March 2015Serving Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and San Luis Obispo Counties

Inside ...Mini horses 2

Open space district 3

Living history farm 4

Ag careers 6

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By TODD GUILDOf the Land

WATSONVILLE — When biology teacher James Mattson arrived at Renaissance High School for his job interview two years ago, he noticed the greenhouse adjacent to the parking lot.

Excited, he imagined the teaching possibilities such a structure held for science classes, but upon closer inspection he saw it was dilapidated and likely had been unused for a long time.

“When I got closer, the beautiful parts went away,” he said.

After he was hired, Mattson made it his mission to restore the 900-square-foot greenhouse, working after school and in his free time.

His students and colleagues joined him, hauling in the gravel that makes up the floor, replacing broken panels and otherwise making repairs that brought the greenhouse back to working order. That included fixing the lights and the watering system.

“It was actually a working mess, but we put it back together,” he said.

Once the Dragon Greenhouse was completed the question remained: how to use it in his lessons?

After briefly considering flowers and fruit trees, both of which he dismissed as overdone in the Pajaro Valley, he remembered a lesson he taught on the oak trees native to California, and their

Project helps students branch out

Renaissance High class helping to restore state’s oaks

Renaissance High students Roxanna Medina (right) and Jennifer Meza pot oak seedlings in the after-school class. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Young strawberry plants thrive on a farm on Beach Road in Watsonville. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

By TARMO HANNULAOf the Land

WATSONVILLE — California’s strawberry acreage is expected to dwindle somewhat again this year. Weather and the amped up yield and quality of some varieties of strawberries are part of the reason, said California Strawberry Commission spokeswoman Carolyn O’Donnell.

Farmers in 2015 are expected to plant 37,438 acres of strawberries, which is down from 2014’s total of 38,937. In 2013 the total acreage was 40,816, O’Donnell said.

“There are always new varieties being developed, and farmers want a berry that tastes good, looks good and ships well,” O’Donnell said. “It takes five to seven years to develop a new variety and many of these are producing more fruit per acre than earlier varieties.”

O’Donnell said growers in 2014 produced more than 191.9 million flats. That is down from 194.8 million flats in 2013.

Recent rains on the Central Coast were a plus for strawberry growers since strawberries have just recently been planted and the water comes as a plus.

“We’re happy to have the rain,” O’Donnell said. “The strawberries now are starters and the weather is unseasonably warm. Some workers have had to go out to cut off the blossoms, to help accelerate the plant growth.”

This year Watsonville and Salinas combined will have 14,307 acres of strawberry farmland.

“Because we have a longer season we produce just about half of the state’s berries,” O’Donnell said. “In California about 70,000 people work in strawberries.”

Roughly 85 percent of the nation’s strawberries that are grown within the United States come from California.

“Though there are numerous varieties of strawberries, they are simply marketed as strawberries, as opposed to apples or pears that come with many different names,” O’Donnell said.

Strawberry acres decline

By SAMANTHA BENGTSONOf the Land

KING CITY — The King Street Pocket Park is officially open and available to the public.

Mayor Robert Cullen, City Manager Michael Powers, City Engineer Octavio Hurtado, Assistant Planner Maricruz Aguilar, residents and kids from the neighborhood and preschoolers from the King City Co-op met at Pocket Park on Jan. 28 for a ribbon cuttting with the King City Chamber of Commerce.

The Pocket Park project was part of a Proposition 84 grant that builds parks in under served areas of the community. The project began with workshops at churches and at the co-op preschool to see what the community would like to see in the park. The next stage of the project was breaking ground which occurred on April 28.

Over the next several months crews

Pocket Park officially open to public

Children can enjoy shorter or longer slides at the Pocket Park. Photo by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

By ALLYSON OKENOf the Land

PASO ROBLES — Three Paso Robles elementary schools launched a pilot program that would provide free breakfast to 1,500 students in the district on Tuesday, Feb. 17. This program was ignited by a donation made to the San Luis Obispo County Food Bank a year ago and now the nonprofit has partnered with the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District to provide the meal program.

Bauer-Speck Elementary was one of the three schools chosen to participate. Students in a fourth grade class seemed to be enjoying the breakfast on Tuesday. Each morning teachers will bring the meals in and students that arrive to class by 8:10 a.m. will be able to choose three things for breakfast. They will offer fresh fruit, milk and juice as well as a breakfast item ranging from a pastry to pancake and sausage on a stick.

Fourth-graders Jaden Jackson and Gabriel Jorge both said they really liked the food.

Jaden said, “I thought breakfast was delicious.”

“It is awesome. They did a good job. This breakfast is good,” said Jorge, who was munching down his apple.

The first day of the program was considered a great success for Paso Robles Superintendent Chris Williams said they are excited to be able to partner with the Food Bank. Williams spoke of a meeting he had with Jordan Cooper from the Food Bank in December, when they looked for ways to better serve the community and students. Free breakfast was the result.

“A little boy told me that he never gets to eat breakfast and he was smiling as he ate,” Williams said. “Just watching the kids

Starting the day off rightPRJUSD partners with SLO Food Bank for free breakfast program

2 The Land - March 2015

PUBLISHERJohn Bartlett

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EDITORErik Chalhoub

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EDITORIAL STAFFTarmo Hannula, Todd Guild, Deborah Mills,

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astenberg@register-pajaronian.comSheryl Bailey

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ART AND DESIGNMike 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.

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By SKYE RAVYOf the Land

PASO ROBLES — Since he was young, Bryce Baker, one of the two owners of Piece of Me mini-horse ranch in Paso Robles, knew he wanted to work with horses.

“I got my first horse at 15, in junior high,” he said. “We lived on a ranch with another family, and they had kids and they bought us all horses to start that season.”

Since those early days, Baker has worked in the horse training industry.

“I was working with an Arab trainer, a working cow-horse trainer, and with a cutting trainer,” he said.

Mini horses, however, were not always his passion.

Shawn Hester, the other owner of the operation, always had a special affinity for miniature horses. The two had a friend, Nancee Schmidt of Big Dogs Little Horses, who had been breeding and training minis for more than 15 years, that brought the two on their first drive.

“Shawn always wanted minis, but the first time I went driving I thought, ‘this is stupid,’” Baker said. “But then, I fell in love. We did it a few more times and it was really fun, it was great.

“I always wanted to train horses on my own, but obviously there are a lot of facilities required, the barn and the round pen and the arena. It’s a lot easier to have minis. It allows me to train horses without all the stuff.

“I’m from the quarter horse world, and at first I thought they were dumb, but I think they really give people who either weren’t horse people, or are maybe older and can’t take care of full-sized horses an opportunity to have one. The same goes for young children. They are safer, and easier.”

The two have met a lot of success in the five years since they started the operation.

“We started with five horses in 2009, and they were all from champion blood lines. Since then, every year we buy and sell,” he said. “We showed at the world show last year, and we had a world champion. Our stud is a world champion. Every year we have gotten so much better.

“We first started with our leopard stud that we bought from Arizona. He was 10 years old. I brought him here and we

started to train him, and I ended up winning two champions with him in his first show. Since then, we have started getting more and more clients. We’ve kinda blown up, it’s crazy, like a dream.”

Baker’s focus is training the horses, and Hester’s specialty is breeding. Hester’s background is in paint breeding, but he loves appaloosas most of all. They sell their horses and also provide training.

They train for classic pleasure driving, country pleasure driving, single pleasure driving, and for show classes such as Roadster, Driving Obstacle, Halter, Halter Obstacle, Liberty, Horsemanship, Jumper, and Hunter.

“I’ve really learned over the years how horses think. I’ve worked for some of the best people in the industry,” Baker said. “I’m different than a lot of trainers. I use the arena, but I always take them out on the road, too. Getting them out of the arena is good. A lot of horses in training can’t handle the stress that trainers put on them. I think bringing them out and about is great for them.”

Baker also focuses on making the horses soft in the bit for ease of maneuverability.

While they have met a lot of success in the show world, they are not interested in creating a high-stress, competitive environment. This year, they plan to take client horses to show this year, something they haven’t done before.

“When we go to shows, there is no drama allowed. This is a hobby, and it has to be fun. We all cheer each other on and congratulate each other.”

The two conduct group rides with their clients, and insist upon providing the utmost hospitality for those traveling from out of town.

“We always say, ‘stay at our house, let us make you breakfast!’ We want to make our clients happy and focus on fun,” he said. “If your not having fun at the end of the day, what is the point?”

Pint-sized champions Piece of Me mini horses provide big fun in little packages

This miniature horse, named Blueberry; is a client horse that Bryce Baker of Piece of Me trained to drive. Courtesy of Piece of Me

Courtesy of Piece of MeBryce Baker takes a client for a drive around the country at Piece of Me miniature horse ranch.

The miniature horses can even be trained to jump at Piece of Me. Skye Ravy/The Land

Bryce Baker, of Piece of Me miniature horse ranch, demonstrates driving in the ring. Skye Ravy/The Land

The Land - March 2015 3

SLO Food Bank Continued from page 1

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and how many actually eat the food and how many actually said they felt happy and refreshed to be able to have a nice breakfast was wonderful. As we know, food is fuel for the morning and starting off with a nutritious breakfast is going to give students a greater chance and opportunity to succeed.”

This is a partnership where the Food Bank is donating resources and working with the school district at three Paso Robles schools, Williams said.

“It is amazing being able to feed over 1,500 students a day,” Williams said. “It is just unbelievable. Our staff has done a great job. I would like to thank Rod Blackner as well as our team of teachers.”

Wendy Lewis, operations officer with the Food Bank, was at Bauer-Speck to see the program begin. She said that none of this would have been possible without a generous donation.

“About a year ago, we had a local generous donor who came to the Food Bank, who really wanted to see a specific need met and that is that every child gets a healthy breakfast,” Lewis said. “He gave us seed money to get the program going and we started and piloted it in a few different schools and today was the launch in Paso Robles.”

The program is just getting off the ground in Paso Robles, but could

ultimately be available across the county. The school provides the food and the Food Bank provides the bridge to make it happen, Lewis said.

“The supplies that the school can’t afford, the Food Bank comes in and we provide training and input,” Lewis said. “Hopefully after it gets going, it will take off at other schools. This program could be happening in every school in our county that is at least 50 percent free and reduced lunch. Those that fit the criteria will be able to sign up with the Food Bank and provide this service at their school.”

The Food Bank will be matching funds as well as food materials for the program in the Paso Robles district and currently has the same partnership with three other schools in South San Luis Obispo County. Only six schools in the county are currently benefiting from this program and Lewis is sure that there are more that would qualify.

School districts that are interested in being part of the program may contact the SLO Food Bank.

To learn more about this free breakfast program, visit slofoodbank.org, call the North County Food Bank Warehouse at (805) 238-4664 or the South County Food Bank Warehouse at (805) 481-4652.

Bauer-Speck Elementary School fourth-graders were part of the launch of the district’s free breakfast program. Students Jaden Jackson, Salvador Sodarño, Gabriel Jorge, Pixie Camacho, Emma Bohner and Marco Rivera were all enjoying the food. Photo by Allyson Oken/The Land

They train for classic pleasure driving, country pleasure driving, single pleasure driving, and for show classes such as Roadster, Driving Obstacle, Halter, Halter Obstacle, Liberty, Horsemanship, Jumper, and Hunter.

“I’ve really learned over the years how horses think. I’ve worked for some of the best people in the industry,” Baker said. “I’m different than a lot of trainers. I use the arena, but I always take them out on the road, too. Getting them out of the arena is good. A lot of horses in training can’t handle the stress that trainers put on them. I think bringing them out and about is great for them.”

Baker also focuses on making the horses soft in the bit for ease of maneuverability.

While they have met a lot of success in the show world, they are not interested in creating a high-stress, competitive environment. This year, they plan to take client horses to show this year, something they haven’t done before.

“When we go to shows, there is no drama allowed. This is a hobby, and it has to be fun. We all cheer each other on and congratulate each other.”

The two conduct group rides with their clients, and insist upon providing the utmost hospitality for those traveling from out of town.

“We always say, ‘stay at our house, let us make you breakfast!’ We want to make our clients happy and focus on fun,” he said. “If your not having fun at the end of the day, what is the point?”

By SKYE RAVYOf the Land

SAN LUIS OBISPO — The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted in Februaryto not adopt another program that would replace the 2013 emergency ordinance that required a countywide offset law restricting water usage.

The 2013 ordinance for the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin was put in place to address the county’s dwindling water basin. The ordinance required that any new agricultural developments offset water usage in a 1:1 ratio, meaning any new water that they drilled for and used needed to be accounted for by equal water conservation efforts.

In July 2017, all water basin usage will need to comply with new state laws, many of which will likely require conservation and put a cap on planting and pumping, “but we don’t know what the state law is going to be yet,” said District One Supervisor Frank Mecham.

“No matter what happens, we are going to be required to manage these basins. So it doesn’t matter if we implement something, the state is going to require it,” he said.

Supervisors Mecham, Debbie Arnold

and Lynn Compton voted against developing a new offset program, and supervisors Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson were in favor of it.

Arnold requested that a better understanding of the basin be presented to them before any new laws be adopted or extended. She noted that in some areas, irrigation is more appropriate than in areas with a higher need.

Concerns were expressed that if no ordinance were in place, there would be a push for drilling and expansion, despite the looming 2017 state laws.

“It’d be a stupid thing to do,” Mecham said. “For farmers to tap into and deplete a resource that they rely on. Will some still do it? Maybe.”

Mecham also noted at the meeting that he would like to see an incentive program put in place instead. He voted for the emergency ordinance back in 2013, saying he felt that it was, “the right thing to do” at the time.

“It was a wakeup call,” he said. The state laws regarding water usage

should be available for review by January. From there, staff will have their hands full making a plan of compliance.

“It is going to be a bit of a scramble,” Mecham said.

Supervisors allowing water ordinance to expire

By ERIK CHALHOUBOf the Land

APTOS — When it comes to parks and open space in Santa Cruz County, there is no shortage of ideas, said retired county treasurer Fred Keeley.

But when it comes to finding out how to fund those ideas, there is no clear picture, he said.

Keeley is heading up a proposed county-wide Open Space District, and spoke about the initiative during the Aptos Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast and at the Fitz Wetlands Educational Resource Center in Watsonville on Feb. 5.

What the Open Space District might look like in Santa Cruz County is still too early to tell, Keeley said.

In Sonoma County, the Open Space District preserves agricultural land to protect its robust vineyards from development, he said, and voters approved a quarter-cent sales tax to help fund the district. In Santa Clara County, the district heads up recreation programs and builds trails at existing parks, among other projects.

“Think of it as ice cream,” Keeley said. “Every community gets its own flavor.”

To begin forming Santa Cruz County’s Open Space District, Keeley said 2015 will be the year where supporters will take

existing plans and ideas that have been adopted, and hold a series of conversations in the community. Such topics could be parks, open space, wetlands conservation and more.

“What is it that an open space district can carry on its shoulders?” he said.

With an open space district, the county could attract more funding for projects, as state entities favor those communities that have established such a district, according to Keeley.

Keeley also pointed to efforts to turn 5,800 acres of the Coast Dairies property, which is north of Wilder Ranch State Park and south of Swanton, into the Santa Cruz Redwoods National Monument.

A kick off event for the effort was held Feb. 12 at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz. For information, visit www.santacruzredwoods.org.

It also ties in with discussions of the open space district and the rebounding county parks department after the recession, Keeley said.

While an open space district can’t do everything, he advised, it can pave the way for future opportunities. It is up to voters on a future ballot if they want to see it established in Santa Cruz County, Keeley said.

“An open space district can close the delta between aspiration and dreams and reality,” he said.

Open space district in early stages

Fred Keeley talks about what an open space district might mean for Santa Cruz County during the Aptos Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast Feb. 5. Photo by Erik Chalhoub/The Land

Courtesy of Piece of MeBryce Baker takes a client for a drive around the country at Piece of Me miniature horse ranch.

4 The Land - March 2015

Oak Trees Continued from page 1

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precipitous die-off.Large numbers of tanoaks, coast live

oaks and black oaks have died over the past two decades, due to sudden oak death, which has spread in oaks throughout the state and into Oregon since its appearance in 1995. The disease comes from a fungus similar to the one that caused the Irish potato famine in the mid-1800s.

The loss of oak trees concerns scientists because the trees are considered a “keystone species” that provides food and shelter to a large number of animals and plants.

And so Mattson purchased a handful of potting trays, enough to hold a few dozen trees, with the intention that his students would see the life cycle from acorn to tree, a self-contained biology lesson that tied into a timely issue.

But that changed on a trip to a wooded area to gather acorns, where an oak restoration specialist handed him a passel of black oak acorns to plant, and even more so when another one gave him several valley oak acorns.

That was the inception of the Renaissance High Oak Tree Restoration Project, an after-school program in which students have planted, nurtured and grown more than 2,500 oak saplings.

Julie Rentner, a spokesperson for Chico-based River Partners, said the trees from Renaissance will help restore an area in the San Joaquin Valley which has lost 95 percent of its riparian habitat after years of

land clearing and damming.As part of its project, the organization is

planting some 27,000 oaks, she said.“The trees from Renaissance High will

be a big component,” she said. “It’s huge. This type of support is critical for a project of this scale.”

Noe Jacobo, 18, described the gardening work as “fun,” and said he enjoys the idea that he is helping improve the state’s environmental picture.

“These trees are kind of extinct, and we’re helping out by growing more,” he said.

Jonathan Gaona said he enjoyed learning the intricacies of planting and taking care of the trees.

“You hardly ever see classes like this,” he said. “I’ve been to three other high schools and none of them offered a class even close to this.”

River Partners, along with Renaissance High, join organizations from throughout the state working to bring oak trees back after the 2001 passage of Assembly Bill 242, also called the Oak Woodlands Conservation Act, which provides grants for the purchase of oak woodland conservation easements.

The California Oak Foundation, meanwhile, has fought development of oak habitat statewide.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is a California project,” Mattson said. “That’s the hope. We want to be a small cog in a big machine.”

Luis Leon checks on oak seedlings inside at the Dragon Greenhouse at Renaissance High School. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Biology teacher James Mattson has overseen the refurbishing of the greenhouse at the Renaissance High campus. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

By SAMANTHA BENGTSONOf the Land

GREENFIELD — A new park on Apple and Third Street just took one giant step toward beginning development for the park.

On Jan. 20 the City of Greenfield with the Pacific Coast Land and Design Inc. held the last public workshop to receive public input on what they want the park to include.

“We’ve worked to incorporate everything that community and the city staff have given us,” said Chris Roberts, principal at Pacific Coast Land and Design. “The process started a couple of years ago when the people of Greenfield and city staff decided they wanted a new park, so they got together and talked about how to accomplish it.”

The group of community residents and city staff wrote a letter to the State and receive a grant of $2.9 million to build the park. The State had several conditions that the park had to meet in order for the city to receive the grant. The conditions included the basketball and tennis court, playground facilities, a splash park, open play area, a recreation trail for walking and jogging, a gazebo, boulder garden, site furnishings and restrooms.

Some of the things the community wanted to see in the park were play equipment for handicapped people, an

amphitheatre for music and acting, trail light, an emergency call box, public art by local artists and open during the day.

“At the second workshop, the community said they wanted to light the less visible areas of the park for security,” said Roberts. “The community wanted lighting along the trail. Residents talked about making the tennis courts multi-use possible for basketball and tennis. The jogging trail was made wider by two feet.”

The park will include an area for small children play, another area for 5-12 year olds, water play and climbing. Shade structures will cover the majority of the picnic areas provided by big trees.

The splash park includes a water curve at the entrance, and then goes on to have a little creek with dams that kids can operate. To get the water going, the children operate hand pumps and divert the water in different directions. The water features are modeled after Arroyo Seco.

The next step in the park process is city staff and Roberts have to sit down and clarify state requirements. Then the city can bid out the park job and that takes anywhere from 90-120 days. Once the city is able to start developing the park they would like community involvement whether it be planting, construction, wall art, boulder donations, or anything the community can do to keep the cost of the park down.

By TODD GUILDOf the Land

WATSONVILLE — A visit to the Agricultural History Project at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds can offer among other things glimpses into the region’s once rich apple harvests, a walk through a fleet of restored tractors and a picture of how the Pajaro Valley evolved over time from growing potatoes and wheat to strawberries and raspberries.

Since its 1986 creation, the AHP has depicted the farm life of the Central Coast dating from the 1850s through the 1970s, and as organizers were building it up they always knew they wanted more.

The AHP now hopes to add life to the project with a living history farm.

The organization will now gauge community interest in such an endeavor with a feasibility study, which will be

funded through a $10,500 grant from the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County.

CEO John Kegebein said he toured other similar exhibits throughout the country in preparation for the one here, and all depict a specific period in time.

That includes one in Iowa, which boasts exhibits from the 1700s to modern times, he said.

Still unclear is how the AHP’s project will look like and what it will feature when it’s completed in an estimated five years. That, Kegebein said, will come from local input.

“It will be a community project, and hopefully we’ll get some volunteers to help us with it,” he said.

AHP is seeking proposals from marketing professionals and meeting facilitators to conduct an online survey and design and host several focus groups. The RFP may be found online at aghistoryproject.org.

New park has big plans in store

Bringing life to agricultureAHP looks to add living history farm

Kindergarten students from Las Animas School of Gilroy get hands-on experience using early day water pumps. Tarmo Hannula/The Land

The Land - March 2015 5

Pocket Park Continued from page 1

continued to work on the project and on Aug. 20, city staff invited community members to plant flowers and shrubbery. Blue Ribbon and Rural 4-H members along with neighborhood children helped out during the day as part of their community service and were under the direction of Miquel Madriz and Francisco Rubalcava who work for Naturescape out of San Jose.

During the next few months the park

began to look more and more like a community park with a basketball court, picnic tables, a pergola, playground equipment and soft turf to make playing near the playground safer.

“Several months ago, we had a ground breaking ceremony and we had some child labor that helped us with the shovels and we had fun,” said Cullen. “When you start out a project with bare dirt and you try to

envision what it’s going to look like, it’s really hard to envision. It’s a very good thing and I need to thank Octavio and others who helped with the planning of the park, getting the grants, the neighborhood who gave input, the rec commission, the city employees who helped. This was definitely a team effort.”

Powers said that there were 900 applications for the Prop. 84 and only 100

projects were chosen. Powers said that he really had to thank Hurtado and Aguilar because without them the Pocket Park Project would not have been complete.

The last piece of the Pocket Park project to be complete will be the mural that will be against the back wall of the park.

By TODD GUILDOf the Land

PAJARO — Plans to upgrade the Pajaro River Levee system have gotten a boost with a $700,000 pledge from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., announced Feb. 3.

The money, which Santa Cruz and Monterey counties will each match with $250,000, will help complete the feasibility study, a two-year effort that county officials say is the final piece of a project that will eventually provide 100-year storm protection for the residential areas surrounding the levees.

“For too long these areas haven’t had the level of flood protection seen in other areas of the country, and county staff and our federal representatives have been fighting to make sure these protections are provided,” said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend, who also chairs the Santa Cruz County Zone 7 Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

The levee restoration project has languished since 1993, despite more than $10 million in Corps funding, and $2 million more in non-federal funding.

The funding came as welcome relief for county officials who have been hoping for decades to complete the project, scrounging for much-needed cash and fretting about the levee breaching during a big storm.

“We’re delighted,” said Santa Cruz County Flood Control Program Manager Bruce Laclergue. “We were hoping to get something, and this beat our expectations.”

Attempts to upgrade the system date back decades. Built in 1949, the levee breached and caused flooding in 1955, 1958, 1995 and most recently in 1998, when Pajaro was severely damaged and acres of cropland were destroyed.

The March 1995 flood caused more than $95 million in damage to the city and to 3,300 acres of agricultural land and forced evacuation of hundreds of families.

In the meantime, Watsonville and Santa Cruz County have completed the bench excavation project, during which workers removed sediment, trees and debris from the levees and widened them to better allow the flow of water. But while effective, that project was considered a temporary fix for a major problem.

Once the feasibility study has been completed, work is expected to begin on the upgrade project, for which the federal government is expected to kick in 65 percent of the construction cost. The state, meanwhile, will pay approximately half of the balance, Laclergue said.

Farr, who lobbied for the funding, said the current system has left the Pajaro River with the lowest levels of flood protections in all of California.

“These funds bring us closer to modernizing the Pajaro River flood control plan to provide security for our local communities and businesses,” he said.

Watsonville Mayor Nancy Bilicich said the funding shows federal support for the Pajaro area.

“It is magnificent news,” she said. “We’re very pleased.”

City staff, Mayor Robert Cullen, City Manager Michael Powers, City Engineer Octavio Hurtado, community members and kids pose for a picture during the King Street Pocket Park ribbon cutting on Jan. 28. Photo by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

Cash infusion for levee upgrade $700,000 from Army Corps will move project along

6 The Land - March 2015

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By TODD GUILDOf the Land

WATSONVILLE — Years ago, Gerardo Fuentes had just been expelled from the eighth grade and had to be home-schooled for a year.

That was the wake-up call he needed to get his life on a track that would eventually lead him to a job with the Driscoll’s Berry company.

He was talking on Feb. 4 to a group of Watsonville High School students at the school’s Careers in Agriculture in Pájaro Valley seminar, a two-day event that brought dozens of local professionals to talk about their jobs, why they like them and what it took to get them.

Fuentes said his success took hard work that included taking advanced placement classes when he eventually went to Aptos High School and was bolstered by an overarching personal philosophy that included three steps.

These he was happy to share with his audience.

“Pay attention in class, do your homework and study for tests,” he said.

Fuentes’ pathway to college — one he hadn’t considered until a counselor suggested it — led him first to Cabrillo College and then to California Polytechnic State University, where he studied agriculture systems management.

He now works as a strawberry forecast specialist, which provides a six-week prediction for the company’s sales team.

“My parents worked hard for me, and I wanted to do something that made them proud,” he said.

Fuentes assured the students that there is a job for all of them — and quite possibly a good one at that — if they find their passion and pursue it academically.

Depending on the students’ aptitudes and passions, these might include jobs in sales, marketing and information technology, he said.

Other organizations and companies included Cabrillo College’s horticulture

program, Rabobank, Second Harvest Food Bank, Lakeside Organics and the California Strawberry Commission.

In another classroom, Elkhorn Slough Foundation Director Mark Silberstein said the seminar tied in perfectly with his organization, which manages some 4,000 acres of land, 10 percent of which is agricultural land.

“We have to provide economically useful farmland in a way that’s compatible with our preservation interests,” he said.

The two-day event, the first of its

kind on such a grand level, was a way to give young people a glimpse of the jobs available here, said WHS Principal Elaine Legoretta.

Too often, she said, students graduate and move away, and local companies recruit employees from elsewhere.

“Our students need jobs, and our valley needs employees,” she said.

Presenters included farmers, business people, government employees and scientists who touted careers ranging from

fabricators to research geneticists.“The students don’t consider these jobs,

because they don’t know about them,” Legoretta said.

•••Careers in Agriculture in Pájaro Valley

was sponsored by PVUSD, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, Cabrillo College, Lakeside Organics, Naturipe, Suncrest Nurseries and Your Future is Our Business, among others.

WHS students learn about ag careers

By ROBERT VILLANUEVAFor the Land

SOLEDAD — On Feb. 6, the Soledad High School MESA Club took an all-expense paid tour of UC Santa Cruz’s new Agro-ecology Department. With the support of UCSC’s MESA Program, the high school club brought 22 students to the campus to explore the university’s luscious farm grounds right off the Santa Cruz coast.

The students were able to discover the science behind organic farming techniques, learning about the dangers of pesticide use and the benefits of natural farming techniques, as well as the labor issues in corporate farming.

The students were also shown the campus’ garden and other unique areas of the expansive grounds. After an informative tour, the students were allowed to have an all-you-can-eat lunch at one of UC Santa Cruz’s dining commons, enjoying organic fruits and vegetables grown by the campus.

Students continued to explore the research offices of UCSC’s Entomology and Botany departments, observing student-interns as they analyzed different plant and insect life.

The UCSC MESA Program is currently preparing for their annual MESA Preliminary Competition and was eager to encourage the students to participate in their new agriculture project for the competition.

MESA club visits UCSC farm facility

By DEBORAH MILLSOf the Land

GONZALES – The highest degree that can be bestowed upon a FFA member is receiving the California State FFA Degree, and on Jan. 21, 26 students from Gonzales received that honor.

To earn this degree, members must be at least a third year member, have profited a minimum of $1,000, and log in at least 500 hours with their Supervised Agriculture experience among a combination of several FFA activities and community service hours.

According to the California Agricultural Education website approximately 1,800 State FFA Degrees

are handed out each year. That number represents approximately three percent of the California FFA association membership, making it the State’s highest honor.

Gonzales FFA Advisor Eric Morasca announced this year’s recipients: Raquel Ruelas, Viviana Rico, Hugo Rico, Jeffrey Alvarez, Jonathan Tinoco, Christopher Hernandez, Claudia Manzo, Daniela Gomez, Osvaldo Zarate, Martin Lopez, Michael, Bugarin, Lucio Bahena, David Pineda, Juan Guerrero, Jessica Aceves, Sarah Gandara, Dezirae Manriquez, Jazmine Rodriguez, Jesus Saavedra, Imelda Uribe, Angelica Virgen, Francisco Zarate, Guisela Castro, Hector Lopez, Maria Duran, and Cruz Valdez.

FFA students achieve state degree

Ryan Hayes, a USDA research geneticist, talks with Watsonville High School students on the second day of Careers in Agriculture in the Pajaro Valley. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Juan Gonzalez, an engineer with Lakeside Organic Gardens, explores the world of organic farming with students. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

The Land - March 2015 7

Staff Report

PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 53rd annual Agri-Business Tour on Wednesday, May 6.

In a press release, the chamber stated that, “This annual tour showcases some

of the county’s most diverse, private agriculture operations throughout the course of the day. Proceeds from this tour go to benefit AG in the Classroom, which supports Ag education for the county’s youth, the Pioneer Day Committee and Pioneer Museum.”

This year’s tour is titled, “Lighting Up

the East,” and is designed to highlight Eastern San Luis Obispo County. Tour stops will include, Lazy JT Land and Cattle, Topaz Solar Farm, La Panza Ranch, CDF La PanzaStation and Sculpterra Winery.

According to the release, each attendee will receive a barbecue lunch, goodie bag

and wine tasting. Participants are encouraged to buy

tickets early as the event sells out. Tickets will go on sale Monday, March 2, and can be purchased at the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce located at 1225 Park St., Paso Robles, or by calling (805) 238-0506.

This year’s agri-business tour is themed, “Lighting up the East.” La Panza Station will be one of the stops on the tour. Courtesy of the Paso Chamber of Commerce

Paso Robles Chamber Agri-Business Tour Committee set to hold its 53rd Agri-Business tour“Light Up the East” themed tour to be held on May 6

By SKYE RAVYOf the Land

PASO ROBLES — The Fort Worth Stock Show Parade is the largest of its kind in the United States.

This year, there were, “2,523 head of mule and horses,” according to Harris Stage Lines’ Tom Harris. “Every major city in Texas has a parade like this, but Fort Worth has the largest equine parade.”

“This parade only features equine,”

Harris said. “Meaning horses, mules and donkeys. There are no motors allowed, everything has to be pulled.”

Harris Stage Lines, in conjunction with Steven Robertson Yerger, or S.R.Y., Coaches, loaded up their team and their carriage (Yerger’s 5 Glass Landau Carriage), donned their western period garb, and traveled more than 1,500 miles to be a part of this event.

The event draws quite a crowd. According to the Fort Worth Stock Show

and Rodeo’s website, the event can bring more than 100,000 spectators, who line the streets of Fort Worth’s historic “Cowtown” to witness the spectacle.

“It’s a really long parade,” Harris said. “The route is a good four to five miles.”

Harris received two different awards; the first was the prestigious Western Heritage Award, and the second was a special award for traveling the furthest.

This was their third year participating in the event, and they have not been strangers

to recognition in the past. The first year that they participated, they received first place in the Horse Drawn Vehicles category. Last year, they received the Chairman’s Award, another special honor.

“Harris Stage Lines and S.R.Y. Coaches are very proud to have received these awards. We are honored,” Harris said.

For information about Harris Stage Lines, visit HarrisStageLines.com.

Harris Stage Lines/S.R.Y Coaches win prestigious award in Texas paradeReceived the ‘Western Heritage’ award at the Fort Worth Stock Show Parade

Harris Stage Lines, in partnership with S.R.Y. Coaches, won the prestigious Western Heritage Award from the Fort Worth Stock Show Parade. Pictured showing off the awards are, from left to right, Cactus Sam Harris, Debby Harris, Stephen R. Yerger and Tommy Harris.Courtesy of Harris Stage Lines

8 The Land - March 2015

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