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m a g a z i n e m a g a z i n e living los altos living los altos in in Fall/Winter 2015 Homegrown Local residents embrace hobbyist winemaking Horseplay LAH riding ring promotes horsemanship, community A Los Altos Town Crier Publication

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Page 1: living los altos inin - Los Altos Town Crier · Los Altos Town Crier 138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022 948-9000 losaltosonline.com Editor Bruce Barton Magazine Editor Megan V. Winslow

m a g a z i n em a g a z i n e

living los altosliving los altosininFall/Winter 2015

HomegrownLocal residents embrace hobbyist winemaking

HorseplayLAH riding ring promotes horsemanship, community

A Los Altos Town Crier Publication

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Page 2 | Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 3

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Page 4 | Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015

Los Altos Town Crier138 Main St., Los Altos, CA 94022

948-9000losaltosonline.com

Editor Bruce Barton Magazine Editor Megan V. Winslow Designer Mary Watanabe Writers Alex Barreira Ramya Krishna Tanya Kucak Christine Moore Carol Rosen Copy Editors Pete Borello Kerry Brown Colleen Schick Photographers Shirley Pefley Megan V. Winslow Sales Staff Janice Fabella Kathy Lera Dawn Pankonen Janice Torrecampo Ad Services Director Chris Redden Ad Services Assistant Leverne Cornelius Production Staff Mary Watanabe Marilyn Winans

Publisher Paul Nyberg Associate Publisher Howard Bischoff Human Resources Director Liz Nyberg Receptionist Peggy Hennessee

Cover photo by Shirley PefleySarit Mintz guides her horse Ice over a jump during the Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association Summer Schooling Show in July.

Magazine Staf f SSSS

Circulation 16,500. Mailed directly to households in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View. Hundreds of subscribers receive the Town Crier in neighboring communities as well as out of state. The Town Crier can be purchased at newsstands in Los Altos, Mountain View and Palo Alto.

Upcoming 2015 Magazines

Home for the HolidaysPublishes: Nov. 18, 2015

© Los Altos Town Crier Company Inc., 2015.All Rights Reserved.

living los altosm a g a z i n em a g a z i n e

living los altosininVines and WinesLos Altos and Los Altos Hills have emerged as hotbeds for hobbyist winemaking.

Page 5

Festival FunThe fall festival season brings arts, crafts, games and treats.

Page 35

Cool CropsFollow a green

thumb’s gardening tips for securing a

homegrown harvest.

Page 23

Share your story ideasHave a favorite spot to visit in Los Altos? Want to share something unique about your neighborhood?

Readers are invited to submit ideas for future Living in Los Altos magazines to Megan V. Winslow at [email protected].

Costume CorpsCostume rentals fund

charitable programs for children in need.

Page 10

Horsey HavenLos Altos Hills’ free public riding arena fosters localhorsemanship.

Page 15

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 5

HOME VINTNERS

By Christine MooreSpecial to the Town Crier

S ay, Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, how does your garden grow? With Zinfandel and other grape vari-etals growing happily in well-manicured rows?

Interest in the winemaking hobby thrives in local neighborhoods. In 2012, a Town Crier article about home winemakers noted that there were approximately 40 local families producing wine for personal use. Flash forward three years and those numbers have in-creased greatly. Los Altos Hills resident and home viti-culturist Scott Bryan keeps a rough count of properties that grow grapes. He estimates that more than 100 local homes grow vitis vinifera (wine grapes) in their gardens.The green canopies create lush and vibrant landscaping and enable wine lovers to indulge their love of the grape. Having a hand in making the wines they serve at fam-ily events and celebrations is a source of great joy to home winemakers, who bring equal parts passion and persever-ance to their hobby. They are involved in every aspect of the process – from pruning in winter to protecting their

crop from birds in the summer. They determine the right fungicides needed, harvest the fruit themselves and even design bottle labels. It’s a year-round pursuit.

The labor of their fruits It’s no coincidence grapes grow well in and around Los Altos. The Mediterranean climate and fertile soil combine for ideal growing conditions for many grape varietals. But viticulture as a hobby is not for the faint of heart; growing grapes requires persistence. It’s a commitment Bryan knows well. “I’ve made every mistake one can possibly make when it comes to growing grapes and making wine,” said Bryan with a chuckle. Bryan put his root stock in the ground in 2003, but the work to become a winemaker started years before his original planting. Bryan’s home is at the top of Los Altos Hills. Its pictur-esque location required a great deal of preparation to en-able him to grow grapes. He spent three years building a

Local hobbyist winemakers ferment with style

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Hobbyist winemaker Scott Bryan provides a tour of his Los Altos Hills vineyard. Bryan estimates that more than 100 local homes feature wine grapes in their gardens.

Continued on Page 6

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Page 6 | Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015

retaining wall, moved mound upon mound of soil by hand and plumbed in irrigation. After planting Merlot, Caber-net Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, he had to wait another three years before the vines were producing grapes wor-thy of winemaking. Bryan has since added Tempranillo and Zinfandel to his vineyard. “You get to know the soil and the climate, and you fine-tune your plans accordingly,” he said. Understanding the soil is important for any would-be wine producer. “A great bottle of wine is grown, not finessed,” Bryan added. But even in ideal weather conditions, growing grapes involves dedication, elbow grease and no small amount of finger-crossing.

The fruits of their labor “I have real appreciation for what farmers go through,” said home vintner Karen Smith when asked how this year’s harvest has shaped up for her and her husband, Tom. This has been a difficult growing year for the Smiths, who planted Chardonnay and Merlot some 15 years ago. “We chose those varietals based on what we liked to drink at the time,” Tom said. “Karen enjoyed Chardon-nay, and I am a red wine guy.”

HOME VINTNERS

Continued from Page 5

Scott Bryan planted his root stock in 2003. Today, he grows Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and Zinfandel grapes.

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 7

HOME VINTNERS

The couple tends to 185 vines and typically produces 336 bottles annually. According to Tom, 2015 will go down as one of the lowest-yield years they’ve experienced. “It’s partially due to the drought, but there are other factors, too,” he said. Chardonnay can be a difficult grape to grow, and the Smiths plan to replace their Chardonnay plants in the win-ter. But the Smiths aren’t daunted by the unusual growing season. “Our harvest is always great fun,” Karen said. “We invite 15 or so friends over to help,” added Tom. “Karen makes a brunch for all to enjoy afterward.” The Smiths take their harvest to Mount Bullion Vine-yard in Mariposa for fermentation and bottling. After ag-ing in oak barrels, the wines are bottled and finished with one of the watercolor labels Karen creates.

Sharing the bounty The Smiths like sharing their wines with family and friends. Bryan’s loved ones clamor for bottles of his wine, too. He produces six distinct blends with personality-filled names such as “Dad’s Blend,” “Goofy Gopher” and “Quirky Quail.” His wines have nabbed gold and silver medals at amateur winemaking competitions. It was Bryan’s son who encouraged him to submit his wines for judging.

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Continued on Page 8

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“My son threw down a challenge,” he said, “saying it was one thing for family and friends to like my wine, but would strangers like it too?” While neither the Bryans nor the Smiths have worked in the professional wine industry, there is great depth of knowledge and sweat equity behind their endeavors. Bryan, for example, took courses through the UC Da-vis extension program. The Smiths work with former Los Altos residents and winery owners Kris and Harold Casto, who operate Mount Bullion Vineyard. Karen said the Castos began as home winemakers themselves.

Local resources for making your own wine For those considering delving into the world of home winemaking, there are plenty of local resources. • Visit More Beer, More Wine at 991 San Antonio Road in Los Altos, a one-stop shop for fermenting gear. • Enroll in UC Davis online and remote winemaking courses. • Explore Winemaker.com to test the waters and learn more about what the hobby entails. • Attend the Los Altos Hills Vines & Wines event, scheduled 2-5 p.m. Oct. 25 at town hall, 26379 W. Fre-mont Road.

HOME VINTNERS

Continued from Page 7

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Several of Scott Bryan’s blends have won gold and silver medals at amateur winemaking competitions.

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 9

HOME VINTNERS

Co-sponsored by the town of Los Altos Hills and Hills2000, the event will feature more than 20 local wine-makers pouring their homemade wines. In addition to Bryan and the Smiths, participating vint-ners will include Brian Hollins, Frank Di Tomaso, Sean Corrigan, Joe Krackeler, Byron Miller, Stuart Schlitt, Jim Steinmetz, Bob Tacy, Mario Tarigo, Felix Theeuwes, Al Traficanti and Peter Wolken. Tickets – $20 – include a commemorative glass, wine and light refreshments. For tickets and more information, visit losaltoshills.ca.gov/announcements/621-vines-wines-sunday-octo-ber-25. r

PHOTOS BY MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Scott Bryan creates his own bottle labels, above left. He protects his fruit with bird netting, above right.

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Page 10 | Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015

By Alex BarreiraTown Crier Editorial Intern

S et back from the street, the Costume Bank has quietly operated at the corner of State

and Third streets for more than 50 years. Inside, however, the Los Al-tos shop is bustling with volunteer workers devoted to the nonprofit business. Run by the Los Altos chapter of the Assistance League, a na-tional philanthropic organization, the Costume Bank has just one paid employee – and she’s part time. The approximately 40 other Assistance League of Los Al-tos members who work there are

COSTUME BANK

Promoting generosity for generations

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Sisters Soraya Kermani, 4, left, and Roya Kermani, 6, provide teddy bears with hugs before the Assistance League donates the toys to children in need. Continued on Page 12

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 11

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volunteers. The dedicated corps – comprising mostly lo-cal women – devote more than 15,000 hours per year to the store, which rents costumes year-round. “This is a really cool place to work,” said frequent vol-unteer Katie Hammerson, who’s in charge of the chapter’s resource development. “It’s creative problem solving – it’s fun.” Adele Hennig, treasurer of the Los Altos chapter, re-membered the time the shop helped a 6-foot teenage boy dress as a beautiful geisha. “There was some contest at the high school – and he won,” Hennig said. “He looked incredible.”

Costume collection

The Costume Bank boasts a collection of more than 3,000 costumes, most of them products of local generos-ity. A row of papier-mache animal heads, corresponding with full body costumes, watches over the store from a shelf high on one wall. Those looking to spend the day as anything from a Russian soldier to a jellyfish can find treasures in a backroom overflowing with hats, sabers and badges. “These ones are real, by the way,” Hammerson said as she gestured to a drawer of U.S. army badges. The store receives frequent contributions from a local seamstress in the form of dresses and robes à la Marie An-

toinette and Henry VIII. The San Francisco Opera Com-pany last year donated a cast’s worth of Gaelic costumes. Volunteers compare the selection favorably (deeming them “theater quality”) to stores like Spirit that crop up every autumn to offer prepackaged costumes, usually of cheaper plastic. “We get those as donations, too, sometimes, but we keep them at the front to sell,” Hennig said.

Return on investment

Donors and customers can see a return on their invest-ment in the surrounding community as the store’s prof-its fund a variety of philanthropic endeavors. Operation School Bell provides Bay Area foster children with field

COSTUME BANK

PHOTOS BY MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Los Altos resident Bev Jauch, above left, donates clown costumes to the Costume Bank. Los Altos chapter treasurer Adele Hennig, below, examines a dress worn to President Abraham Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration.

Continued from Page 10

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 13

trips and school supplies – includ-ing laptops for college-bound stu-dents – and offers baby supplies such as diapers, toys and even temporary beds to the economi-cally disadvantaged. As part of Project Hug-A-Bear, the Assistance League sends teddy bears to fos-ter children throughout the county – but not before each one is given special treatment from the “profes-sional huggers” on staff, Hennig said. “We have little girls who come and hug them,” she said. A large portion of the Costume Bank’s profits go toward maintain-ing 41 apartments across the street from Stanford Hospital. The apart-ments are offered to outpatients, their families and the families of those staying in the hospital. They are available for as little as $35 a night, saving out-of-towners at Stanford for treatments – and their families – hundreds of dollars in hotel bills. The chapter’s next major goal is to renovate the apart-ment building, which it has owned since the 1970s, through fundraising and donations.

A store for all seasons

The Costume Bank’s busiest time of year is Hallow-een, when patrons flock to the shop from as far as San Luis Obispo and Sacramento. To accommodate the rush,

COSTUME BANK

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

The Costume Bank boasts a collection of more than 3,000 costumes, most of them products of local generosity.

Continued on Page 14

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Page 14 | Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015

the store expands its hours of operation to every day of the week instead of Wednesdays through Saturdays, and by closing at 7 p.m. rather than 5 p.m. But the shop has remained busy throughout the sea-sons in recent years as customers seek costumes for holi-days, weddings and parties. One customer even celebrated a successful hip surgery by hosting a hippie party. The volunteers consider their inventory timeless, and it spans decades, even generations. Some pieces donated to the shop date back to the mid-19th century, including a dress worn at President Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration in 1861. Vintage dresses, too fragile to sell, remain tucked away in the Bank’s vaults, save for a few special occasions when they’re modeled at annual fashion shows sponsored by the Assisteens, the Assistance League’s branch of middle school and high school students. Modeling fashions from the 1800s to present day, the younger volunteers (and a few of the veterans, too) walk the catwalk at local nursing homes. “A lot of (the people watching) have lived through these eras, so it’s a real nostalgia trip,” Hammerson said. Volunteers at the Costume Bank know there aren’t many stores like theirs – such a part of and so active in the community. They rely on residents’ generosity and pa-tronage. Hennig recounted one instance in which a customer tried on a wedding dress only to learn moments later – from her mother’s wide-eyed recognition – it was the same one her grandmother had worn down the aisle, and subsequently donated, years earlier. “Of course the dress fit perfectly,” Hennig said. For more information on the Costume Bank and the Assistance League of Los Altos, call 941-2610 or visit losaltos-assistanceleague.org. r

Continued from Page 13

COSTUME BANK

BY MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIERT

Customers peruse the Costume Bank shelves for Halloween costume possibilities.

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 15

HORSEMANSHIP

SHIRLEY PEFLEY/TOWN CRIER

Rider and horse pose for a selfie during the Horsemen’s Association Summer Schooling Show.

By Carol RosenSpecial to the Town Crier

Horses and riders abound on the Peninsula, with rid-ers showcasing their competitive skills or taking to the trails for leisurely rides through the equestrian-

friendly cities of Los Altos Hills, Woodside and Portola Valley. But Los Altos Hills has something few other Cali-fornia cities can claim – a free, public horse-riding ring.

Continued on Page 16

Horsemen’s Association sponsors

equine-related activities

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The town arena is located on Purissima Road adjacent to the Little League fields. Before the ring’s construction in 1976, there were few local arenas available, and the ones that did exist levied fees or required lessons.

Promoting horse-related activities

Over time, the ring has become a focal point for the Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association (LAHHA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving horseman-ship in the community. “It’s rare to have an arena of this quality to ride in for free,” said Delme Stutz Fry, an association member. The ring routinely hosts LAHHA PlayDays, events, horse and veterinary clinics and schooling shows. In July, the association sponsored an all-day schooling show with riders from the area judged on jumping and trotting skills and awarded ribbons for their efforts. Charlotte Bain, 11, won a ribbon in the jumping com-petition. She’s only been riding for 18 months, but she said it’s fun to have a connection with her horse and to partner with him. Another schooling show ribbon winner, Sofia Murray, 11, has been riding for five years. “I like the horses and the excitement when I go over the jumps,” she said. Founded in 1971, LAHHA promotes the care and

Continued from Page 15

HORSEMANSHIP

SHIRLEY PEFLEY/TOWN CRIER

Kristina Sumina guides her horse Yuki over a jump during the LAHHA Summer Schooling Show.

Continued on Page 18

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 17

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ownership of horses in Los Altos Hills and neighboring communi-ties. The group supports equine-related activities and encourages local residents to build, maintain, supervise and use horse trails and pathways. Continual maintenance of the town arena is a joint venture be-tween LAHHA and the town of Los Altos Hills. Association mem-bers take part in workdays by trim-ming, pulling weeds, raking and polishing the facility. The town’s maintenance crew is responsible for dragging the arena weekly. Fry embraced horsemanship from an early age. As a child, she squirreled away savings until she was able to buy her own horse – at age 9. She became active in LAHHA when Foothill Col-lege prevented residents from riding their horses on cam-pus. “They didn’t want horses going between the build-ings,” she said, “so we put in a trail around the campus.” Fry joined the LAHHA Board of Directors and served

until she went off to college in Sussex, England, where she studied to become a horse master. Her father, Bob Stutz, assumed her seat on the board and became an instrumen-tal contributor to the construction of the town ring.

Continued from Page 16

HORSEMANSHIP

SHIRLEY PEFLEY/TOWN CRIER

A horse and rider await a turn in the ring during the Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association Summer Schooling Show in July.

Continued on Page 22

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“He helped build the first arena in 1971 as well as trail bridges,” Fry said. LAHHA member Bob Garcia coordinated the ring’s resurfacing project in 2006 but insisted that he couldn’t have completed the project alone. “Everything we do is a group effort,” he said. Perhaps it’s that support network that encourages members to remain with LAHHA. Fry, for example, spends some of her free time judging the group’s shows and events. Young riders are “almost an impossible class to judge,” according to Fry. “You have to look for all kinds of things – from part-nership with the horse to position and posture when jump-ing, and whether they are taking the horse to the center of the jump,” she added. But members also participate in various other ways. There’s work at the shows, from placing and removing equipment to cleaning the ring, along with parties and other social events, including an annual holiday party. LAHHA shows once took place monthly, but the group hasn’t been as active lately – it hosted only one show in the summer due to conflicts with school starting. But things are beginning to change, noted Alisa Bredo, LAHHA’s current president. “We have new people joining, along with a passionate

core of members who have been around for years,” she said. The group is hoping to expand both its board and membership. Memberships offer the ability to join a network of lo-cal horse owners who regularly ride through and among the trails of Los Altos Hills and Hidden Villa. They may also attend spring PlayDay, the Summer Schooling Show, various clinics and tack swaps, and take advantage of dis-counted fees for paid events. Members can run free classi-fied ads on the LAHHA website, receive annual newslet-ters and have access to Yahoo Group sites. Dues, $25 per year, are used for maintenance and equipment. Meetings are scheduled quarterly, and members are not required to live in Los Altos Hills. Riders of any age may join. LAHHA member Jolon Wagner said children are es-pecially encouraged to join. She believes that horseman-ship is beneficial to children, teaching them responsibility and patience. “They help center you and keep you in the moment, so they don’t startle or stumble,” Wagner said of horses. “They allow you to watch what you are doing and not think about other things – to be in the here and now, where we all should be.” To join, mail a check to LAHHA, 26786 Robleda Court, Los Altos Hills 94022. For more information, visit lahha.org. r

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HORSEMANSHIP

SHIRLEY PEFLEY/TOWN CRIER

Maile Johnson rides her horse Fiona during the LAH Horseman’s Association Summer Schooling Show at the Los Altos Hills riding ring.

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Living in Los Altos | September 30, 2015 | Page 23

GARDENING

By Tanya KucakSpecial to the Town Crier

It’s not too late to plant vegeta-bles and take advantage of the less-intense half of California’s

year-round gardening climate. The time is now – the fall and winter are when vegetables grow more slowly, so you can often “store” them in the garden until you are ready to use them. In cooler weather, less watering is needed – even if rainfall is be-low average. Weeds, pests and dis-eases are usually less of a problem. Herbs such as cilantro are easier to grow when the weather dips. And the taste of crops like kale and

Now’s the time to plant that cool-season garden

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Celery, left, and lettuce plants await sale at the Los Altos Nursery. To reach mature size, plants should be spaced appropriately in the garden.Continued on Page 24

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broccoli actually improve following a light frost. In Los Altos, the key months for planting the cool-season garden are August and September, according to Candace Simpson, who spoke last month at a cool-season garden-ing event sponsored by the UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County. “The goal is to have everything in by mid- to late-Sep-tember,” Simpson said. “The plants need to get going while the soil is warm, so they can be really well established be-fore the world gets cool.” The Master Gardeners – who offer research-based class-es and home-gardening advice – publish a vegetable plant-ing chart on their website summarizing what to plant and when. Simpson said the chart is for the entire county and that optimal planting times are at least a couple weeks ear-lier for Los Altos. Not much growth occurs in December and January, but once the weather starts warming up again in the spring, crops will put on new growth. Furthermore, those who miss the planting window this fall may start many cool-season crops in February and March. Depending on the weather, microclimates and expecta-tions, however, gardeners can stretch those deadlines a bit. Last year, I was out of town for part of September and didn’t get around to planting a newly installed garden bed until the first week of October. I had broccoli, collard and beet

GARDENING

Continued from Page 23

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Leafy greens like kale can be grown as individual plants or broadcast thickly.Continued on Page 28

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transplants from garden friends, and I planted lettuce, peas and carrots from seed a week later. By the first week of November, everything was doing well. October is prob-ably too late to plant more demanding vegetables such as brussels sprouts and cabbages, though. Those with small gardens should take out their sum-mer gardens before planting cool-season crops. I’ve learned that my tomatoes don’t taste as good or produce as much by the time cooler nighttime temperatures set in around mid-October, but it’s still hard to pull them all up.

Success in the garden

For a successful garden, the first priority is good soil. Simpson recommended adding nitrogen. Most of the soils in the Bay Area require only nitrogen; alfalfa pellets (sold in 50-pound bags at pet stores) are a cheap way to add it. For a 100-square-foot garden bed, mix approximately 10 pounds of alfalfa pellets into the top 10 inches, Simpson advised. “Organic fertilizers have to be worked on by soil mi-crobes” before the plants can use them, she said. Sammy Horie, who manages the vegetable seedlings section at SummerWinds Nursery in Palo Alto, noted that “vegetables grow up to twice as fast” in healthier soil rich in microbes.

GARDENING

Continued from Page 24

A customer scans the aisles at the Los Altos Nursery. The shop and SummerWinds Nursery of Palo Alto carry a wide selection of cool-season vegetables.

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GARDENING

The best vegetables to grow are the ones you will eat. Most garden centers, particularly the Los Altos Nursery and SummerWinds Nursery in Palo Alto, carry a wide se-lection of cool-season vegetables well into fall. Peas are my favorite cool-season crop, and I eat most snap peas right in the garden. I prefer starting them in six-packs, then planting out two to three weeks later. They still need to be protected from birds for a while, though. Leafy greens such as kale, lettuce, spinach, mustard and arugula can be grown as individual plants, or – es-pecially in the spring – broadcast thickly to be cut as baby greens. Baby greens can be ready in as little as 30 days from seed, and you can “cut and come again” sev-eral times. To reach mature size, individual plants must be spaced appropriately. They take longer to produce full-size leaves, but once they do, they can be harvested over a longer span of time. Lettuces have shallow roots and are easy to grow in containers. Root vegetables such as beets, carrots, turnips and some radishes can stay in the ground until you are ready to use them.

Thin is in

“Thinning is essential” for root crops, Master Gardener Ann Burrell said at another talk. Carrots and radishes are

Continued on Page 34

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

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best planted directly from seed. Once the plants emerge, it’s important to ensure proper spacing so that roots can reach their mature size. Beets and turnips can be grown from seed or transplants, but they also need to be spaced appropriately. Herbs such as dill, cilantro and fennel can be grown in the fall, but cilantro can be difficult to grow in the warm season because of its tendency to go to seed too quickly. To grow onions, you can plant seed as early as mid-October – or onion transplants in November or Decem-ber – for a June or July harvest. If planted earlier, warmer temperatures may make them go to seed instead of pro-ducing bulbs. In a recent talk on growing onions and gar-lic, Master Gardener Susan Zaslaw advised choosing the sunniest part of your winter garden for onions and plant-ing the seeds 3-4 inches apart. “Unlike other cool-season vegetables, onions need eight hours of direct sun per day,” she said. Zaslaw added that gardeners should avoid buying onion “sets,” which typically go to seed without setting bulbs. The best varieties for our climate are intermediate-day varieties or “short-day varieties that resist cold,” she said. Some of Zaslaw’s favorites include Red Crimson, So-lano and Candy. Garlic is one of the easiest crops. Zaslaw recommend-

ed planting from mid-October until late-November. “Water the soil thoroughly a few days before plant-ing,” she said, “then don’t water again until you see green sprouts emerging from the soil.” Purchase certified disease-free garlic from nurseries or mail order, and plant 1 inch deep and 4 inches apart, she added. Shallots are planted just like garlic but 8 inches apart. If you know that you won’t be planting a cool-season garden, you can sow cover crops such as fava beans, rye, vetch and clovers. These add nutrients to your soil when you chop them up to enrich your soil in the spring. And don’t neglect to mulch your beds well to protect the soil. Tanya Kucak gardens organically. Email her at [email protected]. r

GARDENING

Continued from Page 29

MEGAN V. WINSLOW/TOWN CRIER

Pea varieties such as English peas, snap peas and sugar peas perform well in cool weather.

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By Ramya KrishnaTown Crier Editorial Intern

As the long, warm summer days turn into colder, short-er winter ones, a variety of

local events crop up to herald the holiday season.

Los Altos: Fall Festival10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 4Downtown Los Altos The Los Altos Chamber of Com-merce’s Fall Festival – staged in the South Parking Plazas between San Antonio Road and First Street – fea-tures arts and crafts booths. For more information, visit losaltoschamber.org.

Local cities offer array of fall & winter activities

TOWN CRIER FILE PHOTO

The Los Altos Fall Festival features food from local restaurants, specialty wines and beers, a classic car show, live music and a Children’s Alley.Continued on Page 36

EVENTS

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Los Altos Hills: Vines & Wines2-5 p.m. Oct. 25Los Altos Hills Town Hall26379 W. Fremont Road Sponsored by the town of Los Altos Hills and Hills2000, Vines & Wines showcases the locally made wines of more than 20 Los Altos Hills winemakers. A tasting fee of $20 includes a commemorative glass, wine and light refreshments. For more information, visit losaltoshills.ca.gov.

Los Altos: Halloween SpooktacularNoon to 4 p.m. Oct. 30Downtown Los Altos The Los Altos Village Association invites children to trick-or-treat at participating stores during the Halloween Spooktacular. The annual event features face painting, games, crafts, balloon art and, of course, plenty of candy. For more information, visit downtownlosaltos.org.

Mountain View: Monster Bash4-8 p.m. Oct. 30Community Center/Rengstorff Park201 S. Rengstorff Ave. Bring friends, family and a blanket to the Mountain

EVENTS

Continued from Page 35

Continued on Page 38

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View Monster Bash. An outdoor screening of “The Box-trolls” is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Other activities include Halloween games, music and light refreshments. For more information, visit mountainview.gov.

Los Altos: Belly Dance & Music Association Festival11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 7Hillview Community Center97 Hillview Ave. The fifth annual Bay Area Belly Dance & Music As-sociation features dancing, live music, refreshments and Bay Area vendors selling dance-related items. For more information, visit babdama.org.

Los Altos: Holiday Stroll5-9 p.m. Nov. 13Downtown Los Altos The Los Altos Village Association’s 13th annual Holi-day Stroll offers residents the opportunity to get a head start on their holiday shopping. Downtown streets are festively decorated with bright lights. Carolers stroll the streets, and roasted chestnuts and beverages are available for purchase. More than 50 downtown shops are sched-uled to participate. For more information, visit downtownlosaltos.org. r

EVENTS

Continued from Page 36 LIST OF ADVERTISERS

Alice & Alicia Nuzzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 29

All Horizons Travel, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Artistic Garage Doors, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Barbara Telesco/Campi Properties, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Carlsen Porsche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Cobalt Power Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Coldwell Banker Los Altos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,31,32,33

Connie Miller/Alain Pinel Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

DeLeon Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,21

Dial-A-Maid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Diversified Capital Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Epicurean Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

EverBank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Eye Lite Optometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

First Lock & Security Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34,38

Francis Rolland/Coldwell Banker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Home Organizing by Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Irene Yang/Alain Pinel Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Jeanne MacVicar/Sereno Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Kathy Bridgman/Alain Pinel Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Los Altos History Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Lovebugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Lynn North/Alain Pinel Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Peninsula Center of Cosmetic Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Pinewood School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Pompeii Ristorante . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Rancho Merchants Assoc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Ristorante Bella Vita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Rutt of Los Altos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Sereno Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,26,27

Shelly Potvin & Michael Sutton/Coldwell Banker . . . . . . 9

Spangler Mortuaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

The Driving Machine, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

The Los Altos United Methodist Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The Terraces at Los Altos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Waldorf School of the Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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