Conserving Silicon Valley farmland from Big Tech’s sprawl
Potential benefits of the programme extend beyond land preservation and include cutting greenhouse gas emissions
10 August 2019 - 12:19
San Martin — With a swipe of his harvesting knife, Sam Thorpe frees a handful of spinach from its roots in the soil. “In the winter it’s so sweet it’s like candy,” he says, examining the small yield in his palm.
For the past four years, Thorpe and his family have built a reputation among Silicon Valley restaurateurs and farmers markets for the rich, organic produce they grow as Spade & Plow. But as the business grows, the land itself is shrinking. A few months ago the owner reduced Spade & Plow’s plot from 13ha to just 6.5...
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