Emma Prusch Farm Park, San Jose

Emma Prusch Farm Park is a 43.5-acre green oasis in East San Jose, offering a hands-on introduction to agricultural life in the heart of the city. Donated to the City of San Jose in 1962 by Emma Prusch, the park was created to preserve the valley’s rich farming heritage and to serve as a living demonstration of agricultural practices.

The park is home to San Jose’s largest 4-H barn, where youth in 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs care for pigs, sheep, goats, and other livestock as part of their agricultural education. A smaller animal area also houses rabbits, turkeys, and more, giving visitors a chance to get close to typical farm creatures.

Beyond the barnyard, the park features community gardens, a rare fruit orchard, and a deciduous orchard, along with demonstration gardens that change with the seasons. Veggielution, a 6-acre urban farming initiative on-site, adds a modern twist to the farm's mission, promoting sustainability and food justice.

Springtime is especially lively, with guided educational tours for K–3 school groups, focusing on sensory experiences in the gardens and animal areas. It’s also the season when free-roaming peacocks strut their colorful feathers in hopes of attracting mates-just one of the park's many natural charms, along with ducks, geese, and chickens wandering the grounds.

Emma Prusch Farm Park is also the site of an annual Harvest Festival and other community events. Managed jointly by the San Jose Parks and Recreation Department and the non-profit Emma Prusch Farm Park Foundation, the park continues to connect urban life with its rural roots. A large, all-accessible play area is currently under construction and is expected to open before the end of the year.