By Sue Gong Lee, CHCP Member

I have lived in Santa Clara County for 49 years and I remembered there were some orchards and farmland in the valley when I moved here in 1975. As Silicon Valley grew, many of these farmlands were replaced with housing and businesses. I took my three children to Emma Prusch Farm Park in the 1980’s and it was the first time they went to a farm. They loved it.

When CHCP offered a tour of Veggielution which is located in Emma Prusch Farm Park, I jumped at the chance to visit it. I was not aware of this organization and was surprised at what a hidden gem I discovered. Veggielution is a non-profit organization that operates a 2-acre community farm within Emma Prusch Farm Park. Their mission is to create a more sustainable food system and to promote healthy eating habits by providing access to fresh, locally grown produce and by offering educational programs and workshops.

Veggielution has a permanent exhibit called Growing AgriCultural Roots that tells the significant contributions made by Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino immigrants in the agricultural development of Santa Clara Valley during the 1880s through the 1960s. It was really wonderful to see and read the historical signs which has pictures or quotes from residents. I was really surprised to see some of our very own CHCP members Gerrye Wong, Connie Young Yu, and Liz Fong Chew’s family being featured (view their quotes by clicking on the photos to enlarge).

This is a great place to visit and bring the family. They are open on Fridays and Saturdays. On the 1st Saturday of each month, they have special events where visitors can explore the farm, participate in their activities, learn about community resources, and bring home fresh fruit and vegetables. Veggielution is located inside Emma Prusch Farm Park, 647 South King Road, San Jose, CA 95116  (408)753-6705. Their website is veggielution.org.