Parent Community Visits La Novia Farm Site for Sneak Peek of Future Learning

A very special PTF General Membership Meeting on Thursday ventured off-campus, as dozens of St. Margaret’s parents took the short walk down to La Novia Farm to visit the site and learn more about its future. 

 

A two-acre regenerative farm under development at the corner of La Novia Avenue and San Juan Creek Road, La Novia Farm is a unique partnership bringing together the City of San Juan Capistrano, The Ecology Center and St. Margaret’s. In this shared vision, the City has generously pledged the parcel of land, The Ecology Center has provided its expertise in preparing and maintaining the land for regenerative farming, and St. Margaret’s will provide educational programming beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

 

While work continues on La Novia Farm, the parent community had the chance to visit the site and learn more about short-term and long-term plans from Head of School Dr. Jeneen Graham and The Ecology Center’s leadership team, including Founder and Executive Director Evan Marks. Attendees could also sample citrus, strawberries and other crops from The Ecology Center and explore the site, which will feature fruit trees, garden beds, shade trees and areas for student learning and discovery. 

 

Many of the fruits and vegetables grown at La Novia Farm will be harvested and used in the St. Margaret’s Commons as part of the school’s nutrition services beginning next school year. Attendees at the PTF General Membership Meeting received an update on the planned logistics of the Commons from representatives of St. Margaret’s and CulinArt, the school’s food services partner.

 

The Commons will open this summer, and harvests from La Novia Farm will be used in the Commons as early as this fall.