Budget Woes Blamed For Last 'Halloween Harvest' At Pierce College
WOODLAND HILLS (CBSLA.com) — The largest annual harvest festival in all of Southern California gets underway for the very last time Friday at Pierce College.
KNX 1070's Jon Baird reports the school has ordered the Farm Center to pack up and move, ending a decade-long community tradition and putting a number of people out of work.
Last 'Harvest' For Halloween Festival At Pierce College
Known best for its year-round produce and five-acre corn maze, the Pierce College Farm Center has been ordered to shut down by Dec. 26 and move completely from its current site near De Soto Avenue and Victory Boulevard by next April.
School officials say due to "significant budget constraints", they can no longer afford to financially support the 32-acre center, which serves as the single largest employer of Pierce College students on campus, The Los Angeles Daily News reported.
In addition to hosting events like the Halloween Harvest, Easter Weekend At The Farm, and Christmas festivals, the farm annually feeds over 300,000 people in the Southland as well as supports more than 35 local food banks and shelters.
During the course of a month, the Pierce Farm Center will donate as much as six tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to shelters and needy families, according to volunteers.
Some current employees have speculated the land will be leased out to drum up revenue for Pierce College. Officials have not yet revealed any plans for the site.
Local patrons and other residents appeared to be rattled by the news.
"I've seen many times a lot of people come here from around the neighborhood, it's a nice place," said one man. "It's a shame they're shutting it down."
This year's Halloween Harvest runs from Friday through Nov. 2.
