An L.A. Farmer Turns Passion Fruit Tragedy into Luscious Curd

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 25, 2026

Jenny Silbert, owner of Little City Farm in Los Angeles, was ordered to remove a backyard pergola supporting a passion fruit vine, forcing her to cut down the fruit-laden plant due to city regulations. In response, she repurposed the surplus passion fruit into curd, turning a setback into an opportunity to promote sustainable urban farming and creative reuse.

In August, Jenny Silbert, owner of Little City Farm in Los Angeles’ Mid-City neighborhood, was ordered by the city to remove a pergola constructed from scrap wood in her backyard. The structure, which supported a flourishing passion fruit vine, had become a central feature of her urban farm. The directive forced Silbert to cut down the vine, which was heavy with ripe fruit, an event she described as devastating.

Silbert, an architect who practices “trash design”—creating with materials deemed waste—established Little City Farm in 2020 on land once used as a tennis court. The farm grows a variety of fruits and vegetables, including herbs, artichokes, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a range of fruit trees such as pomegranate, avocado, persimmons, pomelo, and blood oranges. The passion fruit vine had become a symbol of the farm’s identity until city regulations necessitated its removal to comply with permit requirements for holding events on the property.

Passion fruit, native to South America, is popular in Southern California gardens due to its rapid growth, climbing ability, and peak season from August through October. The fruit’s mature stage is characterized by a wrinkled, wine-colored exterior and bright pulp filled with edible seeds. Although prized for its intense flavor and aroma, the abundant seeds can be a challenge in culinary uses.

Following the loss of the vine, Silbert transformed the surplus fruit into passion fruit curd, a rich and tangy spread traditionally made with lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and butter. Silbert described passion fruit as having a “sunburst” of flavor, making it particularly suited for curd. The fruit’s pulp is processed to separate and remove most seeds, improving the texture of the curd. The curd can be used as a spread, filling, or ingredient in various desserts and beverages.

Silbert’s initiative to make curd began after she sought advice on social media for what to do with her excess fruit. With the assistance of a farm intern, Solaris Amini, a student at UC Santa Cruz, Silbert prepared batches of the curd using a double boiler method to ensure gentle cooking and smooth texture. The process involved balancing the sweet and tart elements to highlight the passion fruit’s unique flavor profile.

Since then, Silbert has continued to produce and distribute the curd locally, gifting jars to friends, family, and neighbors, often sourcing additional passion fruit through community exchanges. She notes the prolific nature of passion fruit plants and the remarkable number of seeds each fruit contains, emphasizing the sustainability aspect of her farm’s philosophy.

Despite regulatory setbacks, Silbert has leveraged her passion fruit harvest to create a new product that reinforces her commitment to sustainable urban agriculture and creative reuse. Her resilience in the face of bureaucratic challenges highlights the complexities of urban farming within city frameworks.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.