Aliso Viejo Ranch
Award
Historical Renovation Project
Description
The multi-disciplinary Aliso Viejo Ranch project preserves and restores historically significant buildings, artifacts, and farming implements from the 1800s and highlights the importance of the agricultural past of Orange County, the state of California and Western United States while demonstrating the future of sustainable agriculture and aquaponics.
Many years in the making, this unique 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 fishponds each filled with about 2,000 tilapia that will be harvested biannually. The locally sourced food grown onsite will be donated – at no cost – to nearby food banks and will provide farm-to-table food for school culinary programs and community classes and functions.
The facility is available for use by the community and will host classes, educational seminars, and special events. An urban farming component focuses on sustainability through teaching the community how to raise and harvest produce and animals while partnering with local non-profits to feed the hungry.
Branch
