“Sustainability” brings to mind many things—but amid all the thinking about natural resources and the environment, it’s easy to overlook the people aspect. That’s why we place a particular emphasis on engaging, inspiring, and uplifting the community as part of our #RanchResponsibly initiative. After all, it’s people who ultimately drive sustainability!
In September, Carmel Valley Ranch hosted the Carmel 4-H Club (ages 10-15) for an afternoon where they stepped into the “suit” of a beekeeper. Our head beekeeper taught them about the buzzing side of animal husbandry and how to be a bee steward. The students were so enthralled with the lives of our tiniest artisans! Even students who were nervous became curious and explorative—some were even inspired to keep bees at home with their family members.
“Brianna looked over at me when we were in the apiary, holding a frame crawling with bees, a huge smile on her face, and said, ‘Mom, we have to do this, we have to keep bees!’”
—Carmel 4-H leader, Patricia Glass
In October, we welcomed students who are studying sustainable hospitality at our local college, Cal State University Monterey Bay. They took part in some of our most popular ecotourism experiences, including Garden Meet & Greet, A Bee’s Life, and milking our Swiss Saanen goats at the Hilltop Corral. During their visit, they learned how we blend these ecotourism experiences with our sustainability goals, such as supplying The Ranch with fresh produce from our Organic Garden, using honey from the bees for both cuisine and our spa, and transforming goat milk into artisanal cheeses. For many of the students, this visit exposed them to unique career options they hadn’t considered.
“Carmel Valley Ranch is practicing exactly what we are learning in class—the quintuple bottom line of people, planet, profit, equity, and ethics. It makes me happy that guests get to interact with bees and livestock while on vacation. Hopefully it will influence the way they interact with the world once they leave.”
—Marina Melgar, Sustainable Hospitality Management student
As we continue to #RanchResponsibly—and help others do the same—we couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds. We’re proud of these students and our community partners, and we look forward to sharing more great experiences with them!