Silicon Valley Agricultural Roots: Long before it became synonymous with semiconductors and tech billionaires, the Santa Clara Valley was a veritable Eden of fruit production, earning the moniker “The Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Orchards once blanketed the region, bearing a rich harvest of peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, and a cornucopia of other fruits. However, the relentless march of progress, in the form of housing developments and tech campuses, paved over most of these once-verdant fields.
Yet, amidst the urban sprawl and towering tech giants, there’s a hidden gem that still clings to the valley’s agricultural roots. The J&P Cosentino Family Farm, a mere stone’s throw from the sprawling campuses of Silicon Valley’s tech titans, stands as one of the last working orchards in San José.
Nestled snugly between the concrete arteries of Highway 85 and suburban developments, the Cosentino Family Farm continues to cultivate fruits and vegetables on its modest 2-acre plot. It boasts a year-round farm stand and offers regular on-farm tours, providing visitors with a taste of the valley’s rich agricultural history.
For Phil Cosentino, the farm’s owner, the transformation of the landscape is a matter of perspective. “Occasionally, first-timers here would say, ‘This is a funny place for a farm,'” he chuckled. “I’d say, ‘Oh, this is a funny place for homes.’ Because, years ago, there were no homes here, it was all farms… as far as the eye could see in any direction. This is the way the valley was. All orchards.”
The Cosentino family has been tending to this orchard since 1945 when Phil’s father, Dominic, first acquired the land. Back then, the Cosentinos owned a full 10 acres in San José, a true testament to the valley’s agricultural legacy. However, in 1984, the tides of change swept away a significant portion of their land when a freeway was built, leaving them with just 2 acres.
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Jason Cosentino, Phil’s grandson, returned to the farm after a stint as a chef for Google, determined to preserve this last vestige of their family’s agricultural heritage. “We are making a commitment to this day that this is our last 2 acres,” the younger Cosentino declared. “We’re sticking our foot down, and it’s not going anywhere.”
In their determination to keep the farm thriving, the Cosentinos adopted a strategy of planting twice the number of trees on their remaining 2 acres. Today, over 600 trees bear more than 90 varieties of fruit, including apricots, plums, prunes, nectarines, apples, figs, persimmons, as well as grapevines and berry bushes.
This year, the Cosentino family opened their farm to tours, allowing visitors to wander through the orchard, handpick fruit straight from the trees, enjoy complimentary samples, and soak in the farm’s rich history. Jason, as the guide, shared insights on how to properly harvest fruit from the trees, ensuring a delightful and educational experience.
Diana Jonathans, a visitor from Campbell, expressed her awe, saying, “So inspiring, just to see a local farm… All the family members here. To hear the wisdom of the original O.G., Mr. Cosentino, was super touching.”
The tours have also attracted neighbors who were previously unaware of the lush oasis hiding behind the farm stand they frequented. Christy Sgarloto, who lived just a few blocks away and was a regular at the farm stand, was amazed, saying, “I never knew this was all back here. I would always come to their fruit stand… but I had no idea that it was this big.”
For Steve Sgarlato, her husband, it was a revelation. “Never been in here… and it’s just amazing. I wish there were more places like this.”
The year-round orchard and farm stand, located right off Highway 85 on Carter Avenue in San José, is a journey your taste buds will savor. As you head back, feasting on figs, grapes, and pluots, you might even find yourself humming Dionne Warwick’s classic, “Do You Know the Way to San José?” after discovering this hidden agricultural gem in the heart of Silicon Valley.