The Sunnyvale Sun
News
Farm is taking shape at Peterson Field
By Cody Kraatz
Shortly after earning Sunnyvale Planning Commission approval to convert 11 acres of shoddy playing fields at Peterson Middle School into an organic farm, Full Circle Farm is breaking ground.
Its first step is to fence its new home so equipment can be stored safely, and plowing is soon to come.
Meanwhile, neighbors are pleased the space will not become a high-density housing development and hope it may ease traffic problems that arise from a concentration of athletic playing fields in the neighborhood.
"I have never experienced a farm, but I would assume we would not have all that parking when a game is on," said Mary Sfeir, a 26-year resident of Quail Avenue, half a block from the farm's future produce stand.
"I was excited about it because it's making people more interested in farming and ecology and all that stuff, because students are not exposed to anything like this."
The farm will host classes for Santa Clara Unified School District students in the future, but the educational program has not been developed yet.
Having lived her life in big cities, Sfeir doesn't know what to expect, but said when she first moved into her home the Sunnyvale area itself was still agricultural.
"It's better than a high-rise and better than more homes," said Mary Flores, 82, who has live on Norman Drive for 50 years. The farm will be over her back fence. She said she'd like to get vegetables from the farm, but has trouble getting around. If they were delivered she would be eager.
Flores said children would benefit from learning all the hard work that goes into producing the food they eat. Her children went to Peterson.
"This was a beautiful valley at one time, all the fruit trees along El Camino," she said, hopeful that the farm will bring some of that back.
Lance Campbell, also a Quail Avenue resident, said he was not worried about the noise or dust the farm may produce.
"There's going to be some dust raised...but you can't pave everything over," said the Montana native, adding he would likely buy produce from the farm.
"We've watched the small farmer's demise. We'd certainly go support it in that sense,'' he said.
However, not everyone is looking forward to the farm breaking ground. Theresa Newton, a nearby Santa Clara resident, released her dog on the field to race after the gophers that have turned it into a pockmarked twisted-ankle invitation.
"I don't really like the idea," she said She has a grandson at Peterson and doubts students really want a garden.
More importantly, local dog parks are far too small and dogs have nowhere to run freely.
"Now they're not going to have any place to go," she said.
Visit www.fullcirclesunnyvale.org for more information.
