Experience Coyote Valley firsthand at the Family Harvest Feast Sept. 27
Published in the September 17-30, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Alex Kennett
Alex Kennett
As a longtime resident of Morgan Hill, I have watched our community develop with almost parental pride. We’ve grown from a sleepy hamlet to a bustling city in the span of just a few decades without losing sight of what makes our community unique and special.
We have successfully built a thriving downtown, excellent schools, world class sports facilities and quality cultural institutions. We are a diverse community that plays well together. Many community gatherings and celebrations such as the Mushroom Mardi Gras, Taste of Morgan Hill, and Downtown Wine Stroll revolve around our local treasure trove of restaurants and locally produced food and wine. That’s not too surprising as Morgan Hill was a community of ranchers, farmers, and orchardists well before it was incorporated in 1906.
The distinctive El Toro, also called Murphy’s Peak, is a jewel in the crown of our city. Another rare gem is the Coyote Valley which comprises 7,400 acres of open space land that spans between Morgan Hill and our neighbor to the north. The Coyote Valley is the last vestige of the Valley of Heart’s Delight — the country’s major fruit basket up until the early 1960s.
The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority is a longtime partner with Morgan Hill in protecting open space land and supporting urban open space projects, including preservation of El Toro. The Open Space Authority’s Greenprint calls out Coyote Valley as one of the county’s highest priority areas for conservation. In addition to its valuable farm and ranchland, the Coyote Valley houses the region’s largest groundwater basin, a source of fresh drinking water. The valley is one of only two landscape linkages that allow wildlife movement between the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
On Sept. 27, you can experience the wonders of Coyote Valley firsthand at the Family Harvest Feast, hosted by the Open Space Authority at its 348-acre open space preserve, located at 550 Palm Avenue. There will be docent-led hikes and educational booths that celebrate Coyote Valley’s agricultural roots and share a vision for the future. And, of course, there will also be great food and family entertainment.
As usual, there is an embarrassment of riches for our community to enjoy — the Taste of Morgan Hill also runs that weekend. I plan to attend both events and hope you will, too.
To register for the free Coyote Valley Family Harvest Feast and learn more about the Santa Clara Valley Greenprint visit openspaceauthority.org.
A 35-year resident of Morgan Hill, Alex Kennett is the District 1 director of the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority.
