Second Harvest invites OC students to learn, serve at working Irvine farm

Ian Hanigan
Two students kneel in a farm field planting young seedlings while other participants work in rows behind them under a blue sky.
Students take part in hands-on planting activities at Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine as part of a service-learning experience focused on agriculture and the local food system.

Quick look: Local educators can bring students in grades 3 through 12 to Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine for a free service-learning experience that combines hands-on farm work with lessons in science, agriculture and sustainability. 

For Orange County educators looking to move a lesson beyond classroom walls, a working farm in Irvine is offering students a chance to learn by doing — and to help their community at the same time.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is inviting students in grades 3 through 12 to participate in its free Youth Engagement Program at Harvest Solutions Farm. Educators can find out more by filling out the program’s online interest form.

During visits, students may plant, weed or harvest produce while exploring topics including science, agriculture, sustainability, food systems and food insecurity. The experience is designed to combine hands-on learning with service, giving students a direct look at how locally grown food can support Orange County residents.

Volunteers harvest cabbage in rows at Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine, with a Second Harvest Food Bank truck parked behind them.
Volunteers harvest fresh produce at Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine, where Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County offers hands-on service-learning opportunities for students.

Harvest Solutions Farm is a 40-acre agricultural partnership involving Second Harvest, the University of California South Coast Research and Extension Center and Solutions for Urban Agriculture. Since its first planting in 2021, the farm has harvested more than 9 million pounds of fresh produce for Orange County residents facing food insecurity.

For educators, that community connection can add another dimension to lessons about where food comes from, how agricultural systems operate and how local organizations respond to community needs.

“There’s something special about watching students make the connection between the food growing in the fields and the needs of their own community,” said Hannah Ortiz, agriculture manager for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. “We hope they leave Harvest Solutions Farm with new knowledge about agriculture and food systems, along with an understanding of how they can play a role in helping address food insecurity in Orange County.”

Programs are available Tuesdays through Fridays and typically last two to three hours. Participation is free, and limited transportation assistance may also be available.

Educators interested in bringing students to Harvest Solutions Farm can learn more and submit an interest request at feedoc.org/YEP-interest.