Any day out on one of the Sierra Foothill Conservancy’s Preserves is a special adventure but when I attended a class to understand more about range management on the McKenzie Preserve with spring wildflowers painting the hills, I came away with a better appreciation for the complex relationship of the soil, sun and things in between. I will return soon ...

By Bob Labozetta —  This is the first of a three-part series about growing tomatoes in the Sierra foothills. Parts two and three on tomato care will follow in the weeks to come. Tomatoes are adversely affected by temperature extremes. When temperatures stay over 90℉ during the day and the nights remain above 70℉, non-adapted tomato blooms often fail to ...

YOSEMITE — Tuolumne Winter Rangers Laura and Rob Pilewski latest report from the field on Mar. 20 tells the tale of some powder, some corn, rapid melting, the songs of spring in the air and some still-unsettled weather. New snow: 6 inches Total settled snow depth: 91 inches (at 8,600 feet) High temperature: 50°F (March 16) Low temperature: -1°F (March ...

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE — Look up into the clear (we hope) night sky this week for a view of the full Moon that coincides with the first day of spring. The Moon will reach its fullest point this month on Wednesday, Mar. 20 at 6:43 p.m. in our area — and it’s a supermoon. That means, according to NASA, the Moon ...

A dusting of new snow was the perfect backdrop for our hike to see gigantic Sequoias. Some of our hike was with snowshoes and some of it was without. That is the way it goes with springtime snow. Where: Yosemite National Park, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Distance: About 10 Miles but you can go shorter or farther Difficulty: Moderate ...

COARSEGOLD – Folks in the Coarsegold area have likely seen Lenny McConnell walking between his home on Ellen Mine Road and the center of town, picking up trash along the way. But recently, “Lenny the Trash Guy” has expanded his horizons. Over the past few weeks, Lenny has taken his mission of cleaning up the roads a bit farther – ...

YOSEMITE — Tuolumne Winter Rangers Laura and Rob Pilewski latest report from the field recounts some windy time at Tioga Pass as they remind wilderness travelers to prepare for potentially difficult conditions in the higher elevations. New snow: 18 inches Total settled snow depth: 96 inches (at 8,600 feet) High temperature: 40°F (March 12) Low temperature: -7°F (March 10 and 13) Ski ...

By Brian David —  How are you at growing plants in containers? From Dixie cups to fifty gallon barrels, the size of a container and its material composition make container gardening different from nurturing plants in the earth. Clay pots are porous, for instance, and plastic pots are impermeable. A plant’s nutrients, air flow and water need special attention in ...

Rain, snow, clouds then the bluest of skies with pristine white snow greeted us while we snowshoed from Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area along the Merced Crest. We were treated to views of the snowy Clark Range, Liberty Cap, Mt. Broderick, Half Dome, the Quarter Domes and Clouds Rest as we got in a great workout. Where: Yosemite National Park ...

OAKHURST – The new $25M Oakhurst Community College Center is quickly taking shape. Late Friday, college officials released an updated project timeline that could have students in classrooms as early as fall of 2022. According to Darin Soukup, director at the Oakhurst Community College Center, construction is now slated to start late next year — and be completed in the ...