Agricultural History Project presents “2015 Ag Talks,” reviving a popular series from past years. Please join us at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30 at the Codiga Center and Museum, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, for the second of three 2015 Ag Talks on aspects of Central Coast agricultural history.
Would you like to learn more about the Focus Agriculture program? Jess Brown, Executive Director of Agri-Culture, and of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau will host a panel discussion on “25 Years of Focus Agriculture.” He and the four following Focus-Ag graduates will share their experiences with the national award-winning local Focus-Ag program:
Zach Friend, 2nd District County Supervisor for Santa Cruz County
Ceil Cirillo, City of Santa Cruz Redevelopment Director, retired
Ted Burke, owner of Shadowbrook Restaurant
Mark Silverstein, Executive Director, Elkhorn Slough Foundation
They will be joined by current Focus-Ag participant June Padilla Ponce, consultant for Salud Para La Gente, and by a familiar individual who presents each year to the program: Lou Calcagno, County Supervisor, Monterey County, retired. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about this fascinating program!
Next, plan to join us on Wednesday, October 21 at 7 p.m. for John Grafton’s talk on “Local Farming and Rancho Practices in the Californio Era.” John, a bilingual docent at San Juan Bautista State Historic Park and at Mission San Juan Bautista, grew up on cattle ranches and worked in large animal husbandry for the Peace Corps in South America. He is a blacksmith and consults on early California archaeological projects. His talk will include some of the early implements in the Ag History collection, and those with their own early California implements are welcome to bring them. We encourage Spanish-speaking attendees, as this presentation can be bilingual.
Our kickoff presentation on August 19 by ever-popular Cabrillo College Professor Sandy Lydon was well attended.
The cost to attend each lecture is $3 for members and $5 for nonmembers. Refreshments will be served. If you have topics or speakers to suggest for 2016 Ag Talks, let us know. For more information, call Agricultural History Project at (831) 724-5898.
