The Watsonville Certified Farmer’s Market has a wide array of participating farmers during the spring and summer season. Each farm stand has a unique medley of fruits and vegetables. There is something for everyone here, from organic lovers to seekers of the exotic.
This week at the market you can find peas, peanuts and green onions at the Agular Farms stand. Keep a lookout for asparagus and broccoli as well. Universal Organics is another great spot to find asparagus. Universal has beautiful array of veggies; colorful carrots, bright broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage, just to name a few. And all organic to boot!
Stop in at the Shletewitz Farms stand for lovely citrus fruits; oranges, tangelos, sweet grapefruit, lemons, limes and more. Shletewitz hands out mouthwatering sample wedges to temp shoppers. One juicy bite and you’ll be sold!
Shoppers will be in for a treat this week at the KT Farms stand. This booth has a wonderful selection of exotic produce; Asian cucumbers, Chinese broccoli, baby bok choy, Thai basil and Chinese spinach. KT’s more unusual offerings are sugar cane, tarrow root and celery root. Visit this stand to add some adventure to your menu.
At the Aula Farms stand, check out the aromatic array of herbs: cilantro, basil, dill and thyme. Aula’s aromatic offerings extend to onions and garlic as well. Cucumbers, green beans, and celery round out this stand’s offerings.
Shopping at the farmer’s market is a wonderful way to connect with your community, support local farmers and eat seasonally. The Watsonville Certified Farmer’s Market is held 3-7 pm every Friday on the corner of Peck and Main streets. The market is open rain or shine.
Credit: Christine Marez
Scurich Insurance helps farmers get covered with many types of Commercial Insurance.
Scurich Insurance Services
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
Read more
You can now subscribe to our monthly insurance newsletters. Our newsletters have great information about insurance and helpful tips.
We offer the following newsletters:
These articles provide practical, helpful info about Life and Health Insurance concerns.
Life & Health
Dont miss out on tips and important facts for home owners, car owners and more!
Personal Protection
Your Employee Matters. A guide to Workplace Culture and Compliance.
Employee Matters
For any business with employees! Special updates, and advice on holding down Workers Comp claims.
Workers Comp
Scurich Insurances can provide commercial packages, farm bureau discounts, farm packages, workers compensation, professional liability, umbrella, group benefits group life & health personal auto , home, life, health and much more. We can also help you plan wisely and guide you in the evaluation of risk management, We serve Watsonville, California and surrounding areas. We represent over 50 Insurance carriers to better protect your business. Find out more at www.scurichinsurance.com
Read more
Here are some great tips to keep you safe on your tractor.
- Don’t leave the driver’s seat or cab until you have turned off the engine and made sure the tractor has come to a complete stop. Then take the key with you.
- Always be on the lookout for nearby workers on the ground.
- Don’t carry passengers or extra riders.
- Don’t operate too close to ditches or creeks.
- Slow down when operating in fields that contain holes or other hazards resulting in uneven terrain.
- Make sure tractors are equipped with ROPS and that seat belts are worn when the ROPS is in the upright and locked position.
- Only hitch to the drawbar or to other hitch points specified by the manufacturer.
- Make sure all loads are secure, balanced, and not too heavy for your tractor to handle.
- Check your lighting, brakes, and the condition of your slow-moving vehicle emblem (SMV) before operating on a roadway.
Scurich Insurance can get you covered with Workers Compensation in the event of tractor accident or injury. Please visit us at http://www.scurichinsurance.com
Read more
It’s always a good time to check around the farm or ranch for fire fuels and potential spark ignition sources.
- Never permit smoking in barns or near any flammable materials.
- Never refuel engines inside a building or while the engine is hot or running.
- Fuel should never be stored inside a building.
- Equip farm buildings with a smoke detector and a fire extinguisher.
- Make sure that all hay is properly dried before putting it in the barn.
- All electrical installations, wiring, etc. should be inspected and approved.
- Crop dryers should be equipped with controls that will automatically shut off blowers.
- Pesticides should be stored in a separate building and clearly identified.
- Maintain heating systems.
- Have your local fire department check your operation regularly.
Scurich Insurance can help you with Safety Services and Commercial Insurance.
320 East Lake Avenue, PO Box 1170
Watsonville, CA 95077-1170
Office: 1-831-722-3541
Toll Free: 1-800-320-3666
Read more
Objects falling from above and striking people below have caused serious industrial injuries and account for a number of fatalities every year. Although the exact number of “falling object” injuries is difficult to determine, documents produced in several recent court cases suggest that the practice of “high stacking” materials and supplies poses a serious safety threat to those below.
Provide Adequate Warning – Workers or customers below depend on those working above for their safety. If you’re going to be doing work overhead, warn those in the area either verbally or with signs, ropes or barricades. For those below, it’s their responsibility to be aware of the work being done overhead and observe the warnings and barricades.
Whenever there’s a risk of falling objects at a worksite, an employer is required to provide protection for workers and visitors to the site. Hard hats and safety shoes are examples of personal protection against falling objects.
If you need to be covered for Workers Compensation, contact us today.
Read more
This real-life case reinforces the need for every business to provide OSHA-required training, along with providing some type of Safety Services training.
A West Virginia company assigned a new employee – call him Jim – to drive a forklift, even though he had no experience or training in forklift operation “There’s nothing to it,” his supervisor told Jim. “It’s just like driving a car.” However, his first few weeks on the job turned out to be bumpy. Several times on each shift, while driving the forklift, he would knock things over. Although the supervisor warned Jim to be more careful, he continued to bump his way through the workday, leaving a trail of destruction wherever he went.
About three weeks after being hired, Jim’s supervisor instructed him to drive down a narrow aisle between two rows of stacked, loaded pallets. After objecting, Jim reluctantly proceeded down the aisle. His left foot, which was dangling outside the forklift where it shouldn’t have been, became pinned between the forklift and the wall of pallets. Jim suffered multiple fractures of the foot, together with a badly twisted knee; both injuries required surgery. Instead of going back to work, Jim went to court, filing suit against his employer and his supervisor for negligence.
His argument was clear: The company and his supervisor failed to provide safety training that could have prevented the accident. Jim’s attorney told the court that, although OSHA regulations mandated specific training, testing, and certification for forklift operators, the company had not trained, tested, or certified him. This meant that Jim should not have been operating a forklift – and if he hadn’t been doing so, the accident would not have taken place.
The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia agreed, ruling there was sufficient evidence to prove that both the employer and the supervisor were negligent. When they hired the employee; they knew that federal law required proper training or certification of forklift operators. Allowing Jim to drive a forklift without proper training was an act of negligence.
The message: Failure to provide OSHA-required training is a huge mistake. Whenever you hire new employees or assign workers to new jobs with new hazards, make sure that they receive proper training from the get-go. Never allow an employee to operate dangerous equipment or perform any other hazardous job until they have completed the required training and demonstrated competence, as well as understanding the hazards and necessary precautions. Lastly, provide workers with some type of training in Safety Services, every bit of knowledge helps!
Read more
