Farmers get help during drought as PG&E delays rate changes
SOUTH COUNTY — California farmers will get more flexibility to manage their water resources and some electricity rate relief as they work to conserve water during the drought, thanks to the California Farm Bureau who brought this issue to PG&E’s attention. On Feb. 11, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) agreed to let PG&E delay the termination of two rate schedules which would have required customers to choose from other available agricultural rate schedules. Elimination of these rate schedules at this time could have exacerbated the effect of the water shortages expected during this drought year As a result, farmers and ranchers will have more flexibility in when they can water crops and orchards. Termination of these rate schedules will now not begin until March 15, 2015. “Anything we can do to help our ag customers helps the California economy,” said Pat Mullen, a PG&E director and the leader of the company’s Ag Task Force. “We’re looking at everything we can do to try to help our ag customers, especially during this time of extreme drought.” Besides the obvious water issues, a drought impacts pumping and electricity use for farmers. “Farmers and ranchers in California utilize electricity in order to access and deliver water for their fields and crops,” said Karen Norene Mills, the associate counsel of the California Farm Bureau. “And because there is less water available, the ground water might be deeper, because we haven’t had much rain in the past year or so, they’ll need to be pumping more and delivering more water on their fields.” “The Commission is to be commended, everyone is to be commended,” said Mills. Noting that PG&E and the CPUC moved quickly to request and approve the
rate change, Mullen called the pace “unprecedented,” and said it reflects the seriousness of the drought. About 1,000 farmers and ranchers use the AG-R and AG-V agricultural electricity rates that were due to expire on March 1. They would have been switched to a different form of time-of-use rates, which would encouraged farmers to limit watering times to narrow windows and could potentially draw down water levels to the point where some pumps might lose suction and prevent irrigation. If more agricultural water users are incentivized to turn on their pumps at the same time during narrower windows of time, it will lead to greater drawdown of the water table and put more water wells at risk of drawing air and not performing properly. Colleen Cecil, the executive director of the Butte County Farm Bureau, said farmers are relieved that the new plans won’t go into effect for a year. Her local chapter has 1,600 members in Butte County and helped push this issue to the state-wide Farm Bureau and to PG&E. Having additional time will allow farmers to get through this year using pumping patterns they already are familiar with and to better prepare for the changes in 2015, Cecil said “We’re in a drought situation, so the whole thing has been exacerbated,” she added. “We are sharing resources with everyone around us — not just orchards, but with many homes and users. We want to be resourceful, and use resources in the most efficient manner we can.” Besides the Farm Bureau, PG&E worked with the Agricultural Energy Consumers Association and the South San Joaquin Irrigation District on the request to the CPUC. PG&E offers incentives so farmers can install more efficient pumps. The company has additional energy efficiency programs aimed at agricultural customers. More information for ag customers is available on PG&E’s website.
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