San Jose Earthquakes Team with City, County to Build Edible Garden at New Stadium

The San Jose Earthquakes broke ground yesterday on an edible garden inside Avaya Stadium, the soccer-specific venue opened this spring by the MLS franchise. The garden is being built as part of the club’s partnership with the City of San José and Santa Clara County. Earthquakes defender Marvell Wynne appeared at the groundbreaking to support the measure, part of the club’s commitment to sustainability that includes recycled-water landscape irrigation, waste-diversion initiatives, and energy conservation measures throughout the stadium.The garden will include fruit trees traditional to the Santa Clara Valley, featuring apricots, plums, and cherries. In addition to providing edible produce, the garden will also provide an educational component to teach visitors about water conservation, pollution prevention, and sustainability.“We are proud of our partnership with the City of San José,” Earthquakes president Dave Kaval said in the team’s initial announcement. “With their guidance, we have been able to make Avaya Stadium a leader in educating people about green initiatives. The garden in the 7UP Epicenter is a key piece of that and we are proud that the garden will include fruit trees that were so critical to the growth of this valley.”