There is a moment—he will tell you this himself, though not in so many words—when everything rearranges. It happens not in the kitchen, not exactly, but somewhere between the work […]
News
Under bright lights, futures take shape
On Sunday, February 22, Rancho Cielo hosted its 16th annual Culinary Round Up (CRU) at the Portola Hotel & Spa. The ballroom filled the way it always does, slowly at […]
After School Program builds pathways to possibility
Terry Poole has played in the NFL. He knows the roar of a crowd, the pressure of the huddle, the grind it takes to compete at the highest level. But […]
Trunk or Treat, Día de los Muertos and more
Even the mini horses — yes, the mini horses (Puzzle the Pirate and Georgina the Magical Princess Pony) from our community partner Hope, Horses & Kids — stopped by Rancho […]
Rancho Cielo marks 25 years of changing lives in Monterey County
After about an hour of steady drizzling, the late-afternoon sun broke through the clouds, and the Sally Hughes Church Amphitheater came alive with music and heartfelt sentiments as Rancho Cielo […]
How alumnus Rudy Jimenez built a farm and purpose
When old redwood trees surround Rudy Jimenez (’07, Silver Star), he slips into a meditative state. “They create a reserve around them to sustain themselves and help other trees,” he […]
Ranch Cast
Here’s to the Heroes
Episode 24: Terrific program about supporting veterans and first responders. Joining us on Ranch Cast is a group of luminaries who, every day, endeavor to help those folks who help […]
Ya Dig?
Episode 23: Rancho Cielo’s Master Gardener, Julie Lorenzen, joins my student cohost Angel and me for a lively conversation about our remarkable on-campus garden. Also on show, Aster Calloway, Beth […]
Local Broadcasting at Its Best
Episode 22: This week, Ranch Cast features an interesting chat with the folks from Radio Bilingue in Salinas. Chuy Ramirez and Mike Nelson are in the studio to talk about […]
Car Restoration, Car Shows, Car Memories
Episode 21: Fun show with Jesus Espinoza from Deadend Magazine, Ty Brooks from our staff and cohosts Juan and Angel. We talk about custom cars and Rancho Cielo’s unique educational […]
A Night On The Town
Episode 20: Ranch Cast is on the road this week at Portola Hotel & Spa for a program from The 16th Annual Culinary Roundup. We are proud to present an extended […]
After School Program: A World of Possibilities
Episode 19: This week, my student cohosts, Juan and Angel, are joined by Jeff Hoefer, who teaches 3D printing; Luciano Rodriguez, who runs Rancho Cielo’s bicycle program; and Director Terry Poole for […]
Featured Newsletter
2025 Fall Newsletter
Remember the year 2000? As we collectively entered the new millennium (and sighed that the Y2K scare was over), Rancho Cielo was being established by then Monterey County Superior Court Judge John Phillips and a strong coalition of community members and public-private partnerships. Twenty-five years later, Phillips says what surprised him the most has not only been how great the need for our programs was, and still is, but also how robust the response has been to that need from the private sector and local industry across the Peninsula and the Salinas Valley.
