slvpost.com, Author at San Lorenzo Valley Post

Written by slvpost.com

The San Lorenzo Valley Post is your essential guide to life in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We're dedicated to delivering the latest news, events, and stories that matter to our community. From local government to schools, from environmental issues to the arts, we're committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased coverage. We believe in the power of community journalism and strive to be a platform for diverse voices.

Gardening

January Frost in the Winter Garden

January 12, 2025January 12, 2025 slvpost.com

By Josh Reilly In January, perhaps more than any month, I appreciate the big south-facing window looking out onto my garden. I can see almost the whole backyard without having to step outside, crunching through the film of frost that forms in the shade of my neighbor’s 120-foot Ponderosa pines. Inside of the window, it’s about 40 F warmer than… Read More

Esak Ordonez, a Mutsun Tribal member and local resident lights a prescribed burn.

Fire Recovery

The Scientific Benefits of Prescribed Fire and Forest Stewardship

January 11, 2025January 11, 2025 slvpost.com

By Barbara Satink Wolfson, David Benterou, and Jared Childress On a recent crisp fall day, we had the privilege to assist a cultural burn with Yurok Tribal members on their ancestral lands in Northern California. During a conversation about goals with the Yurok burn boss in charge, he suggested we take a field trip to a nearby ridge where the… Read More

A mossy oak at Quail Hollow Ranch County Park

Outdoors

Among the Oaks and Manzanita at Quail Hollow Ranch

January 7, 2025 slvpost.com

Quail Hollow Ranch County Park, tucked in a sunny valley in Felton, is one of Santa Cruz County’s hidden treasures. Once a working horse ranch and the test kitchen for Sunset Magazine, the park is now a 300-acre Natural Reserve with rare habitats like the Santa Cruz sandhills, a dwarf redwood forest, and the tallest Red Willow in California. Visitors… Read More

Columns Local History

Filling Stations in Ben Lomond | Local History

January 6, 2025January 19, 2025 slvpost.comben lomond, filling stations, history, san lorenzo valley0 comment

By Ronnie Trubek Gasoline powered automobiles became popular in the 1920s as motorists enjoyed a new sense of mobility and adventure. In the early days, travel required careful planning, and gassing up was always a priority. Initially, gasoline had to be obtained at “bulk depots” where fuel was provided in cans or other containers. Later, a horse-drawn wagon loaded up… Read More

Columns History Local History

A Mid-Century “Atomic” Vault in the Santa Cruz Mountains

December 26, 2024January 7, 2025 slvpost.comatomic vault, Santa Cruz Mountains, Zayante, zayante tunnel0 comment

By Ronnie Trubek In 1953, the Zayante Southern Pacific Railroad tunnel was purchased by the Western States Atomic Vault Corporation, touted for use as a storage place for vital documents and other priceless valuables in case of nuclear attacks. The Southern Pacific train route that ran through the tunnel had been abandoned since November 1940. But, the Zayante tunnel remained… Read More

Columns Food & Drink Recipes

Cranberry Orange Scones

December 25, 2024January 3, 2025 slvpost.comrecipes

By Robin Horne You say teatime, I say scones. Tea with scones is the perfect pick-me-up combination: slightly sweet, lightly fruity, and caffeinated. Both festive and easy to make, scones can be created in endless varieties. You can freeze them either before or after baking, and they taste perfect after a short time in the oven. For a recent tea… Read More

Commentary Government Local News

Bruce McPherson Reflects on Three Terms as 5th District Supervisor

December 17, 2024January 1, 2025 slvpost.com

Moving into the final month of a 12-year tenure as your Fifth District Supervisor, I can’t help but reflect on the many good things our community has accomplished – as well as the many hardships we have endured – all by working together. This District, and really the whole of Santa Cruz County, looks much different than it did when… Read More

History Local History Local News

Brookdale Post Office

December 13, 2024December 26, 2024 slvpost.com

By Ronnie Trubek By the turn of the 20th Century, the “Logan Camp” picnic and campgrounds at Clear Creek in Brookdale had established a fine reputation. Owner Judge James Logan, inventor of the hybrid loganberry, built his home, “The Cascades” on Main Street, later known as County Road. His former partner, Freeland Grover, resided directly across the road, in the… Read More

Local News Obituaries

Mary Hammer

December 11, 2024December 19, 2024 slvpost.com

Contributed by Mountain Community Resources We at Mountain Community Resources, along with the entire Community Bridges family, are deeply saddened by the passing of Mary Hammer, a steadfast community activist and pivotal founder of Mountain Community Resources, originally known as the Valley Resource Center. On Thursday, November 6, 2024, Mary passed away after a brief illness, leaving behind a profound… Read More

Column: Josh Reilly Columns Gardening

December in the Santa Cruz Mountains Garden

December 7, 2024December 12, 2024 slvpost.com

By Josh Reilly Maybe the best thing about December in SLV gardens is the slow pace. There is almost nothing urgent to do. Four months ago, I spent time in the garden every day, watering, weeding, and worrying about one thing or another (usually gophers). In December, however, the memory of that non-stop whirl of activity has faded. The only… Read More