needs the support of the county.”
In order to grow their business-
es, farmers are constantly adapting
to increased mechanization, global
competition and increased regulation.
“For something as simple as building a
storage barn in a field, regulations require
that paved roads be put in. It doesn’t
make economic sense,” Bill added.
Bill also talked about the impact of
government- mandated increases to the
minimum wage. “Thousands of jobs are
created to support the process of growing,
harvesting, processing, packing and
shipping locally-grown products. We’ve
managed to stay competitive with China
and Mexico, but mandating a $10 to $15
per hour minimum wage will make it more
difficult for farmers to compete.”
To offset the impact of a lingering
drought, Bill said Christopher Ranch has
taken proactive steps including putting in
two more new wells, but he noted that the
water table is going down.
Thriving agriculture is a powerful
weapon in the face of food insecurity. To
protect food security for the future, Bill
said, “We need to preserve the good agri-
cultural land we already have to grow the
crops and trees we need. The Williamson
Act has been very helpful in this regard.”
As far as what’s new on the horizon,
Bill shared that after selling out in Bay
Area McDonald’s restaurants, Gilroy Garlic
Fries are have been approved in 400
outlets across the county. These made-to-
order fries are tossed with a puree mix
62
of (Christopher Ranch) garlic, olive oil,
Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt.
“To promote garlic is to promote
Gilroy!” Bill said.
Along with fresh garlic, Christopher
Ranch also offers a growing line of organic
certified products, which are available at
Costco, Nob Hill, Safeway, Whole Foods
and many other retail grocers across the
United States.
The Gilroy Garlic Festival got its
start in 1978 when Dr. Rudy Melone (a
former president of Gavilan Community
College) suggested to Don Christopher
(world’s largest shipper of garlic) that
there should be a festival to celebrate
the harvest of the “stinking rose.” Don
agreed and became co-founder of the
event. Today the festival is legendary.
Christopher Ranch supplies more than
TWO TONS of garlic to the event. This
year’s festival will be held July 29th
through 31st. Attractions will include the
infamous Gourmet Alley with its “pyro
chefs,” the traditional garlic cook-off, a
wine pavilion, live entertainment and
activities for the kids. The event has
raised over $5 million for local charities
since its inception.
Royal Oaks Mushrooms
California is second only to Pennsylvania
in terms of U.S. mushroom production,
and Santa Clara County grows one-third
of the state’s output on less than ten farms.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JULY / AUGUST 2016
The White, Crimini and Portabella variet-
ies we love in our soups, salads, burgers,
omelets and pizzas grow year ‘round at
farms in Morgan Hill, San Martin and
Gilroy. But for our local growers, the
rewards come with challenges.
Don Hordness took over an established
Morgan Hill mushroom farm in the early
1980s after graduating from Cal Poly and
working for Campbell Soup Company and
Ralston Purina. He renamed the business
Royal Oaks and expanded growing operations
to include a second farm in Gilroy. Royal
Oaks mushrooms are sold primarily at whole-
sale under the Del Fresh label.
“I’ve been in mushroom farming a long
time and it’s a very productive business.
Royal Oaks produces about 120,000
pounds of mushrooms every week, 52
weeks a year. Mushrooms are harvested
by hand every day, so it’s a labor-intensive
business. I love Morgan Hill but when it
comes to maintaining ag from the stand-
point of economic viability, it’s getting
more difficult to farm here. California’s
ag industry is the most heavily regulated
in the nation, and we are competing with
Pennsylvania, Texas and Canada where
farmland and labor are cheaper. Minimum
wage increases make things even more
challenging. I have people on staff who
have been with me for 30 years now and
they earn a good wage plus full benefits.
A higher minimum wage moves every-
thing up the scale in terms of the cost to
do business.”
“Santa Clara County needs to have
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