![]() ![]() There is a two- to three-week window to harvest apricots. Olson fertilizes the trees in September, prunes in November, plants in January, thins in March and harvests in July. They’re the only ones I think are worth it.”ĭespite its suburban location, the orchard is a full-fledged farming operation, complete with an historic barn, imported from San Jose, and a tractor.Ĭaring for the orchards is a year-round process. If I didn’t have Blenheim apricots, I wouldn’t do it. “The other types are engineered to be more orange and larger, but they taste like cardboard. Of the 10 or more varieties of apricots available in California, Olson made sure to plant Blenheims. ![]() Inflation forced the city to downsize the project, building on only 20 acres. The land changed hands numerous times before the city purchased a 33-acre parcel to build a community center in 1975. ![]() The history of that apricot orchard started in 1812 when the Wallace family first planted trees. The apricot orchard he works is also owned by the city. The Olsons’ cherry orchard has since been developed, but Charlie Olson farms the city-owned cherry orchard adjacent to Las Palmas Park. Now, the names of local apartment complexes, The Cherry Orchard and Apricot Pit, pay homage to the previous occupants of the land. When Sunnyvale became a city in 1912, he opted to move his farm outside the city limits, purchasing land at Mathilda Avenue and El Camino Real, where he planted cherries. Carl Olson purchased 5 acres of farmland near Taaffe Street and McKinley Avenue. Charlie Olson tells the story of his grandfather, Carl Olson, a Swedish immigrant who saw an advertisement in a San Francisco newspaper for a free train ride and barbecue in Sunnyvale, hosted by a local real estate agent. Longtime Sunnyvale farmers Charlie Olson and his daughter, Deborah, continue to harvest cherries at El Camino Real and Mathilda Avenue, and apricots at the Orchard Heritage Park at Remington and Manet drives. Today, there are a few bastions of the valley’s agricultural past. But as the Silicon Valley emerged, farming became increasingly difficult and began disappearing. During the peak days of the Valley of Heart’s Delight, the summer harvesting of apricots and cherries and other crops was seen everywhere. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |