The Aliso Viejo Ranch Project is a collaborative multi-agency plan that includes partnerships with the Capistrano Unified School District, Aliso Viejo Middle School, Soka University, Aliso Niguel High School, Saddleback College, Moulton Family Foundation, Orange County Historical Society, Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce and numerous private-sector businesses.
The project includes the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the existing barn and bunkhouse along with a working farm with fruit and nut tree orchards, raised-bed vegetable gardens and several fish ponds each with about 2,000 tilapia that will be harvested bi-annually. The locally-sourced food grown onsite will be donated – at no cost – to food banks and will provide farm-to-table food for school culinary programs and community classes and functions.
Once construction finishes, the site will feature hands-on community educational programs on sustainable farming operations. At the same time, it will provide an opportunity for onsite STEM, biological science, horticultural and urban educational classes.
At this time, MASTERthese is taking responsibility for coordinating school community service programs with local food banks to ensure food ends up where it is needed and that no food is left behind. Construction should finish by the end of October. MASTERthese is already planning science projects for local schools, and plan to be ready to submit proposed projects that would be fully supported by MASTERthese members and funds to the collective of Aliso Viejo Ranch Project agencies at the time construction is completed.