The Cupertino Courier

Photograph by Lea Tauriello

A boy takes his shift of sawing down the family Christmas tree at Cocco's Tree Farm in Cupertino.

Timber!

The lease is up on 10,000 pines

By Pam Marino

Cupertino's very own Christmas tree farm, tucked away in the hills next to a PG&E substation near the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, may be facing its final holiday here after being in business for 13 years.

The Cocco family has been cultivating Monterey pines all these years so that local residents can cut their own trees without having to brave the winding roads to other tree farms in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

However, their lease with PG&E is up this year, leaving in doubt the fate of the nearly 10,000 pine trees now growing there, according to farm owner Mike Cocco.

Mike's daughter, Shelly, manages the Cupertino farm during the holiday season, and Mike now lives in Oregon, where he is growing 21 acres of fir trees.

The family comes down every year to open the Cupertino farm the day after Thanksgiving. Besides trees, the family also sells precut Oregon trees, as well as fresh wreathes, swags and garlands.

Shelly said that if the family is unable to negotiate another lease, they may operate commercial lots in the Bay Area to sell the trees they grow in Oregon.

The farm is open daily until Dec. 23. It opens at 10 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends. It closes at dusk.

To get to the farm, take Stevens Creek Boulevard west to California Oak Way. Turn right, then enter the farm through the archway at the end of the street. For more information, call 252-3380.

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