The Sunnyvale Sun
News
Full Circle Farm gets the OK, will begin tilling the soil in the fall
By Cody Kraatz
The Sunnyvale Planning Commission July 23 granted a use permit for Full Circle Farm to operate on 11 acres of open fields next to Peterson Middle School.
Full Circle, an organic and sustainable operation, can start tilling and amending the soil this fall, just in time to serve as an educational tool during the coming school year. It will start selling fresh produce next year, said farm manager Linda Perrine.
"Hopefully this farm project is going to be a success to the point that other cities take notice and consider this as an option for themselves," she said.
The farm is a project of Sustainable Community Gardens, which also started the Charles Street Gardens, an organic community garden next to the Sunnyvale Public Library that is, ironically, threatened by plans for a new library.
Full Circle will lease the land from the Santa Clara Unified School District for $1,000 per month for 10 years, with the possibility of two 10-year extensions if it is successful. Perrine said building the farm was estimated to cost $350,000 but could cost as much as $100,000 more because of city requirements. The farm is seeking grant funding.
"Of course, we get a lot of other benefits out of that in terms of education for our kids and fruits and vegetables from the farm for our cafeterias," said Roger Barnes, district business administrator. The district picked Full Circle in February over other proposals for the land, including a large sports field complex.
The farm has an educational focus, with plans to develop ecology, nutrition and vocational curricula with the school district, backed up with hands-on instruction.
A 2,000-square-foot commercial kitchen and classroom slated for 2010 would allow teaching and demonstrations of food preservation techniques for local students and residents, while the whole farm itself will be a sort of classroom and will be open to the public during the day.
Similar programs have improved student nutrition, physical activity, self-confidence and academic performance, and can motivate at-risk youth, according to the farm's permit application.
The farm will also try to make money by selling produce to local farmer's markets, restaurants and high-tech companies, and will open a 720-square-foot produce stand on Dunford Way near Quail Avenue. The community can buy memberships and pick up a weekly box of the harvest from June to October.
"I'm really happy that we finally have a proposal that meets the needs of the community and of the students," said Denise DeLange, a nearby Sunnyvale resident.
The farm will dedicate 6 acres to row crops planted with a mix of fruits and vegetables, rather than large blocks of single crops, allowing for efficient use of space and for natural mulching against weeds. Plans call for 30 crops including broccoli, tomatoes, corn, watermelons, potatoes and squash.
A 50-foot-wide orchard along the northern boundary of the school will include apple, pear, cherry, orange, pecan and fig trees planted to mimic the pattern of a forest.
A patch including raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes and kiwi will go in on the southwest corner, and flowers for bouquets will be planted along Dunford Avenue to the south.
Construction is planned in three phases starting in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Four full-time workers will live on site in a 1,500-square-foot residence planned for 2009.
Until then, a prefab office and dwelling will serve two full-time workers and farm staff.
For more information about Full Circle, visit www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org.
