Emma Prusch Farm Park

Overview

Emma Prusch Farm Park is located at 647 South King Road, San Jose, near the intersection of Highways 101 and 680. Master Gardeners support four projects at the park including a High Density Fruit Orchard, Emma's Children's Garden and Tunnel, Perennial Color Wheel and Rare Fruit Orchard. FFA and other youth organizations keep farm animals at the park. A Compost Demonstration Site was set up by Master Composter volunteers. This site has become an important part of the educational needs of the community in the area of home composting and includes several commercial composting bins including a homemade worm box. Free classes in composting are held throughout the County including Prusch Park. The class schedule is available by clicking the Home Composting link at www.ReduceWaste.org.

High Density Fruit Orchard

High Density Fruit Orchard
Originally planted in the mid-1990’s, the Prusch High Density Fruit Orchard provides a public demonstration of pomme fruit gardening, showing local gardeners how to maintain reasonably sized trees, and how several varieties can be grown in a small garden space. The orchard consists of 85 trees consisting of 57 known varieties (some trees are unmarked). Types of trees are primarily apple (almost 70%), pear, and quince.

The Master Gardeners maintain the orchard year round, with seasonal bursts of activity: winter and summer pruning, building water basins at the start of summer, mulching when needed. Recently an irrigation system was installed to reduce the need for hand watering.

Emma's German Heirloom Garden

Emma's German Heirloom Garden is a demonstration of a home garden that Emma Prusch may have planted. There are squash, tomatoes, herbs and much more. Because of the free roaming chickens, the beds been covered with wire cages as protection. MGs are learning how to garden with chickens present. Recently two vegetable tunnels have been built, 10 ft long, 5 ft wide, 6 ft tall structure to support climbing vegetables. The first year it was covered with several squash plants.

Emma's German Hierloom Garden with chicken protection	Squash on Children's Tunnel	One of the vegetable tunnels covered with squash vines

Also part of the Prusch Park Foundation Emma's German Heirloom Garden is a Native California Wheel is the centerpiece of Prusch Park when you first enter through the front gate and is the first garden that people see. Master gardeners are in the process of transforming it to a garden featuring California native plants. As it matures, this new garden theme will continue to be an example of how California native plants can grace our home gardens with color and beautiful foliage.

Rare Fruit Orchard

The California Rare Fruit Growers Orchard is a large cooperative project with the California Rare Fruit Growers, consisting of over 125 rare and exotic fruit trees including bananas, citrus, and other sub-tropicals. New signage will allow visitors to identify each tree while on a self-guided tour.

Pistachio tree with fruit	Pathway through the orchard	Stand of Banana trees