Focus on Agriculture

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County Home Charter School senior Carli Hammond was crowned 2022 Miss Salinas Valley Fair after competing against one other girl in such areas as personality, scholastic ability, poise and horsemanship. The annual contest took place at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in...

Editor’s Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wu’s book, “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown,” which tells the stories of women entrepreneurs who are transforming agriculture through high technology. Ellie Symes could easily pass for the...

GONZALES — Seven members of the Gonzales FFA chapter attended a regional leadership conference on Oct. 8-9, during which more than 275 other students, all involved in the FFA, united at the 2022 South Coast Region FFA Chapter Officer Leadership Conference in Hollister. The FFA...

SALINAS VALLEY — A campus redevelopment project is underway in Salinas, which is aimed at improving agricultural technology in the Salinas Valley and advancing the nature of agriculture work. The Growers Ice Co. lot, located at the corner of Merrill and Abbott streets, was originally...

GONZALES — Luis Gonzalez won multiple banners in this year’s Monterey County Fair, including Reserve Supreme Champion Market Goat for his goat named Roberto. Gonzalez, an incoming freshman member of the Gonzales High School Future Farmers of America (FFA), raised two animals for the fair,...

Editor’s Note: The following profile is an excerpt from Amy Wu’s upcoming book, “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown,” which tells the stories of women entrepreneurs who are transforming agriculture through high technology. Martha Montoya never imagined that her...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Crop values fell in 2020 by a total of $499 million from 2019, with 2020’s total at $3.9 billion, according to the Monterey County Crop Report issued by Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales on July 20. The 11.3% decrease in production...

SALINAS VALLEY — Standing in his vineyard as a brisk wind runs amuck with his curly, sandy-blonde hair, Denis Hoey reveals why the Salinas Valley region — known for its vast agriculture — should also be noted for fine winemaking. “We make wines here that...

GREENFIELD — Lavender Creek, a lavender farm and wellness brand, has teamed up with Scheid Vineyards to offer lavender gifts at the winery’s award-winning tasting rooms, including in Greenfield. The co-founders, Ryan and Myriah Hopkins, launched a catalog of soothing lavender bath and beauty products...