This Week on the Central Coast
A local non-profit seeks to replace plastic mulch, The Meatery gets a new owner, and a Santa Cruz dam was removed to help the salmon population.
Think Beyond Plastic announced the Ag Plastic Innovation Challenge
A Monterey County-based nonprofit called Think Beyond Plastic announced the Ag Plastic Innovation Challenge which invites people to pitch ideas of how to solve the problem of using single-use plastics in the agriculture industry, specifically plastic films called “plastic mulch”.
The goal is to completely replace plastic with something better for the environment. However, there are a few reasons why plastic is used as opposed to organic-based options.
Plastics last longer, help with heat regulation, water retention, and prevents weeds from growing. Some biodegradable mulch breaks down regularly and has to be replenished more often. The advantage of this is that the type of mulch used could actually be beneficial to the crops, since it would break down and replenish nutrients in the soil. Both plastic-based and bio-based mulch are effective at retaining water, which is important since California is almost always in a drought.
This is the point of Think Beyond Plastic’s challenge. Anyone who can prove that their idea could upset the use of plastics in the agriculture industry will be accepted into the Think Beyond catalyst program at the Global Entrepreneurial Center, which will provide access to experts who can further help with the products’ success.
All ideas must be designed to either last a long time or be recycled and they must be a realistic option for the agriculture industry. The leading ideas will be first tested by local producers, including Driscoll, CalGiant, Naturipe, and Gem Pack. The challenge will be taking applications until November 30. More information, including how to apply, can be found at Think Beyond Plastic’s website. Anyone with ideas for the challenge can enter here.
Seaside's The Meatery changes owners
The Meatery, a high-end butcher shop in Seaside, has been sold to Todd Fisher and his wife, Ada Fisher. It was originally opened in 2018 by Gina Nucci and Kevin Hincks with Jason Balestrieri. Both Hincks and Balestrieri were former chefs for Carmel’s Cantinetta Luca.
The group was able to bring something that Monterey County was missing: a specialty butcher shop. The Meatery took pride in selling extremely high-quality cuts and house-made cured meats. Though the owners didn’t say it directly, their statements after the sale implied that the pandemic caused a loss of catering-business and staff, which led to their decision to sell.
The Meatery officially closed on August 22.
The new chef/owner, Todd Fisher, already has an extensive resume, including executive chef at Seventh & Dolores in Carmel, and vice-president-of-culinary for the Folktale Group. Fisher plans on supplying his other locations from The Meatery and also wants to develop a product line. A catering company is also being considered.
Fisher said “This space will be a launching pad of sorts. We wanted to build something new, something great, but needed something great to start with. This is our first step.”
Jason Balestrieri is now chef at The Village Gem restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The cuisine is considered “New American”, which means it's a little bit of everything. Balestrieri is still able to bring his signature flavors to the menu, in the form of high-end charcuterie. Eventually, he plans on making cured meats in-house along with hand-cut pasta.
Mill Creek Dam in Santa Cruz was removed
The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project has released 25,000 salmon hatchlings every year. Over the past couple years, according to the Santa Cruz Water Department, juvenile salmon have been surviving in freshwater creeks in the area.
Now, the 100-year-old Mill Creek Dam has been removed, allowing trapped limestone cobble to flow downstream. This limestone is significant because local Coho Salmon lay their eggs on it. The dam removal will help the salmon be able to make a comeback after being on the endangered list for some time.
Follow The Peninsula Report on Instagram for pictures from around the Central Coast!