A Visit to J & P Consentino Family Farm

Local Stories

Jun 1

Although it may seem out of the ordinary to come across a thriving orchard alongside residential homes, a freeway, and neighboring tech companies in Silicon Valley, J&P Cosentino Family Farm had never intended to become an urban farm. Located in what used to be called the Valley of Hearts Delight, the area was known for its abundance of vineyards and orchards, making it a major fruit-growing region back in the day. San Jose’s land abundance and sunny mediterranean weather enticed many immigrant families to move to California and take part in the agriculture movement happening in the region.

Apart from their farm fresh produce, J&P Consentino Family Farm supports small farms and local purveyors for their farmstand adding items such as candles, hydroponic strawberries, scone mix, plant starts, flower bouquets, and more...

Upon entering, you are greeted with a farm stand showcasing a colorful array of seasonal fruits and veggies, honey from their beehives, jam and jelly preserves, as well as other seasonal produce and delights in support of other Bay Area farms.

It was a privelege getting to visit the farm for the first time in February of 2024, for their annually scheduled farm tours, to learn about the history of the land and the Consentino family that has been tending to it for five generations.

In the Fall, I went back for one of their last Farm Kitchen Pop-ups of the year where chef Jason whipped up some savory brown butter Bartlett Pear turnovers with crispy sage and farm famous focaccia with artichoke hearts, Italian olives and carrots atop pesto with zesty farm butter. They had rows of pumpkins of various shapes and sizes from a local pumpkin patch, straw bales, and Autumn decorations eminating around the farm.

During the farm tour we had the chance to meet a few family members that made up three of the five generations - Phil, Kari, and Jason Consentino. We learned that Phil’s father, Dominic Cosentino, immigrated from Sicily to Ohio and then California with his wife and four sons. They bought this 10-acre property in 1945, which was downsized to two acres due to the intallation of Highway 85 fourty-three years later.

This year, J & P Consentiona Family Farm will be celebrating their 80th anniversary the weekend of June 20 - 22, 2025 in time to celebrate Summer Solstice. The preservation of this family farm feels like such a blessing in the midst of diminishing agricultural land in lieu of cemented roads, offices, and apartment buildings. As one of the last farms standing in San Jose, it has become a supportive community hub hosting farm kitchen pop-ups, guest pop-ups, watercolor classes, farm tours, picnics and much more.

Kari (daughter, third generation) and Phil Consentino (father, second generation) sitting side by side at the family farm.

Jason (grandson, fourth generation) and Phil sharing about tree varieties

Phil Consentino speaking at the farm tour of how the farm came to be

Phil, tended to the remaining two acres of land that was once his father’s pride and joy. He packed in over one hundred varieties of stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines, and apricots, as well as citrus, figs, and persimmons. One of the varieties that stood out to me the most was the Sweet Lemon which was grafted with the intention to have what the name entails; Imagine tasting lemonade straight out of the fruit without needing to add extra sugar.

For fruit trees to produce a bountiful and delicious tasting harvest, they need a certain amount of chill hours to transition from dormancy into flowering Spring growth. Cold nights between 32 and 45 degrees farenheit also contribute to the accumulation of chill hours for the fruit trees. These analog photos were taken in late February, the transitional period from Winter to Spring with showy white and pink blooms.