Published in the December 7 – 20, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Trina Hineser

Here’s the easiest gift for the entire family to decide on — a real Christmas tree! Get into the holiday season and come out to the Battaglia Ranch Christmas Tree Farm located 13580 Murphy Ave. in San Martin and open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Here you’ll find pine tree varieties such as Nobles, Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Fraser and Nordmann.

Real holiday trees provide beauty and a natural fragrance to get you into a Christmas spirit. They are renewable, recyclable and meant to be harvested like other crops.

For every Christmas tree harvested, two or three more are planted, according to The California Christmas Tree Association.

You can get more info at www.BattaglaiRanch.com.

If you’re looking for a western-themed gift for your favorite cowboy or cowgirl, visit Boot Barn located at 12915 Monterey Highway in San Martin. They sell name-brand boots and western wear at prices that are hard to beat.

The quality work wear and cowboy hats are amazing. Look for the big white horse out front and stop in to discover the merchandise. Or shop online at www.bootbarn.com.
The San Martin Specialty Shop located at 70 E. San Martin Ave. is where you’ll find the folks that can fabricate, weld and repair just about anything made out of metal.

From structural steel fabrication, custom design ornamental ironwork to tractor and bicycle frame repairs, or your wife’s favorite pan, they’re the one-stop metal shop in San Martin.

See their work at www.sanmartinspecialty.com.

Let’s not forget about the locally famous LJB Farms located in San Martin at 585 Fitzgerald Ave. Christmas shops can find produced grown by the fourth generation of farming by the Bonino Family. They harvest the most deliciously vine-ripe fruits and vegetables in the Santa Clara Valley.

Their personal service and hometown feel combined with the brilliant array of the finest produce has made this small farm a cornerstone of the San Martin community for nearly a century.

This is a “must visit” this holiday season. Got to www.ljbfarms.com for more details.

Finally, don’t forget the ever-popular Rocca’s Market, the family-owned local grocery store since 1927, where you can get high-quality meats and fish and exceptional local wines, among many other items.

With the ever increasing level of development pressure being placed on the San Martin area, our community continues to work hard to protect our rural integrity and to maintain a “local serving” environment. Let’s support San Martin businesses and encourage friends, family and neighbors to shop local.

“Going local does not mean walling off the outside world,” said Michael H. Shuman, author of the book Going Local. “It means nurturing locally-owned businesses which use local resources sustainably, employ local workers at decent wages and serve primarily local consumers. It means becoming more self-sufficient and less dependent on imports. Move away from the distant corporations and back into the community where it belongs.”

And on behalf of the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance’s board of directors, we wish you a safe and joyful holiday season.

May we each stop, shop local and be grateful for the unique community we all enjoy here in San Martin.

Trina Hineser is the president of the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance. She wrote this column for Morgan Hill Life. She can be reached [email protected]