Jauch Family Farm

Vendor: Irene Jauch
Location: Cupertino, CA


Irene Jauch
Photo: Barbara Lucas

In 1955, Irene Jauch and her husband were both teaching in local schools when they decided to buy 1.8 acres of land from a neighbor in Cupertino. Since Mr. Jauch was then teaching Agriculture at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale and Irene’s son, Bill, was a student of Agriculture at UC Davis, “it was only natural that we would go into farming as a hobby,” says Irene. They planted special varieties of apples, as well as many vegetables, including prize-winning mammoth pumpkins. “Farming,” she says, “was a good way to get our exercise.”

The Jauches joined the PAFM when it started in 1981. Since then, Mr. Jauch has passed on, but Irene still comes to the Market, along with her daughter, Irene Tarter, her son, Bill Jauch, and Mary Lou Sears. Irene brings apples and pears, grapes, tomatoes, herbs, and the persimmons you probably remember seeing if you’re a market regular.

“Customers trust us when we talk about our produce,” says Irene, which helps to explain why Irene’s stand has such a devoted following. Also, she says, “we are particular about the produce we bring to the market. It is sorted, cleaned, and of the first quality.”

Why keep coming to Market? “We enjoy the people we meet at the market,” says Irene. Having been a teacher makes the Market more fun for her: “we love to impart our knowledge about our produce,” she says. “I love talking with [our customers] and sharing my recipes for persimmons or tomatoes. They are interested in the history of our products.”

One interesting historical note centers on the Red Delicious apples that Jauch sells, apples whose wonderful taste and crispness always surprise Market customers. It turns out there are many different apple varieties with the name Red Delicious – the ones you get in the store are nothing like Jauch’s, which are of the original variety, technically named “Stark Red Delicious Semi-dwarf, “ and famed for their crispness and sweetness. “The famous Stark Bro’s nursery in Missouri held a contest for the best apple in 1891, and this variety won,” says Irene. “The apples were red, and the Stark nursery man, said they were ‘delicious’ – that’s how they got their name!”