The LAND and it's people

April 2015

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

Larry Homen nominated as Cattleman of the Year

State Fair honors Gary Eberle

By SAMANTHA BENGTSON

Staff Report

Paso Robles pioneer founded the iconic brand

Of the Land

KING CITY — The newest cattleman to join the Monterey County Cattlemen’s Association as the Cattleman of the Year is Larry Homen.

Homen was recognized and received his award at the Expo Building at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds on Feb. 13. Homen was born in King City and is son of Tony Homen Jr. Larry grew up around the family ranch and has been a caregiver for animals his entire life.

“He belonged to the 4-H and FFA and raised animals for the Salinas Valley Fair,” said Scott Violini, secretary for the Cattlemen’s Association. “He continues to support young people annually by purchasing their animals at the fair auction.”

When Homen was a teenager he raised and registered cattle and was active in sports at King City High School. He played football and participated in track and field.

In his spare time, Homen enjoyed roping and entering events at the King City Stampede with his partner Tommy Petit.

Later the Homen family raised vegetable crops for the Salinas Land Company and Homen and his father have raised cattle in Reliz Canyon for more than 50 years. In the 1960s, Homen met his wife Carolyn.

Homen attended Cal Poly, then he was offered a job selling livestock supplies for H.E. Anders. According to Violini, Homen has said that he can’t think of anything he’d rather do other than get in his truck with his dogs in the back and check on his cattle.

“I’ve been in this industry all my life and it was very nice, we had a good turnout,” said Homen. “I appreciate all the people coming, the food was great and I was very honored to be presented with these awards.”

The California FFA State Officers pose with the King City High School FFA officers.

Photo by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

California FFA State officers visit KCHS FFA

By SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

KING CITY — The six California FFA State Officers visited the King City High School FFA and the student body during National FFA week on Feb. 17.

“The reason we came to King City was because in September there is National Teach Ag Day and we posted a competition for all California FFA to create a video of which chapter can appreciate their ag teachers the best,” said Haley Warner, California FFA State vice president. “We got almost 20 videos from chapters all over the state of California and the top two that won get a State Officer visit from all six officers during FFA week and King City was one of those winners.”

The State Officers taught first through third period and the King City students

created some cardboard arcade games.

Then at lunch on Feb. 17 the King City High School student body had the opportunity to come in at lunch and play those games. The cardboard arcade game concept was inspired by “Caine’s Arcade,” a short documentary film that shows a then 9-year-old Caine Monroy creating an arcade out of cardboard boxes and everyday objects.

“The goal is for the students to understand that with the resources they have in King City what kind of creativity they could use to create something amazing,” said Dipak Kumar, State president. “We were able to turn cardboard boxes and a few materials that we provided into amazing games that the King City students were able to play with and they can take that same mindset into our lives, our department

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PASO ROBLES — Gary Eberle, founder of Eberle Winery, was honored with the 2015 Wine Lifetime Achievement Award. Announced by the California State Fair, this award recognizes an individual or family who are pioneers in the wine industry based on their lifetime contributions to the California wine industry. Each year the California State Fair Winery Advisory Task Force puts forth recommendations and selects an honoree through an open meeting process. Gary Eberle joins the ranks of industry legends Robert Mondavi, Jerry Lohr, Mike Grgich, and Dr. Richard Peterson in receiving this prestigious honor.

“I’m honored to receive this recognition. I pursued wine enology because it fascinated me — the vineyard aspect of growing grapes and the technical art of making age-worthy wines. It’s taken me on a journey that I’m still enjoying today,” said Eberle.

Eberle, who has worked for 42 years building the acclaim of the Paso Robles region through his brand, is affectionately known as the “Godfather” of the Paso Robles wine industry. Eberle is the chief promoter for the winery and works with customers, distributors and restaurateurs to tout the virtues of the Paso Robles American Viticulture Area, Please turn to Page 2

Please turn to Page 6

Ag supporters honored National Agriculture Day celebrated in Watsonville

By ERIK CHALHOUB Of the Land

The Al Smith Friend of Agriculture award went to Ceil Cirillo.

Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

WATSONVILLE — When Cabrillo College began its culinary arts program in 1997, only five students made up its first class.

Fast forward 18 years later, where the program now boasts 250 students and recently garnered national attention when it was featured on the Cooking Channel’s reality TV show “The Freshman Class.”

Cabrillo College President Laurel Jones was joined by Culinary Arts program chair Sue Slater to discuss the program to a record crowd at the National Agriculture Day Spring

Luncheon March 18.

The annual event, presented by the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Agri-Culture, was held at the Santa Cruz County Fair Heritage Hall in Watsonville.

National Agriculture Day serves as a way to not only honor the organizations’ annual award winners, but to shine a spotlight on the benefits of the agriculture industry, said David Van Lennep, president of the Farm Bureau.

“The National Ag Day program leads every American to understand how food is produced and the role agriculture plays in our strong economy,” he said.

Please turn to Page 4

Gary Eberle, founder of Eberle Winery, was honored with the 2015 Wine Lifetime Achievement Award by the California State Fair. Courtesy of Solterra Strategies

Inside ...

Community garden

2

Equine Center

3

Art exhibit

5

FFA honored

5

Castoro Cellars

6

2 The Land - April 2015

Project continues to grow Volunteers build planter boxes for River Park garden

By TODD GUILD Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — It took a crew of volunteers a little less than four hours on Feb. 24 to transform a barren field into a community gathering space, where families will grow their own food and witness the seed-to-table evolution of their fruits and vegetables.

What now stands in the spot at 100 East Front St. is River Park Community Garden, which is a project of Mesa Verde Gardens, a local nonprofit launched in 2011 with a single garden for 30 families in a church parking lot.

The numbers have since grown to eight community gardens and three orchards with 250 families.

“It shows you how much interest there is,” Mesa Verde Gardens founder Ana Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen launched the project as a way to counteract what the United States Department of Agriculture calls “food deserts,” which are communities where families have limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables due to geographic or

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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.

financial hardship.

“I deeply believe that every person has the right to healthy food, and organic produce is hard to find in Watsonville,” she said. “And it’s expensive.”

And the number of gardens is growing.

Rasmussen is currently working with Pajaro Valley Unified School District to create them at three schools.

The River Park location is the first time Mesa Verde Gardens has worked with the City of Watsonville, Rasmussen said.

“We’re very excited and proud to have our first collaboration with the city,” she said.

City Councilwoman Karina Cervantez said she began planning the garden with Rasmussen approximately one year ago.

She said the spot once held the city’s Workers from Home Depot and Rancho Cielo Youth Corps assemble large wood planter boxes at the new River Park Community Garden on Front Street. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land Neighborhood Services department.

After it became vacant, however, the abandoned space was used in less savory ways, she said.

“The residents instead wanted more activities that would bring people outdoors and allow for neighbors to get to know each other, and work together towards improving their neighborhood,” Cervantez stated in an email. “A community garden felt like a great project to bring to this area as it addresses multiple goals: bringing the community together and increasing access to healthy food.”

Some of the workers were volunteers from the Watsonville and Salinas Home Depot stores, which is part of the company’s volunteer arm called Team Depot.

“We try to get everyone involved so we can have a bigger impact,” said Salinas Home Depot Project Supervisor Daniel Edeza. “It’s one of the company’s main initiatives: how can we give back to the community?”

Volunteers from the Watsonville Environmental Science Workshop also lent a hand.

The labor also came from Salinasbased Rancho Cielo, which teaches “atrisk” young people about the construction industry and culinary arts, among other Home Depot employees Algie Victory (right), Antonio Quintana (left) and Oscar Rodriguez stretch out anti-gopher wire for the boxes. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land things.

“We want to make the community a better place for everyone,” Rancho Cielo year round. I hope this will be a model but have little access to the things they for more neighborhoods to do the same in harvest, said Lizzy Speece, an AmeriCorps Program Director Aaron Palacios said. volunteer coordinator for Mesa Verde.

In addition, a representative from Watsonville.”

The garden will be more than a place “That’s one of those awful ironies we’re Assemblyman Luis Alejo’s office lent a where people can grow their own food. here to rectify,” she said. hand.

••• “The Mesa Verde Community Gardens It will also be a place where children can River Park Community Garden is still in will be a special part of the neighborhood delve into the soil and get a first-hand and bring neighbors closer together,” education about where their food comes need of a fence to help protect it. To make a tax-deductible donation to that garden Alejo said. “These gardens allow families from.

That’s vital in a place where many or to Mesa Verde Gardens, visit www. to grow their own produce and increase their access to organic and fresh foods residents work in agricultural fields mesaverdegardens.org.

Gary Eberle

Continued from page 1

which he help co-found in 1983.

Eberle began his academic studies at Penn State College where he played football and earned a bachelor’s of science in biology. He then attended Louisiana

State University before heading west to California. Gary received a degree in enology from U.C. Davis in 1971.

“I chose Paso Robles based on Dr. Olmo’s recommendation that Paso Robles

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was the place to grow world-class Cabernet Sauvignon,” said Eberle, “And I think we’ve achieved that.”

Once in Paso Robles, Eberle launched his career as partner and winemaker with Estrella River Winery and Vineyards. In the late 70s, he decided to pursue his own project and acquired nearly 64 acres just down the road from Estrella River Winery.

Shortly thereafter, he released his first Eberle wine, the 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon and opened the winery and tasting room in 1983.

Eberle’s contributions to the California wine trade are significant. Eberle Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon was the first wine to place the Paso Robles AVA designation on its label. Gary Eberle was also the first to plant Syrah on the Central Coast and make a 100 percent Syrah varietal wine in the United States. These milestones have proven to be important, as both Syrah and Paso Robles have become significant forces in California’s wine industry.

The State Fair awards, which also include Winery of the Year, Vineyard of the Year and Agriculturalist of the Year, will be formally awarded at the State Fair Gala on June 25 at Cal Expo in Sacramento. The California State Fair takes place July 10 – 26, 2015 in Sacramento.

The Land - April 2015 3

Breeding the next generation of animal experts Cal Poly Equine Center provides hands-on student training

The Cal Poly Dressage Team houses its animals and practices on the grounds of the Cal Poly Equine Center. Photos by Jeff Poirier/The Land

By JEFF POIRIER Of the Land

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Spread across 700 acres of pristine real estate in San Luis Obispo, the Cal Poly Equine Center is a multi-purpose educational facility that provides students with a comprehensive curriculum in a variety of agricultural disciplines.

The Equine Center falls within the purview of the Animal Science Department, which is housed by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at Cal Poly.

With a rich history that dates back to the early years of the 20th century, the “Horse Unit” holds a place of high esteem among faculty members, students and the community at large. The facility includes a breeding lab, a foaling stall, a pair of arenas, several pastures and various barns with over 120 horses on hand, all of which contribute to the students’ educational experience.

“From an academic aspect, we really take pride in our ‘Learn By Doing’ philosophy,” said Equine Center

Supervisor, Natalie Baker. “[We] provide students with hands-on classes that allow them to take the knowledge that they learn and apply it practically in the different lab-type settings that we have and the enterprise courses that we offer.”

In addition to serving as supervisor, Baker is on faculty at Cal Poly as a fulltime lecturer, teaching three to four classes each quarter.

Baker oversees a myriad of offerings at the Equine Center, including breeding services, training programs, animal boarding and horse sales.

Students who study at the center, most of whom are pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees, can get concrete experience in every facet of the equine trade.

“It’s a really awesome opportunity for students to do everything,” Baker said. “So many different aspects with the horse from literally breeding the mare, to halter breaking to riding and selling her offspring.”

As Baker explained, students can start by learning the ins and outs of breeding, which includes skills like artificial insemination and embryo transfer. There’s

Several large pastures surround the Cal Poly Equine Center, providing ample space for horses to roam and graze. The young horses pictured above were bred on campus and will soon be trained and sold at the Animal Science department’s annual Performance Horse Sale in June.

also one stud on campus — Quarter Horse stallion Backdoor Cat — who can be called on to get the job done the way nature intended.

After the opening phase, students then get the chance to nurture the pregnant mare, using techniques of palpation and equine ultrasound to follow the growth of the soon-to-be colt or filly. Once gestation is complete, students take part in the birthing process, or “foaling out.”

However, that’s hardly where the road ends for students learning the ropes at the Cal Poly Equine Center.

Once the foals make their way into the world, students get the chance to raise them and eventually train and saddle them.

Finally, the last step of the process is something that can’t be found in most barns. Students learn how to market their animals and prepare them for outside sales, which is often beyond the realm of standard ag education.

The degree program offered at the Cal Poly Equine Center is truly all encompassing, and it presents students with the tools necessary to be productive in the workforce right away.

While the equine program is top-notch, Baker made clear that there’s much more available for students to specialize in.

Coursework can be honed to a speciesspecific level, giving the Mustangs a chance to focus on dairy, equine, beef, swine, sheep, goats and more.

Baker also said that the Equine Center’s massive barns are home to the Cal Poly Dressage Team, Cal Poly Equestrian Team and the little-known horse judging team.

According to Baker, Cal Poly’s horse judging team is the only one of its kind west of Colorado.

Whether it’s a horse owner searching for complex breeding and training services, or a prospective student interested in the world of animal science, the Cal Poly Equine Center can be of service to all on California’s Central Coast.

To learn more about the Cal Poly Equine Center, visit ranchhorse.calpoly. edu or contact Natalie Baker by email at ncbaker@calpoly.edu. For more information regarding the Animal Science Department, visit animalscience.calpoly. edu.

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4 The Land - April 2015

Ag Day

‘The Best of the Best’

Continued from page 1

By Autumn Burchell

This year’s Al Smith Friend of Agriculture award was presented to Ceil Cirillo for her support of local agriculture.

“I’m just so honored,” she said. “I’ve been an incredible supporter of the agriculture industry.”

The former City of Santa Cruz Development Director, she helped rebuild downtown after the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Later, she spearheaded the preservation of the Salz Tannery by creating the Tannery Arts Center.

Cirillo has also supported agricultural land preservation, and is a graduate of Focus Agriculture Class XX, an annual program put on by Agri-Culture that is designed for community leaders to learn about agriculture in the county through seminars and farm tours.

“We are the bread basket of the world,” she said.

The award is named after Al Smith, founder of Orchard Supply Hardware, who donated the 3,000-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch on the north coast to Cal Poly.

Owen Witmer, a sixth-grader from Bradley Elementary School in Corralitos,

won the 2015 National Ag Day Poster Contest. For the second straight year, ninth grade student Autumn Burchell from Creekside School in Santa Cruz won the Poetry Contest and read her poem at the event.

Titled “The Best of the Best,” Burchell said the poem was inspired by her love of fruit.

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo student Matt Clifton was awarded the Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship.

He was accepted to Cal Poly after graduating from St. Francis High School in May 2014. He received scholastic honors every year of high school, and also played football as one of the team’s co-captains.

At Cal Poly, he is majoring in Agricultural Business.

The recipient of the Jimmie Cox Memorial Scholarship also receives an additional $2,000 award from the American AgCredit Scholarship Program.

This brings the total scholarship amount that Clifton will receive to $4,000.

Luscious berries, ripe and sweet Loads of nature’s jewels to eat Crisp, crunchy apples in the fall In summer, greens enjoyed by all And many more treats! Do you know why?

Anyone here can testify.

In Santa Cruz and the Pajaro Valley Growing great produce is right up our alley.

You’ll be dying for a single bite Of delicious, farm-grown, juicy delight!

So why are we sitting here? Time is wasting!

Come for a visit and we’ll get to tasting!

Autumn Burchell, a ninth-grader at Creekside School, was the first place winner for the second year in a row in the poetry contest. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Laurel Jones, president of Cabrillo College, was the featured speaker at the National Agriculture Day Spring Luncheon at the fairgrounds. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

Cattleman of the Year

Continued from page 1

Owen Frederick Witmer, a sixthgrader at Bradley Elementary School, claimed first place in the poster contest. Photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Land

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Larry Homen and Danny DaRosa, president of the Cattlemen’s Association, pose together after Larry Homen receives his Cattleman of the Year belt buckle. Samantha Bengtson/The Land

The Land - April 2015 5

Dreaming of California Bank opens new exhibit

By ERIK CHALHOUB Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — California has long been an artist’s dream for its colorful landscapes, seascapes and skyscapes.

Five local artists look to capture the diversity of the state in “California Dreaming,” a new exhibit presented by the Santa Cruz County Bank across its five branches.

The exhibit, which opened Feb. 20, runs through Aug. 7.

“California Dreaming” includes 55 works by artists John Crawford, John Maxon, Michael Mote, Charles Prentiss and Margaret Rinkovsky.

“In response to the stunning allure of our amazing Golden State, each artist, whether painting by memory or in plein air, has captured spirituality on canvas,” said Mary Anne Carson, director of the Santa Cruz County Bank Arts Collaborative.

Cabrillo College adjunct art professor Maxon, who lives in Corralitos, said most

of his oil on canvas work is “brightly colored, regionally based landscapes.”

“I sometimes refer to my work as ‘implied realism,’” he said. “When you look at my paintings, I definitely have the feeling of landscape, it tends to be expressionistic.”

Maxon is participating in his second exhibit with the Santa Cruz County Bank.

“All of us as artists certainly appreciate the opportunity to show with the bank to allow our imagery to be more widely viewed by the Santa Cruz community,” he said.

Santa Cruz artist Rinkovsky has nine oil paintings throughout the bank’s five branches. Five of those she refers to as “oil studies,” based on views she witnessed while driving through California freeways. John Maxon’s oil on canvas work, “Emerald.”

“There’s certain areas where you’re ••• traveling on freeways and there’s really “California Dreaming” runs through interesting views,” she said. “There’s a split second; you don’t see them very Aug. 7, and is shown across the bank’s five branches: 595 Auto Center Drive, long.”

Watsonville; 7775 Soquel Drive, Aptos;

819 Bay Ave., Capitola; 720 Front St., Santa Cruz; 4604 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley.

Alejo: Give cities time to comply with water standards Staff report SACRAMENTO — A bill co-authored

by California Assemblyman Luis Alejo would help communities comply with strict new state water regulations.

Senate Bill 385, also authored by Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, would authorize the State Water Resources Control Board to grant time-limited variances to public water systems as they come into compliance with new rules

governing chromium-6.

Also known as hexavalent chromium, the substance is naturally found in many foods, but can also come from industrial processes. It is a known human carcinogen.

When the state in July 2014 changed the limit for chromium-6 in drinking water at 10 parts per billion, which was down from 50 parts per billion, it put eight of Watsonville’s 12 wells out of compliance.

Cities across the state face the same

Gonzales FFA rises to the top

By DEBORAH MILLS Of the Land

GONZALES – Of 307 FFA programs in California, Gonzales FFA chapter has learned that it is ranked 16th in the state.

“We are hoping that we will be able to continue to stay in the top 20 count down for the California State FFA programs,” said Gonzales FFA Advisor Eric Morasca.

“This didn’t happen overnight and we are super excited to share this news and the results.”

Gonzales High School is the only school in the Monterey Bay Section to be ranked in the Top 20. It received its high ranking because of the number of students with California FFA state degrees and American degrees, which are awarded to members for participation and achievement in the program and for raising livestock.

To earn their state degree, students must be members for a minimum of three years and have participated in events above the chapter level. They must have profited and committed a minimum of 500 hours to their Supervised Agriculture Experience.

“Congratulations to teachers, students, parents and community members who support FFA,” said Gonzales Unified School District Superintendent Liz Modena.

Modena recalled that when Morasca was first hired and he talked to her about bringing the FFA program back up to the standards and reputation it held in years past.

“You (Morasca) have definitely made this happen,” said Modena.

At the Feb. 23 South Coast Regional FFA meeting it was announced that the Gonzales FFA chapter is ranked 16th. Submitted photo

problem, and are expected to come into compliance by July 1 of this year. The cost to do so statewide could exceed $4 billion and take some jurisdictions up to five years, according to the Association of California Water Agencies. Watsonville water officials say it will cost the city $20 million.

According to Alejo, the timeline provided is unrealistic, particularly for low-income areas. He said the state has historically allowed time for water

agencies to comply with new regulations.

“The issue in Watsonville is fairly unique,” Alejo stated in a press release.

“The City of Watsonville serves 65,000 customers, and ha a per-capita income of $15,000. It would be extremely challenging for our community to generate the funds needed to immediately comply with this new regulation.”

The bill was introduced March 3, and must be in print for 30 days before it can be heard by a Senate policy committee.

6 The Land - April 2015

Something fun for everyone

K

Castoro Cellars providing activities for a younger demographic

By ALLYSON OKEN Of the Land

TEMPLETON — Castoro Cellars is in a state of evolution. The next generation of the Udsen family — son’s Max and Luke— plan to offer visitors much more than their award-winning wine.

Wine Club Manager Ryan McGuire says that that they are opening up the regular winery demographic to include the 30-something crowd.

Over the last few months, Castoro has constructed a disc golf course on the property. It is open to the public everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Discs are being sold in the tasting room.

The 18-hole course has been laid out in Castoro’s Whale Rock Vineyard. The cost to play is $5 per person.

“It is a challenging course that changes monthly,” McGuire said. “Our goal is that we have something for everyone.

We wanted to bring in a younger crowed.

The owners’ sons are about my age, in there 30’s, and one of the things that we have talked about is that there is very little for young people to do. It has been very successful and brought a completely different demographic and offers

FFA Visit

something new to existing club members that they may not have never done before.”

The course is home to some picturesque views. People can bring a picnic and enjoy the general splendor of the winery.

Since opening the course, McGuire says that they are packed every weekend with disc golfers.

The next project on the horizon for the Udsen brothers is a public house. They have the distiller and have been working to create a variety of spirits and grappa.

McGuire said that this was a natural progression for Luke and Max. “Across the street, we purchased Veris Cellars — the building and vines — and we will be producing artisanal grappa and wine-based spirits,” he said.“We hope to be doing tasting and distilling out there and it will be part of the Castoro family.

We are going to call it the Bethel Road Public House and Max and Luke Udsen will be taking that on to offer a fun place to serve spirits and create a place for young people to hang out.”

Castoro Cellars has been owned and operated by the Udsen family since its inception in 1983. To learn more about Castoro Cellarsand their evolution,visit castorocellars.com.

Continued from page 6

and who knows what we can do.”

Bailee Rusconi, president of KCHS chapter of FFA, said that having the State Officers at King City High School was a huge honor because they were chosen out of all the high schools in California because of the teacher appreciation video that was made by Kiana Almaguer.

“The video that brought the State Officers down to King City was an appreciative video for the ag teachers, “ said Almaguer. “It was a video contest on Facebook that we saw that they posted about and my ag teachers said ‘hey why don’t you try this’ and so I took on the video.”

“It’s awesome that we have all six California FFA State officers here because of our advisor, Mrs. Souza says

that we usually only get two per year but it’s a real honor getting all six in one year,” said Freddy Hernandez, sentinel for KCHS FFA chapter.

The California FFA State officers’ journey would not stop at King City though. After completing the day at King City High School the officers headed back up to Monterey for a foundation dinner.

The next day, Feb. 18 the six State FFA Officers would turn their sights south on Westminster. From Westminster the next destination was Modesto. Along with Warner and Kumar, California FFA State officer Secretary Sierra Bryant, Sentinel Luis Sanchez, Reporter Ellen Van Noy and Treasurer Roman Wasiewicz also visited KCHS.

The State Officers showed off their dancing skills and taught the KCHS FFA and student body. Samantha Bengtson/The Land

The disc golf course at Castoro Cellars is changed regularly and a map is provided to players.

The new disc golf course at Castoro Cellars brings in anywhere from 50 to 100 people on a Saturday to play.

From the fields to the business world Watsonville man expands successful store

By TODD GUILD Of The Land

WATSONVILLE — When Jorge Ortiz came to the U.S. as a teenager in 1987, the first thing he wanted was a pair of blue jeans.

He met that goal after toiling in the fields for a few months picking strawberries.

Just as quickly, he upped the ante.

Ortiz is now a successful businessman, with a newly expanded store that features Western wear, a small grocery store, a deli and a juice bar.

Ortiz Store & Deli opened Dec. 13 at 29 East Beach St. in Watsonville.

A Michoacán, Mexico native, Ortiz remembers spending time in his grandfather’s grocery store there, and Jorge Ortiz, owner of Ortiz Store & Deli, watching as he dealt with the customers. arranges a display of footwear. Tarmo He decided he wanted to follow in his Hannula/The Land grandfather’s footsteps.

After 15 years of fieldwork, he His daughter will help him run the contacted El Pájaro Community business, as will many other family Development Corporation’s Plaza Vigil members.

Incubator Project, which helps assist In opening the deli and juice bar, Ortiz low-income, Spanish-speaking business said he wanted to offer his customers a with starting and operating businesses. healthy alternative. To help with this He got a business loan and in 2000 endeavor he contacted Jóvenes Sanos, a opened Ortiz’ Boots and Imports, a small group of Watsonville youth activists who Western wear store on Union Street work with local schools, stores and the that sold boots, shirts, hats and other city to promote nutrition and physical Mexican-style clothing items. fitness.

His business was small at first, so Of course, he will also offer snacks, much so that he kept his agricultural candy and other food items and other job until 2003. In the meantime he household necessities in the convenience went to Cabrillo College and earned an store. associate’s degree in real estate.

“But if people want to eat healthy, we Now, the business has expanded. Just have that option,” he said. over 14 years later, he is moving to the “We’re very motivated, and we know larger location, which until recently it’s a good location,” Ortiz added. “It’s housed El Charrito market. a family business, it’s a local business.”

Ortiz originally planned to only move ••• his clothes store, but he heeded the Ortiz Store & Deli is located at 29 East advice of his daughter, who reasoned the Beach St. Ortiz plans to keep the store spot was right for a market. open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. every day.

The Land - April 2015 7

King City FFA visits Rotary during National FFA Week

By SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

KING CITY — Five high school FFA officers visited the King City Rotary Club and told them what the National FFA organization is all about.

The King City High School FFA has eight officers on their team and six on the national officer team and they work together to promote leadership, personal growth and curb success. KCHS FFA chapter is currently ranked as number 20 in the state and has 590 members out of a school population of 800 students. KCHS is also ranked first in the region that runs from San Jose to West Hollywood, for having 47 members completing their state degrees. High School FFA is made up of three parts including classroom instruction, SAE or Supervised Agriculture Experience, and FFA leadership.

“Without the first circle of classroom instruction we wouldn’t have FFA because if you are in FFA or ag classes that automatically enrolls you in FFA,” said Matthew Umbarger, reporter. “The second circle SAE is where every ag member

has an SAE project where they learn responsibility and work ethic. The last circle, FFA leadership is learning different skills that help you with leadership and you incorporate them into your life through your classroom and SAE project.”

The King City FFA is also incorporating a fourth circle which involves community.

Currently at the KCHS, the Booster club helps the FFA to connect with the town surrounding the high school and because of National FFA Week, the State FFA officers visit the FFA and decorated the town blue and gold.

The Supervised Agriculture Experience project is a hands-on experience for the FFA members that has to be approved by their ag advisors. Some of the projects could be taking an animal to the fair, vegetable crop production, outdoor recreation, ag mechanics, landscape management, agriscience, and ag services.

“For my project, I grow various crops like pumpkins, different types of corn, squash, cucumber, melons, and more with my father,” said Saul Armenta, community chair.

New this year is the ag leadership

Matthew Umbarger, reporter, Bailee Rusoni, president, Saul Armenta, community chair, Kiana Almageur, ag literacy committee chair, and Rachel Hart, historian, from the King City High School FFA visited the King City Rotary Club this past Wednesday and told the members about what FFA is. Photo by Samantha Bengtson/The Land

class, which was in charge of putting together FFA week. The ag leadership class also helps out the FFA officers to run the meetings smoothly. FFA offers its members the chance to attend leadership conferences that help high school students to learn about public speaking, livestock and vegetable judging.

“One amazing thing that our ag leadership class has done is start lunchtime

activities on Wednesdays to help show the kids what FFA is,” said Bailee Rusconi, president.

Next year, KCHS will be offering new ag classes such as pre-AP ag honors, all of the science classes that are University of California (UC) approved, all the ag mechanics classes plus floral design, horticulture, and ag leadership.

Greenfield High students celebrate many aspects of FFA

By SAMANTHA BENGTSON Of the Land

GREENFIELD — High school FFA members across the country celebrated National FFA week Feb. 21-28, and at Greenfield High School the officers planned a different activity every day during lunch.

“This whole week we dedicate to FFA. Every single chapter in the United States does this,” said Adrian Tejeda, reporter.

“Every lunch time this week we have an activity to show our spirit. On Friday we had our animal show day where we bring out our animals and show them to the students because FFA is normally three things: FFA, classroom and SAE, or supervised agriculture experience.”

Because of the President’s Day holiday, the Greenfield High School chapter held their first activities on Feb. 24 with a tugof-war contest. The next day, students had the option to participate in an obstacle course. Thursday was the FFA chapter

meeting and officers dressed in their FFA uniforms and led potato sack races. The final day of FFA week was the day to show the animals that the students are raising for fairs. The high school student body had the chance to see a duck, a chicken, a rooster, several lambs and a steer.

Greenfield FFA members accomplish many goals throughout the year.

“To me being a part of FFA means being a leader and demonstrating to everybody what I can do for my community and school,” said Norvella Mendoza, vice president.

Maritza Trujillo, chapter secretary, is making history for her school as the first person to be elected to sectional office.

Trujillo currently is the Monterey Bay section reporter and in one of the FFA competitions she placed third in the public speaking portion.

Trujillo said that in order to selected for the section officer position, the delegates chosen for the state conference, who vote for the new state officers, vote for the

Watsonville adopts greenhouse gas plan Projects would be funded by impact fee

By ERIK CHALHOUB Of the Land

WATSONVILLE — The Watsonville City Council approved a plan Feb. 24 that would reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions while also increasing the use of renewable energy.

Called the Climate Action Plan, the plan sets goals to provide pedestrian and bicycle-friendly neighborhoods, increased transportation options, improved energy efficiency, reduced waste, increased recycling and protection of open space.

The adoption of the plan is timely, said Acting Principal Planner Suzi Merriam, as Gov. Jerry Brown in January called for the increase in the use of renewable energy to 50 percent in the next 15 years to fight climate change.

In 2005, Executive Order S-3-05 set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and reducing those emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

The Climate Action Plan outlines ways to reach reduction targets, such as increased participation in the Green Business Program, voluntary lawn replacement/ removal programs, implementation of a formal bike lane and bike infrastructure program, and promotion of renewable energy such as solar panels and tankless water heaters, Merriam said.

All of these reductions can be made

in the next five to 15 years, according to Merriam.

To fund projects outlined in the plan, the city also adopted a Carbon Fund. The Carbon Impact Fee, expected to generate $80,000 a year, would be applied to all development projects with the exception of single family residential alterations, temporary buildings, and non-habitable buildings.

For a residential addition valued at $160,000, the fee would be $442. A commercial addition valued at $309,000 would result in a $1,670 Carbon Fee. All projects are eligible for a refund of the Carbon Fee by installing solar panels or other renewable energy devices in the construction, Merriam said.

Watsonville High School student Gabriel Gonzalez applauded the plan, saying it helps address climate change.

“This is our planet and we have to take care of it,” he said.

Local educator Nancy Faulstich said the effects of not dealing with climate change will cost greater in the future than investing in renewable energy now.

“People need to understand the potential impacts we are looking at,” she said.

“Reducing pollution is a good thing; creating jobs through clean energy is a good thing.”

For information on the Climate Action Plan, visit cityofwatsonville.org/permitsplans/climate-action-plan.

sectional officers as well, and that was how she was selected.

“I had to present a two-minute speech in front of everybody so I could get people to vote for me,” said Trujillo.

The FFA officers are advocates for the organization. When asked why someone should join FFA, Cherokee Williams, the chapter historian, said that it is an amazing experience and you learn several things including responsibility, time management and you meet so many great people.

Williams also said that after graduation, “You just know that you are going to miss being involved in FFA.” Treasurer Gissel Neri became involved out of curiosity.

“My freshman year I was going to classes and I was like ‘what are ag (agriculture) classes — why not try one?” Neri said.

“That’s how I ended up in ag mechanics and earth science.”

This year the Greenfield FFA chapter has accumulated numerous awards including first place at Hartnell field day in the floral category, and Trujillo was the best overall secretary for opening and closing for section. Another member of the chapter, Rachel Garcia, was selected to the 20-member state choir that sings in front of 5,000 FFA members.

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