The Ranch at Laguna Beach announces collaboration with The Ecology Center of Southern California to cultivate and manage the resort’s half-acre Harvest garden. This organic garden, the largest in Laguna Beach, will produce seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs for use in the resort’s signature Harvest restaurant.
The resort, which is located on what was Laguna Beach’s first homestead/ranch established in 1871, aims to honor this history through the development and operation of this garden. Here, The Ecology Center will work alongside Executive Chef Charles Imbelli and his culinary team to cultivate a unique blend of lettuces, kale, chard and collards, as well as a variety of tomatoes, peppers and root vegetables. There is also a perimeter orchard featuring a bounty of citrus and stone fruits, along with apple, cherry and apricot trees.
Beyond the management of the garden, The Ecology Center is also developing an educational program for resort guests, which will involve hands-on experiences at the garden. The center’s team will also implement composting/recycling initiatives to ensure all food and garden materials are handled properly and to the full benefit of the environment and surrounding canyon lands.
This collaboration marks the first hospitality garden program for The Ecology Center, which is a non-profit eco-education center focused on creative solutions for thriving on planet Earth. Additional outreach projects managed by the center includes (but not limited to) the partnership with the Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine, as well as their established Grow Your Own! program aimed at garden education at local schools.
The first seasonal bounty will debut on the Harvest Restaurant menu in spring 2017. For more information and reservations, please call 949.715.1375 or visit www.ranchlb.com.
