The LAND and it's people by Weeklys

May 2015

Serving Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and San Luis Obispo Counties

Officials urge changes to pesticide rules

School district adds droughtresistant landscaping

By TARMO HANNULA and TODD GUILD

BY SAMANTHA BENGTSON

Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — In a much darker time in California history, migrant farmworkers eked out their livings in bleak conditions, working under a system that exposed them to dangerous agricultural chemicals and cared little for their welfare. With many workers still exposed to tons of carcinogenic pesticides and herbicides, which also affect the people living around the farm fields, many would argue that similar conditions still exist today. That message was the focal point of a rally March 31 in Watsonville Plaza where several dozen people gathered to demand changes in the agricultural industry. These include establishing “protection zones” of at least a mile around schools and residences from agricultural chemicals, and a one-week notice for the use of agricultural pesticide use near schools, homes, hospitals and other sites. “Right now we are concerned many fumigants are being used close to our schools,” said Mark Weller of Californians for Pesticide Reform. “Latino school children are 320 percent more likely than white children to attend schools where the most hazardous pesticides are in use.” Organizers were also calling for stronger regulations for certain pesticides. “We need to focus on the recent studies that show continuing adverse health impacts to schools located adjacent to agriculture areas with higher than acceptable levels of fumigants and other pesticides,” said State Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning. “The children that are being exposed to this, the families school teachers — we can’t go back and fix it 10 years from now. We can’t go back and reverse the damage that is being done today five years from now or 10 years from now. One of our calls today

Of the Land

Carly Roth, a fifth-generation Miller-Moth Rancher, shows students her two pregnant South African Boer goats. Roth also showed the students the basics of feeding baby goats from a bottle. Photos by Beth Bolyard/The Land

Bauer Speck Agriculture Day By BETH BOLYARD Of the Land

PASO ROBLES — The BauerSpeck Elementary School grounds were teeming with goats, bees, and all things agriculture March 20 during its 20th annual Agriculture Day. The event, held every year in early spring, invites locals in agriculture

Please turn to Page 4

business to hold presentations all across the campus to teach kids about the various aspects of the agriculture industry. Presentations included bee etiquette, water horsepower conversion, ice cream making, and farm animal care with a few friendly goats and donkeys. Judy Honerkamp, fifth grade teacher Please turn to Page 2

Warm winter causes early strawberry harvest throughout the winter has goaded California’s strawberry crops into early production. “We’re picking right now, and they’re WATSONVILLE — The lack of rain and unseasonably warm weather huge, sweet and absolutely beautiful,” said Nita Gizdich, whose eponymous ranch grows approximately 10 acres of strawberries. “This is the first time we are picking this early.” According to California Strawberry Commission Communications Director Carolyn O’Donnell, the season is approximately four weeks ahead of schedule. As a result, the Wa t s o n v i l l e / S a l i n a s growing area has produced more than a million trays of berries this year, Field workers thin out a strawberry crop on a farm on amounting to well over 8 Riverside Drive in Watsonville. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/ million pounds.

By TODD GUILD Of the Land

The Land

One tray contains eight, one-pound clamshell containers. That’s an enormous increase from last year at this time, when the area grew 170,000 trays, O’Donnell said. Strawberries are growing this year on 37,438 acres across California, with more than 14,000 acres here in Watsonville, according to the Strawberry Commission. “We’re a little early this year,” O’Donnell said. Some growers even trimmed the blossoms from their plants to allow them to get bigger. The trouble, Gizdich said, is that Oxnard and Santa Maria — both giant berry growing regions to the south — are also picking in full force, which is flooding the market and could drive down prices for growers. “We’ll see what the customers are going to do,” she said. Despite the drought, growers are also dreading the thought of rain, which Please turn to Page 4

KING CITY — South Monterey County Joint Union High School District (SMCJUHSD) is now becoming more drought resistance in its landscaping. The district office of SMCJUHSD had some plants put in during the week of March 23 to reduce the amount of water they are using. “The district has been wanting to do this project for a very long time,” said Duane Wiolgamott, chief business official. “With Diane (MIller) coming on we were able to take this project on at a very low cost.” Diane Miller is the director of Maintenance, Operations, Transportation, and Facilities who said that donations were coordinated by Richard Benson from Benson Plumbing, who provided a “loaner” tractor along with landscaping materials. Miller said that the Young Farmers contributed 1,800 square feet of weed fabric, and Clark’s Trucking supplied boulders and decomposed granite. To install the plants and remove the old landscape California Conservation Corps (CCC) was brought in. California Conservation Corps is headquartered in Sacramento but also has an office out of Santa Maria. Once the plants are established no irrigation will be needed. The landscaping is also known as “zeroscape.” The planning for the project has been going on since January and the CCC made two previous trips to SMCJUHSD to help with the planning. There are a total of 20 plants right now with the possibility of more in the future. The plants that are included in the landscape are manzanita, deer grass, purple sage and more. “It’s been an unattractive landscape for a long time and we wanted to do this project that’s responsible about what we use,” said Miller.

A crew of eight California Conservation Corps members worked on the landscaping in front of the SMCJUHSD with plants that are drought resistant. Samantha Bengtson/The Land

Inside ... New nursery

Power exhibit

Water restrictions

Ag leadership

Farm Day

2 The Land - May 2015

Bauer Speck

Continued from page 1

and founder of the 20-year-old agriculture event, wanted an opportunity to show kids where their food came from and the many people involved. “When I was a kid I had to milk the cow,” Honerkamp said, “It was my parent’s livelihood, now it is very removed and kids only know going to the store to get their food.” Honerkamp, who also helmed the school’s on-campus garden, which utilizes the vegetables grown there for school lunches, believes in highlighting the heritage of Paso Robles agriculture by providing hands on opportunities for students to learn about the industry. “The Paso area has always been an agriculture area,” Honerkamp said. “Kids need to know where their food comes from and the different aspects of agriculture.” From teaching kids about the machinery, crops, plants and food to interacting the people who make agriculture happen, “it’s worked for 20 years,” she said. Honerkamp was honored at the event for her years of hard work teaching kids about gardening, healthy eating and environmental responsibility. Chief Academic Officer Babette DeCou highly regards Honerkamp’s program of and helped celebrate the teacher at the event.

PUBLISHER John Bartlett publisher@register-pajaronian.com

EDITOR Erik Chalhoub editor@register-pajaronian.com

EDITORIAL STAFF Tarmo Hannula, Todd Guild, Luke Phillips, Allyson Oken, Samantha Bengtson and Hayley Thomas

“She realized there were kids who were growing up in this agriculture community that actually had no connection to any of the products or services that are available here in Paso Robles,” DeCou said of Honerkamp. “This is why she originally started the event, it helps them see how the food goes from the farm to the table.” Honerkamp has entrusted the gardening responsibilities to the children of the school since the time of its founding and insisted teachers and parents not get too involved in order to let the children learn how to tend it. “She brings the classes through the garden activities and gives them chores like picking weeds,” said DeCou. “And we have seen a change in kids eating habit.” Agriculture presenters come from all over the county and present in several Students at Bauer-Speck Elementary interacted with farmers and farm animals to learn about different fields and each grade participated local agriculture at the school’s annual Agriculture Day. in up to four presentations appropriate for Roth said. “I love helping kids with their Bee conservation was also a subject at their age group. Galen O’Reilly from Cal Coast projects and passing down this information one of the presentation stations. Sue Hulsmann, beekeeper at the Queen Machinery was at the event and showed to them is great.” Another set of Cal Poly students took Team bee hives, brought a honeybee group after group of young children one of the iconic green and yellow John Deere time from their school schedule to teach presentation about bee life and how kids kids about the relationship between can help bees along with some fresh cut tractors his company sells. comb honey for kids to eat. “This event is really fun for kids who electricity and horsepower. Luis Vasquez and Trevor Sa, both seniors “It’s all about empowering kids to do haven’t seen a tractor,” O’Reilly said of at Cal Poly working at the Irrigation something by teaching them about bees the experience. Carly Roth, fifth-generation Miller-Moth Training and Research Center, set up a and bee etiquette,” Hulsmann said. “So Rancher, brought two very pregnant South game where fifth grade students could many kids don’t think they can make a African Boer Goats and one bouncy baby compete on bicycles to pump pressurized difference but they can help save bees.” Some of the tips for bee etiquette goat to the school and showed the children water up a tube that measured the pressure. how to feed a baby goat from a bottle as The kids could then use a formula to included respecting bee homes, planting well as letting the children pet the soon-to- convert the measurement into horsepower. flowers, avoiding insect poisons, giving “The game is just a fun way to show them bees water to drink and eating local honey. be mothers. The overall event succeeded in teaching Roth, in her second year at Cal Poly San how to relate horsepower to something of Luis Obispo, has been showing goats for everyday use,” said Vasquez of the water to the school children many aspects of several years and loves coming back to horsepower equation game. “We’re often agriculture, food production and farming her roots to help kids understand the little stuck with difficult equations and really and perhaps helped close the gap rough concepts in college, it’s kind of nice Honerkamp saw between the agriculture known world of goat care. “It was always apart of my life, I don’t to bring it down for the kids to show the world and the world of mere food think it will ever not be apart of my life,” basics of how to relate water to their lives.” consumption.

Business is blooming

Nursery to open at Casserly Road and Highway 152 By TODD GUILD Of the Land

ADVERTISING Tina Chavez tinac@register-pajaronian.com Adriana Novack anovack@register-pajaronian.com Allison Stenberg astenberg@register-pajaronian.com Sheryl Bailey sheryl@southcountynewspapers.com Jon Allred jon@southcountynewspapers.com

ART AND DESIGN Mike Lyon

The Land is published monthly. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written 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.

Tony Barcelo and Jamie Giordanengo, co-managers of the new garden nursery, La Esquina at 152, pose with some of their products. Photos by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

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Jesus Tafoya keeps household garden flowers hydrated.

WATSONVILLE — A new nursery is bringing color to what was once a dilapidated corner of rural Watsonville. La Esquina at 152 Nursery — set on the corner of Casserly and Highway 152 — features flowering annuals and perennials in a yard next to the building that for decades housed George’s TV and Sanderson Satellite. The nursery held a grand opening on March 21, with a ribbon cutting set for May 7 from 5-7 p.m. Gone are the iconic turquoise walls and weed-choked lot, replaced with a new coat of paint and a carefully manicured nursery lot. The business will also offer ground cover plants, and will specialize in succulents, hydrangeas and palms. Several pottery items are also available, and in an indoor showroom, customers can browse among wrought-iron art and furniture and garden art. Co-manager Tony Barcelo, who has grown flowering plants at a Paulsen Road farm for nearly three decades, said the retail location will allow him to sell his products directly to customers. He said that 80 percent of his products will be locally grown. “Since we’re growers, we can pass on our savings to our customers,” he said. Barcelo said he has kept his eye on the busy corner for years, as he got his daily coffee from a nearby market. Co-manager Jamie Giordanengo said she and Barcelo have done an enormous amount of work revamping the place and getting it ready for this week’s opening since the Jan. 15 groundbreaking. “I’m super excited,” she said. “I can’t wait. It seems like it’s taken forever.” ••• La Esquina at 152 Nursery is located at 9 Casserly Road. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday, and 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on weekends.

The Land - May 2015 3

New hands-on power exhibit teaches children about renewable energy sources. By BETH BOLYARD Of the Land

PASO ROBLES — “Solar, Wind and Water,” the Paso Robles Children’s Museum’s newest exhibit, opened to the public March 28, much to the excitement of everyone involved. The exhibit, designed to teach children about renewable energy, lets children explore how solar, wind and waterpower light up a house. Children can also see how much energy they can create using their own “pedal power.” Two years in the making, the exhibit is a complement to the museum’s mission to teach children about the world through fun, hands-on activities. Jennifer Smith, the Executive Director at the Paso Robles Children’s Museum, was excited about the museum’s new addition and the prospect of teaching kids about renewable energy at a young age. “We have tons of fabulous things for kids to play with at the museum,” said Smith. “This is another way to educate children and teach them about responsibility.” The exhibit is comprised of three stations dedicated to a separate energy source, water, solar or wind and gives kids the opportunity to interact with the exhibit to learn more about how each source of energy works. At the water power station, children can turn a water turbine generator wheel that illustrates dam water flowing to the PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant Site presented a check to the board of the Paso Robles Children’s Museum Friday for their new renewable generator and lights up a small house in energy themed exhibit. From Left: Children’s Museum Board Members, Chris Brooks, Kristina Wesley, Beth Brennan, Jollyne Johnson; the display; the faster the turbine spins, the Executive Director, Jennifer Smith; and Jim Welsch, PG&E Diablo Canyon Power Plant Site Vice President. Photos by Beth Bolyard/The Land brighter the house glows. The solar power station and the wind plays a very important role in a thriving and families with a water-conscious lawn power station work in a similar fashion and renewable resources.” The exhibit was brought to life through a community.” where children can run around. The plans with a light that can be pointed at a small The Paso Robles Children’s Museum is also include a custom-built, fire engine tree solar panel and a fan that can be pointed grant and partnership between the museum at a windmill; both respective display and PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant. known for providing inspiring interactive house dedicated to museum founder Tom Jim Welsh, Vice President of PG&E’s exhibits where children learn and grow Martin. houses light up when the power collector Diablo Canyon Power Plant Site, presented through play in a safe environment while “He never got to see the opening of is directly hit with light or wind. Another activity for the children is the a check to the museum board members encouraging learners of all abilities to the museum,” said Smith. “We’ve been “pedal power” simulator where kids can sit Friday and was happy PG&E could partner learn at their own pace and focus on topics looking to create something that honored Tom’s memory.” and see how much electricity they generate with the Children’s Museum to support that interest them. “This donation from PG&E has allowed community wide sustainable energy Groundbreaking on the outdoor project by pedaling custom engineered pedals. “This educational, interactive exhibit awareness while providing engaging us to create something special,” said was slated for early April. Smith. “We are grateful for the support.” To learn more about the Paso Robles will inspire children to explore and activities for local children. Growth doesn’t stop there for the Children’s Museum and their new exhibit “At PG&E, building stronger discover additional ways to create energy,” said Smith. “Children can learn at a very communities is one of our highest museum and plans are already in the works and upcoming plans, visit www.pasokids. young age the importance of conservation priorities,” said Welsh, “and education to develop a fenced in outdoor area for kids org.

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4 The Land - May 2015

Pesticides

Continued from page 1

is to look at health risks of pesticides to schoolchildren. We’re looking for broader buffer zones, zones of protection and for better monitoring.” It was no accident that the rally fell on the birthday of Cesar Chavez, who would have been 88. The former union organizer has become an icon of farmworker rights and a cultural hero. Chavez was known for his fight for farmworker rights and, along with Dolores Huerta, for founding the National Farm Workers Association. “The issue with pesticides is that it is in the food that we eat, it is in the air, it is in the water and it is in the soil,” said Lauro Barajas, Central Coast regional director of United Farm Workers. “So nobody escapes this. It is very important to make the public conscious of the fact that we are applying millions of tons of pesticides every year.” That organization, which would later become the United Farm Workers, became a powerhouse that eventually boasted a membership of 50,000. But even as agricultural laborers enjoy many of the things for which Chavez fought, studies still show that the neighborhoods that border farm fields are still being exposed to cancer-causing

chemicals. According to the California Department of Public Health, Hispanic students in Monterey County are 2.5 times more likely to attend a school near any pesticide use compared to white students. “The concern over, and fight over, pesticide reform has been going on for 50 years,” Weller said. “We’re still concerned that there are dangerous cancer-causing pesticides in the air.” Weller said that, when chemical companies are confronted with evidence of pesticide exposure, they demand proof and evidence. “Now, we’re offering that proof,” he said. According to Barajas, the Environmental Protection Agency has not updated its standards for agricultural pesticides since 1995. “A lot has changed in the last 20 years — but for farm workers, not so much,” Barajas said. Even recently enacted rules are inadequate, such as the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s 25-100 foot buffer zone around schools and residences for the fumigant pesticide chloropicrin, organizers said.

State Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning speaks in Watsonville Plaza about the hazards of pesticide use near schools and what needs to be done to rectify the problem. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Casino Night sees reopening of Orradre Building BY SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

KING CITY — Rancho Cielo and the Salinas Valley Fair teamed up to bring a Rancho Cielo Casino Night to the fairgrounds on March 21. Attendees for the event got the chance to meet some of the students in the culinary program, learn more about the program and play blackjack and Roulette. The Rancho Cielo students also put their skills to the test by preparing everything from meats to cupcakes, to salad, and even carved a

flower into a watermelon. Casino Night brought 18 Rancho Cielo culinary students as well as former Superior Court Judge John M. Phillips and Susie Brusa, executive director of Rancho Cielo. Three of the Culinary students were Courtney Irwin, Stephanie Hurtado and Michael Diaz. Irwin, Hurtado and Diaz are new to the culinary program as they joined in August. “I chose the culinary program because my mother’s friend works there and she told me about it,” said Diaz. “I thought of it as a new chance, a new opportunity.” Irwin has always enjoyed cooking and

Three Rancho Cielo culinary students pose during Casino Night. Pictured, from

waited a year to get into the culinary program after hearing about the program in 2013. “I have the dream to be a cook and open my own restaurant,” said Hurtado. “That’s what basically got me to Rancho Cielo. It gave me the skills to learn how to become a chef, know how to cook, everything.” Hurtado is one of the first female students to be on the steak station for the culinary program. Diaz started as a server for the first few weeks and then moved on to the “hot line.” Irwin started out with salads and desserts and has also been put in the “hot line.”

Michele Lewallen, the winner of $3,000 at Casino Night with Rancho Cielo staff and two of the casino hostesses. Pictured, from left to right: Erin King, Michele Lewallen,Susie Brusa, John M. Phillips, and Katie Phillips.

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All three students said that the Rancho Cielo culinary program gives them the chance to have the full restaurant experience and said that it’s faster than it looks. Rancho Cielo offers students from the ages of 15 and a half to 25 years old the opportunity to attend school and learn a trade craft at the same time. Casino Night also marked the reopening of the Orradre Building, which was a re-modernization process over the past few months to incorporate more energy-efficient technology and more.

Continued from page 1

would damage the berries, Gizdich said. “It’s been a mess, but mother nature always does her thing,” she said. The problem is statewide, with the Santa Maria region responsible for some five million trays, O’Donnell said. While the high volumes are good news for consumers as they prepare to snap up the berries for Easter, Mother’s Day and graduation season, it could also drive down prices for growers and retailers, O’Donnell said. California Giant Berries spokeswoman Cindy Jewell said the company is harvesting early, and that the output is currently double. “In the next two weeks we will be shipping close to a million trays a week,” she said.

Another concern is whether the season will extend into November, as it normally does. “What we don’t know is if the plants will be tired by then,” she said. California Giant plants on approximately 3,000 acres in Watsonville, Santa Maria and Oxnard. They average 20 million flats per year, or approximately 160 million pounds of strawberries. A 2014 report by the Strawberry Commission titled “Sustaining California Communities: Economic Contributions of Strawberry Farming,” shows that the state’s 400 strawberry farmers are responsible for growing nearly 90 percent of the crop produced in the U.S. The industry infuses some $3.4 billion into the state’s economy.

The Land - May 2015 5

Gov. Brown issues sweeping water restrictions Watsonville, PVWMA ‘ahead of the game’ By TODD GUILD

Of the Land and the ASSOCIATED PRESS

ECHO LAKE, Calif. — California Gov. Jerry Brown ordered officials April 1 to impose statewide mandatory water restrictions for the first time in history as surveyors found the lowest snow level in the Sierra Nevada snowpack in 65 years of record-keeping. Standing in dry, brown grass at a site that he said normally would be snow-covered this time of year, Brown announced he had signed an executive order requiring the State Water Resources Control Board to implement measures in cities and towns to cut the state’s overall water usage by 25 percent compared with 2013 levels. The move will affect residents, businesses, farmers and other users. “We’re in a historic drought and that demands unprecedented action,” Brown said at a news conference at Echo Summit in the Sierra Nevada, where state water officials found no snow on the ground for the first time in their manual survey of the snowpack. “We have to pull together and save water in every way we can.” The drought has wracked the Pajaro Valley for years, where residents are drawing water from wells faster than seasonal rainfall can recharge it. The result has been saltwater intrusion into the wells that is threatening the agricultural industry and homeowners alike. Water officials estimate that the state needs 11 trillion gallons statewide to recover from the drought. Central Coast Water Quality Preservation Inc. Executive Director Kirk Schmidt said that the rules largely affect suppliers that deliver water with aboveground canals. As such, they won’t seriously affect the Pajaro Valley, where farmers irrigate their land with groundwater. Schmidt said that Brown’s mandates require all water management agencies to comply with the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) program, which requires them to report the wells that use groundwater. Even as water officials scramble to understand how the new rules affect them, Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency General Manager Mary Bannister said the agency already complies with CASGEM rules. In addition, PVWMA has already invested millions of dollars in several water-saving projects, including its water recycling plant and a new storage tank, as well as a pipeline that will deliver recycled water to several farms. Future plans could include compensating farmers for allowing their fields to go fallow on a rotating basis, Bannister said. “We’re slightly ahead of the game,” she said. “I really applaud John Laird and Governor Brown for seeing what a crisis this drought has brought the state,” Bannister said. “It’s unprecedented. We’re breaking all the records.” Watsonville Director of Public Works and Utilities Steve Palmisano said the city

is ahead of the curve statewide. This includes implementing programs that offer rebates to residents for replacing their appliances, toilets and sinks with water-efficient ones, and replacing their lawns with drought-tolerant plants. Palmisano added that the city is using the same amount of water as it was 15 years ago, even with a 30 percent growth in population. “My first thought is basically that the city is doing almost everything in there already,” he said. “We may have to do more enforcement, but I think were going to be in pretty good shape.” Brown’s order follows previous cutbacks imposed by the water board. It will require campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes to significantly cut water use; direct local governments to replace 50 million square feet of lawns throughout the state with drought-tolerant landscaping; and create a temporary rebate program for consumers who replace old water-sucking appliances with more A young crop of lettuce gets a soaking recently on a farm on Beach Road. Photo by Tarmo efficient ones. Hannula/The Land “We’re in a new era; the idea of your nice little green grass getting water every Democratic governor has come under detailed drought management plans that day, that’s going to be a thing of the past,” increasing pressure to be more aggressive include how much water they have and Brown said. as the state enters its fourth year of drought. what they’re doing to scale back. This is the first time water conservation In the past year, the state water board After the previous drought, state officials efforts have focused in earnest on golf has imposed mandatory water-saving acknowledge that some suppliers did not courses, Bannister said. restrictions on urban users that prohibit submit similar required plans in 2009. Pacific Golf Centers General Manager sprinklers running off onto pavement, Mark Cowin, director of the Department Nick Manfre said he has not yet had a bans residents from watering lawns two of Water Resources, said the state will chance to see the new rules, and that it was days after rain, and bars restaurants from provide money to make sure the plans are too early to know how they would affect serving water unless customers ask for it. written and may penalize those who do not the putting and driving range. The order has fewer provisions comply. “I’m doing my best to conserve water as addressing the state’s biggest user of The state is not aiming to go after waterit is,” he said. water: agriculture. guzzling crops such as almonds and rice Brown’s order calls on local water There is no water reduction target the same way Brown has condemned agencies to implement tiered water pricing for farmers, who have let thousands of lawns. that charges higher rates as more water acres go fallow as the state and federal “We’re not at the point yet where we is used and requires agricultural users to government slashed water deliveries from are going to declare the irrigation of any report more water use information to state reservoirs. Instead, the order requires many particular crop ‘waste and unreasonable regulators. agricultural water suppliers to submit use,’” Cowin said. Brown’s office said that would boost the state’s ability to enforce laws against illegal water diversions and water waste. The order also prohibits new homes and developments from using drinkable water for irrigation if the structures lack waterefficient drip systems. In addition, the watering of decorative grasses on public street medians is banned. The snowpack has been in decline all year, and April 1’s survey showed the statewide snow water is equivalent to 5 percent of the historical average for April 1 and the lowest for that date since the state began record-keeping in 1950. Snow supplies about a third of the state’s water, and a lower snowpack means less water in California reservoirs to meet demand in summer and fall. There was no snow at the site of April 1’s manual survey near Echo Summit, about 90 miles east of Sacramento. “It is such an unprecedented lack of snow, it is way, way below records,” said Frank Gehrke, chief of snow surveys for the California Department of Water Resources. Brown previously declared a drought emergency and stressed the need for sustained water conservation, but the

Monterey County Fair announces theme for 2015 Submitted article MONTEREY — The Monterey County fair board has announced the theme for its county fair, scheduled for Sept. 2-7. The theme “Farm Fresh Fun” was chosen by members of the board “to highlight the bounty of everything agriculture that contributes to the viability of our county,” said Kelly Violini, Chief Executive Officer, Monterey County Fairgrounds. “Our county produces hundreds of agriculture products that are shipped worldwide. We wanted a theme that represents all of that while having a fun twist.” Scott Westmoreland is the designer

behind the artwork and design for this year’s fair poster. Westmoreland also created the artwork for the 2013 Monterey County Fair. An accomplished artist, Westmoreland has created pieces for Disney and a wide array of other prestigious businesses. “We were thrilled to have Scott create our poster once again,” said Violini. “We believe the design portrays all that we encompass here in Monterey County.” This will be the 79th Annual Monterey County Fair. It will be held at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, Sept. 2-7. For information, call 372-5863.

6 The Land - May 2015

King City High School Ag leadership shows fair animals Photos by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

The King City High School Ag leadership class held a field day on April 9 and One Ag leadership station was the tractor races where students could race each invited some of the students from the surrounding schools. The Ag leadership other around in a circle. members showed the students how to take care of swine, lambs, chickens and more.

Elementary students learn about rabbits from the King City Ag Leadership team.

Rachel Hart shows the elementary students how the FFA sheer sheep to prepare them for the fair.

Third-grade students enjoy Farm Day BY SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

KING CITY — The Salinas Valley is known to the world as the “salad bowl of the world” and it takes several businesses to work on every aspect from the soil down to the bags or containers produce goes in at the grocery store. Third-grade students from south Monterey County came to the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds on March 11 to

learn more about these areas and have fun at the same time. Beginning outside the third-graders could see how to shoe a horse, grow red cabbage with the King City High School FFA students and learn about compost that doesn’t actually contain any fecal matter. Johnny Massa and his son, Justin are part of Comgro Soil Amendments Inc. and explained to the kids that putting plastic bags in your green waste containers is bad because it winds up in the compost.

Johnny and Justin produce compost that is entirely made up of organic matter. Inside the Topo Ranch Center the students have the opportunity to learn about herding sheep and goats with a border collie, raising animals from the 4-H and FFA students, learned about geese and ducks from the Metzer Ranch out of Gonzales and more. After completing two and a half hours learning about agriculture, compost and animals, some of the students headed

back to school and some ate lunch before returning to school to finish out their day. “We put on Farm Day because as we moved more into the cities and urban areas, people don’t live on farms anymore, so there’s that disconnect,” said Frank Heffren, director for Farm Day. “What we are trying to do here today is reconnect with those third-graders that there is a process that food goes along.”

Joe Roth explains to the Oak Avenue third-grade students about when to change a horse’s Justin and Johnny Massa tell the San Vicente third-graders about how having healthy soil shoe and how to make horse shoes. Photos by Samantha Bengtson/The Land compost grows a better and cleaner crop.

The Land - May 2015 7

Braga Fresh Family Farms receives award Submitted article SOLEDAD - Josie’s Organics continues to gain recognition by the produce and retail industry. Braga Fresh Family Farms, grower and distributor of Josie’s Organics, was named a recipient of the 2015 Produce Trailblazer Achievement Award by Grocery Headquarters (GHQ) for bringing innovation and a fresh approach

to branding in the produce industry. “Josie’s Organics has raised the standard for branding in not just the produce department, but the supermarket overall,” said Elizabeth L. Hatt, senior editor, Fresh Foods, GHQ. “Braga Fresh Family Farms has incorporated all the elements of a successful brand strategy – memorable imagery, authentic product development and a fantastic back story exhibiting the

Elkhorn land management meeting gathers input Staff report ELKHORN — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife held a meeting March 17 to solicit public input for preparation of a Land Management Plan (LMP) for the Elkhorn Slough Ecological Reserve/National Estuarine Research Reserve. The final plan will be available for public review in 2016, said Lorili Toth, director of development and communications. Located on the Elkhorn Slough estuary near Moss Landing, the Reserve is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, including numerous sensitive species. More than 340 bird species have been identified in the Elkhorn Slough watershed, including more than 135 species of aquatic birds. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve was established in 1979, and is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Reserve is owned and managed by the CDFW. NOAA provides funding for Research, Stewardship and Coastal

Training Programs at the Reserve. Activities at the Reserve are conducted in partnership with the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. The reserve hosts approximately 40,000–50,000 visitors a year, including approximately 5,000 students engaged in educational programs and professional development workshops. The research program includes both long-term monitoring projects and short-term experiments. The results gathered in both types of scientific investigations are used to inform management of the estuarine resources present at the site. The draft LMP will include descriptions, goals and objectives for the management of biological resources, reserve facilities, and the various Reserve programs. The LMP will combine the appropriate environmental documents with the Preliminary LMP to be in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act. The preliminary LMP will be made available for a 30-day public comment period once completed in early 2016. For information, contact Reserve Manager Dave Feliz at 728-2822 or Dave.Feliz@wildlife.ca.gov.

company’s values and priorities. Josie’s was a clear choice to receive the Trailblazer Achievement Award and GHQ looks forward to watching them further build the brand and impact the organic segment for years to come.” To learn more about the story behind Josie’s Organics, visit www. groceryheadquarters.com/2015/03/thestory-behind-josies-organics. The annual Produce Trailblazer Awards was created by GHQ to celebrate suppliers that had the greatest impact on the produce department over the last year. Recipients are evaluated and selected by a board of editors and retailers who track innovation in the produce industry throughout the year. “Being recognized as an industry innovator by our peers is a great honor,” said Rod Braga, president and CEO of Braga Fresh Family Farms. “The success and growth of the Josie’s Organics brand after just two years has exceeded our expectations, but we’re not surprised our story of third-generation farmers with a hard-working mom at the center

— my grandmother Josie — is making a connection with people. We want consumers and our retail partners to feel as connected as possible to our family farm and how we bring fresh organic vegetables to tables across the country every day.” Braga Fresh will be featured along with other award winners in the April issue of Grocery Headquarters, which is available online today at www.groceryheadquarters. com. The print issue will be available starting next week. The Josie’s Organics product line includes leafy-green romaine hearts and other lettuces, kale and chard, cauliflower, green onions, broccoli, sweet baby broccoli, celery, beets, radishes and herbs. Josie’s Organics are available at Whole Foods, Kroger stores, HEB, Safeway, and Central Markets, and other grocers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Josie’s Organics can be found online at www.josiesorganics.com and on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The Braga Fresh team can be reached at sales@ bragafresh.com and 678-3835.

Ag and technology

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Dennis Donahue was the keynote speaker during the Salinas Valley Ag Technology Summit held March 26 at Converted Organics. The Monterey Bay Chapter of the CA Association of Pest Control Advisors and the Ag

Business & Tech Institute at Hartnell College presented the event. Guests enjoyed a variety of speakers and panel presentations on the topic of interest to those in the ag industry. Submitted photo

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