Near the intersection of Irvine Boulevard and Modjeska Road, you’ll find UC South Coast. Although it’s located in Irvine, it’s not part of UC Irvine, it was actually founded almost a decade earlier in 1956. It is one of 9 Research and Extension Centers associated with the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Division and serves as a regional living laboratory for UC Scientists to conduct agricultural and natural resources research in California’s south coastal climate.
I had the opportunity to tour UC South Coast’s 200 acres facility with Community Education Specialists Jason Suppes and Tammy Majcherek and learn about the research that is being conducted and the educational and community outreach programs they offer.
There are currently 40 research projects being conducted at UC South Coast. One current project is trying to develop coffee trees that requires less water. The coffee trees in the project will be put into the ground and receive optimal watering for a year. The next year, some trees will be given 80%, 50, and some 20% of that optimal watering and will be assessed at year’s end. If the trees are successfully producing fruit and are healthy, they will be used as rootstock onto which another coffee plant will be grafted.
Another project is trying to develop trees that can resist citrus greening disease, which is fatal, difficult to diagnose, and can cripple a citrus harvest. Researchers have found that the Australian Finger Lime is immune to the disease and currently have a plot of new citrus hybrids that have finger lime genetics; these are new citrus varieties that are immune to the disease. These must be further researched before they can be introduced into the market.
UC South Coast has a rich history of contributions to food production from the research that was conducted here; about 85% of all domestic strawberries were created here and at the Ventura Research Center. There’s a 90% chance that when you eat a strawberry, you can trace its roots to this facility and its researchers.
Photo Credit: Aphiwat Chuangchoem
Many of these projects are preserved by UC South Coast after the research is completed, which is why they have more “flavor” (literally) than other research centers. They have orchards of guavas, avocados, persimmons, cherimoyas and other produce thanks to past projects. These come in handy with the their educational and community outreach programs.
Like other UC Research and Extension Centers, South Coast is home to Master Gardeners, Master Food Preservers and 4-H programs. It also works with high school age Career Technical Education students interested in the agricultural and culinary industries to bring them to the facility to gain a better understaffing about things that impact those industries as well as exploring career pathways alongside researches and other professionals.
UC South Coast also works with Adult Transition Programs; where special needs youth and young adults currently on a pathway to independent living gain transferable skills and experience that they can apply to entry level positions in plant nurseries, garden centers, and as landscapers.
As part of its community outreach, UC South Coast also collaborates with local entrepreneurs to source fresh ingredients for their products. They have collaborated with Derek Bracho from Focaccia Boi who’s turned their produce into mouthwatering pizzas and bread.
And with Jennifer Clausen-Quiroz and her brother Ricky Quiroz from Tocumbo Ice Cream, who’ve transformed South Coast fruit into delicious paletas and aguas frescas.
In turn, those entrepreneurs have participated in events at South Coast where they’ve spoken to students in Career Technical Education and provided them with tasty treats.
UC South Coast also has events that provide the public the opportunity to visit the grounds, learn about the facility, and purchase produce like avocados and Cherimoyas.
All of the amazing work that UC South Coast has done in the past few years has not gone unnoticed.
They’ve received funding to expand their Adult Transition Program and build a small commercial nursery to expand their training.
And the State has also pledged to build an engagement center at the facility; with a state of the art conference center, labs, and demo areas for public education and outreach, which will help them expand their reach in Orange County for years to come.
References:
Tour with Jason Suppes and Tammy Majcherek, Community Education Specialists II at UC South Coast Research and Extension Center, Oct. 3, 2022
“UC South Coast Educates, Collaborates with 200 Acres of Farmland” by Anne Marie Panoringan, Voice of OC. Dec. 2, 2021.
South Coast Research and Extension Center Website
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resource Website