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Farmer's Market Guide to the Santa Clara Valley

Spring is in full swing, which means it’s farmer’s market season! Those who live in and around the Santa Clara Valley are lucky to have access to delicious produce year-round, but as the rain subsides, farm stands are back and better than ever. Spending a morning at the farmer’s market is a fun weekend activity, and a great way to support local farmers, farmlands, and the local economy.

The Future of Agriculture

Everyone needs food. But in many parts of the state, including here in our region, there is food scarcity. According to recent research from Second Harvest Food Bank, one in four people in Santa Clara County are at risk of hunger. With a changing climate, protecting the foundation of our food systems (farms and ranches) is imperative. In addition to protecting these operations and the lands they depend on, the Open Space Authority is exploring sustainable and responsive management practices that support local farmers and ranchers, promote the resilience of food production, increase soil health, and minimize the carbon footprint of agriculture in the region.

How Plants Prepare for Spring

After weeks of heavy rain, hillsides are turning green, and it’s beginning to feel like spring is right around the corner. You may know that spring is "baby season” for local wildlife like ground squirrels, bobcat kits, and red-tailed hawks, but did you know the same is true for native plant life? Plants are also preparing to create new life, and in fact, this preparation happens all year long.

Atmospheric River Storm: Open Spaces At Work

The first few weeks of 2023 brought a parade of Atmospheric River Storm events that ravaged California. Several feet of rain and powerful wind events caused widespread power outages, and many areas experienced intense flooding, fallen trees, and mudslides. Though the storms caused a fair amount of disruption across the region, Santa Clara Valley’s open spaces (our critical natural infrastructure) likely helped mitigate even further damage.

Winter Produce Guide

Everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious food. When you shop for locally grown produce, you help support local farmers, your health, and you also reduce your carbon footprint! Keep reading to learn which fruits and vegetables are in season this winter plus a cozy recipe idea to help it all come together. 

Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch Connects Community to Local Agriculture on Open Space Authority Lands

In late 2021, the Open Space Authority -- in partnership with the State of California Department of Conservation through the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation program (SALC), Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), and the Santa Clara County Planning Department -- protected sixty acres of prime farmland at Laguna Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard in the middle of Coyote Valley (also known as Mid Coyote Valley).

The property became known as “Laguna 60.”

Open Space Renames Coyote Ridge

On October 27, 2022, the Open Space Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously to include a Chochenyo translation of “Coyote Ridge” alongside the current preserve name. The preserve's official new name is Máyyan 'Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve. 

Autumn Produce Guide

Everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious food. When you shop for locally grown produce, you help support local farmers, your health, and you also reduce your carbon footprint! Keep reading to learn about what fruits and vegetables to look for this autumn and a recipe idea to make it all come together.

Spina Farms Open for Fall Fun on Protected Lands

Pumpkins are the ultimate fall icon, and where better to find them than at your local pumpkin patch?

Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch in Coyote Valley (just south of San José) is now open seven days a week through November 6, to serve the community with fall fun and agricultural education. The Patch was originally located off Bailey Ave but has since relocated a quarter mile south to Laguna Ave and Santa Teresa Blvd in partnership with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.

Seizing Squash Season

Nothing screams fall like festive gourds, pumpkins, and squash - and all three are notoriously used to create a cornucopia of autumnal décor. Keep reading for some fun ways to prepare squash, as well as some fun facts to share around the dinner table.