At The Preserve at Chino, stewardship goes beyond growing food — it’s about caring for a shared space that the entire community helps shape.
Unlike a private garden, this space is open to residents year-round. That access brings its own challenges, but it also creates something more meaningful. Instead of simply maintaining the garden, lead farmer Stephen Espinosa spends much of his time connecting with residents — helping them understand how it works and how to care for it.
Those interactions have become one of the most important parts of his role.
A GARDEN BUILT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The Preserve at Chino was designed as a connected residential community with parks, recreation areas, and shared outdoor spaces. Farmscape’s gardens are woven directly into that landscape.
Because the garden is always accessible, Stephen’s role extends far beyond traditional maintenance.
Residents regularly stop by with questions — about soil, plant health, or what’s ready to harvest. Those small moments of curiosity often turn into longer conversations.
“It’s really exciting to explain what’s happening in the soil or the plants,” Stephen says. “You can see that curiosity spark.”
Over time, those interactions build familiarity and trust, turning the garden into something residents feel a part of, not just something they pass by.
THE HARVEST CLUB: LEARNING TO GROW TOGETHER
At the center of this experience is the Harvest Club, a program designed to help residents learn how to grow and harvest their own food.
Through workshops and hands-on guidance, Stephen introduces residents to seasonal planting, harvesting techniques, and the rhythms of the garden. The goal isn’t just to grow food — it’s to build confidence and familiarity with the process.
Monthly potlucks, quarterly workshops, and seasonal events—like the community’s citrus and apricot celebrations—bring residents together around the food grown throughout the neighborhood.
A “BEAUTIFUL LOGISTICS PROBLEM”
Despite the abundance of plants, usable growing space is surprisingly limited.
That constraint creates what Stephen describes as a “beautiful logistics problem.”
Beds must be carefully planned to produce enough food for the community while still fitting within the available space. Crops are interplanted, and vertical growing techniques help maximize production.
“Everyone who walks by says, ‘How are you fitting all this in here?’” Stephen says.
The result is a garden that feels abundant—even when space is tight.
BRINGING SCIENCE TO THE GARDEN
Stephen brings a strong foundation in plant science to his work, with a background in soil health, plant systems, and urban agriculture. At Chino, that knowledge is put into practice every day — from growing much of what’s planted on-site in the greenhouse to caring for the garden as it evolves through the seasons.
But what he enjoys most is seeing that knowledge come to life in a shared space — especially when it helps someone new feel more comfortable engaging with the garden.
Whether he’s answering a quick question or guiding someone through their first harvest, those moments of connection are what make the work meaningful.
“It’s really exciting to explain what’s happening in the soil or the plants,” he says. “You can see that curiosity spark.”
A DREAM JOB
Stephen joined Farmscape in 2020 while finishing his degree, starting on the Chino team before eventually taking on full responsibility for the site.
Nearly six years later, he’s spent his entire time at Farmscape helping these gardens grow and evolve — and the work still feels just as rewarding.
“This was my dream job out of college,” he says. “I love putting my hands in the dirt, growing plants, and seeing people’s reactions when they get to harvest and eat what’s grown here.”
For Stephen, the gardens at Chino are more than a place to grow food. They’re shared spaces where residents connect with the land, their food, and each other — with each season offering a new opportunity to deepen that connection.
Explore the full project
See how Farmscape designed and maintains the edible landscape at The Preserve at Chino, where gardens, orchards, and community spaces come together throughout the neighborhood.