126 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM GROWING THE FARM Though the farm was up and running, they were lacking an on-site classroom, bathrooms and office space. “We made do,” Patrick says. He shows me the initial greenhouse, propagation and planting building as well as the “Wash and Pack” building where harvested produce goes to be cleaned and boxed before it’s sent to the campus dining halls. A tall stack of cheery yellow bins await use in the corner—like open arms ready to receive the harvest. “We used that Wash and Pack space for everything,” Patrick describes. “I would teach classes there. We had yoga classes over there. We would just roll tables out.” As the program grew, a gift from the owner of Elk Stone Farm allowed them to expand with the Terry Huffington Barn, which includes a classroom and office space to hold Patrick’s growing team. “This has been such an incredible addition,” says Patrick, showing me the barn’s covered patio with a stylized wooden slat façade, an idyllic place for al fresco dinners and other gatherings. Sunshine floods through the slats, creating a pattern of striped shadows. The addition of a fence was also cause for celebration on the farm—it meant they could plant fruit trees, from apples and apricots to persimmons and pomegranates. “Deer will just strip baby trees. They're like candy to them,” Patrick explains. He beelines it for the north side of the farm and the inviting orange and yellow splashes of the citrus grove. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: JESSICA GONZALES CHU / STANFORD UNIVERSITY
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