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Faced with what to use to keep down weeds when wood chips aren’t allowed? Well, you’re not alone. Although wood chip mulch is good for the health of your soil and your plants, it’s not recommended per new Cal Fire regulations within 30 feet...

Let’s be clear. Most of us are in business because we are passionate about what we do; we enjoy helping people, and yes, we would also like to make money. I said passion may get us started, but passion alone doesn't pay the electric...

The City of Scotts Valley has placed Measure G on the November ballot. If passed, Measure G would increase the City’s Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)—commonly known as the hotel tax—by 2%, adding just $2 per $100 spent on a hotel stay. With this approach, the...

Many years ago I started writing a book about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. One of many interesting subjects I researched was the different soils we have here in the mountains. I don’t need to tell you if you garden in dense clay,...

“…it is a day when time seems to stand still. Inviting us to pause, look inward, and ask the hard questions about who we are and who we hope to become. Yom Kippur opens a door to forgiveness—for others, for ourselves and for the...

It’s hard to believe, but as you read this, we’ve just completed six weeks of the “new” school year. And there’s a lot going on, so let’s dive in. This month, we continue our district-wide focus on math across all grade levels, partnering with the...

Soil is a wonderful thing. It grows our food, anchors our trees and provides a foundation under our feet. But it sure can be hard to work with when it’s not the soft, crumbly loam that many plants prefer. It’s amazing that anything grows...

“History Doesn't Repeat Itself, But It Often Rhymes.” —Mark Twain Tragic economic poetry with unprincipled presidents rhymes all too often. Trump and Nixon challenged the Constitution and made pacts with devils paid with fiat money to win elections. Nixon left communists shamefully ruling Vietnam, while...

How efficient is your reaction time? Think back, when was the last time you tripped but caught yourself from falling. Did you know your nervous system has a millisecond to react the right muscles to prevent a fall when you trip. If that signal...

Summer is winding down. It’s still warm during the day, but the nights are cool and there’s less and less daylight hours. The soil is still warm, so it’s the perfect time to start thinking about planting. Like the saying goes, “gardening is a...