When stopping for lunch at Cal Poly’s Campus Market and perusing the newly installed salad bar, do you pause to ask where the a

Kristin Gause

English 145

Marx, Winter ‘08

March 5, 2008

Cal Poly’s Organic Farm Plows the Way for Sustainability

When stopping for lunch at Cal Poly’s Campus Market and perusing the newly installed salad bar, do you pause to ask where the arugula comes from? Do you even care? A choice you make in the grocery market that may seem arbitrary does impact local farmers, businesses, economy, and ecosystems. While some students don’t think twice about the food they are putting into their mouths, others find it important to know where their produce comes from, what farming techniques are being used, and how the techniques being used affect the environment and community. Many of these concerned individuals understand that sustainable agricultural management practices are crucial in ensuring that our natural environment is protected for the present and for future generations. One of the sustainable practices that keep ecosystems healthy and rural communities alive is organic farming. Cal Poly, the nation’s third largest agricultural college, took a significant step towards becoming more sustainable by establishing its own organic farm. As for the arugula previously mentioned and other seasonal veggies found at the salad bar, many are surprised to find that these foods are produced on Cal Poly property. The usual reaction is, “Cal Poly has a farm? Where is it?” The Cal Poly Organic Farm (CPOF), originally known as the Student Experimental Farm, “has been referred to as one of the University’s best-kept secrets” (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Runs Organic Farm). The history of the CPOF extends 18 years and is rooted to the continuing demand for increased sustainability on the Cal Poly Campus.

To understand how the CPOF functions today, we must examine its origins and 18-year history. In 1989, the Cal Poly College of Agriculture (CAGR) Cal Poly Student Experimental Farm (SEF) was created. One of the SEF’s first milestones came in 1995, when it became certified organic by California Certified Organic Farms (and it has since held this certification). However, the experimental student project initially did have a difficult time due to several boom-bust cycles occurring at the farm throughout the 1990’s. In attempts to strengthen the program, numerous discussions were held that centered on the need to institute a comprehensive organization to promote sustainable agricultural activities at Cal Poly. After 10 years of instability, the SEF caught a break in 2000 when CAGR students Hunter Francis and Terry Hooker, with the supervision of CAGR professors and the direct support of Dr. Mark Shelton, Associate Dean of the College, developed the Sustainable Agricultural Resource Center (SARC). The founders determined the SARC’s immediate focus was to coordinate all activities at the existing organic farm and to stabilize the farm through fundraising, intra-collegiate backing, and outreach. After 5 years and much work, the SARC met its main objective in 2005, as it succeeded in establishing an efficient operation that was becoming profitable. Because the farm’s sales reached a gratifying $100,000 and due to the exponential growth the farm was experiencing, it transitioned into a commercial enterprise of the Cal Poly Corporation (a Cal Poly non-profit organization that has complete administrative responsibility for food services for the university community).

Over the years, the Student Experimental Farm has become known as the Cal Poly Organic Farm. The farm is comprised of eleven acres (featuring 3.5 certified as organic and 8 non-certified acres that are managed organically), divided into three parcels and also includes the original two-acre SEF location. Currently, students, faculty, and paid staff members manage the farm. As stated on the CPOF website, the CPOF provides students and the San Luis Obispo community a place to experience and explore organic and sustainable farming and gardening techniques (http://www.calpolyorgfarm.com/index.shtml). It also serves as a classroom to an array of individuals, ranging from Cal Poly students taking agriculture courses, to kindergarteners learning about food production, to SLO Master Gardeners, to members of the YMCA, and even to mental health patients developing living skills through horticultural therapy. The farm also acts a laboratory for research programs and student research projects. SARC also has done much to further sustainability college-wide within the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus and to the broader San Luis Obispo community.

The SARC’s scope has broadened since 2002, expanding its responsibilities beyond its original focus of the organic farm. Today, the program serves as the hub for sustainable agriculture on campus. The SARC has assisted in instituting the AG 315 Organic Agriculture course. Through this class, students are exposed to the leaders of the organic industry. Due to the class gaining the approval to be a general education course (Area F) in 2002, the accessibility has lead to a growing awareness of organic farming on the Cal Poly campus and has become increasingly popular with many student groups. Four other courses have been instituted by the SARC, including CRSC 202 Enterprise Project and CRSC 203 Organic Farming Enterprise Project, which teach students skills in the production and marketing of organically grown fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Some of SARC’s other accomplishments include hosting public lectures and forums featuring leaders in sustainable agriculture, an annual conference for agricultural Pest Control Advisors in sustainable agriculture focusing on new practices for industry professionals, and hosting workshops and continuing education classes.

The SARC’s second largest accomplishment, founding Cal Poly’s first Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that serves to connect the community to local farms, has been instrumental in the promotion of sustainability and organic agriculture within San Luis Obispo. The CSA officially began in 2000 with 25 initial members. The CSA provides members, that now number over 300, a share box of fresh grown produce that’s in season on a weekly basis. A full, or large share box of produce can generally feed three to six people for a week, while a small, or half share box that was designed for students can feed one or two (http://www.calpolyorgfarm.com/aboutus.shtml). While most of the produce shared is organic, it is all seasonal and locally grown, with some varieties not available in most grocery stores and unfamiliar to the average consumer. To complement the produce that is available weekly, the CPOF publishes a weekly newsletter that includes news from the CPOF, articles concerning sustainability or sustainable agriculture, and several recipes that instruct how to cook or prepare the featured fruits and vegetables. Member benefits of the CSA include using the CPOF for experimentation and as a learning site, as well as using the farm as a place to relax with friends and family. A discounted student membership rate is also incentive for Cal Poly students to become members.

SARC gained more visibility due to President Baker’s signing of the Talloires Declaration, which declares the University’s commitment to promoting sustainability. Produce from the CPOF was made available for use by the campus’s central food service. In 2004, a new program was instituted using Cal Poly organic salad materials at “The Lighthouse” cafeteria and boxed produce orders by individuals. Also in 2005, a recycling program was instituted to recycle coffee grounds and vegetable waste from campus dining and café facilities and then be used as compost for sustainable farming (http://www.bakerforum.calpoly.edu/2006/CP_sustainability.html). Although several years prior to Baker signing the declaration there had been much grass-root support for these initiatives, it wasn’t until directly after the declaration was signed that the initiatives were able to gain a solid footing.

SARC’s involvement and CPOF’s presence is now greater than ever since Cal Poly’s Focus the Nation event this Januaryand the the recent increase of CPOF advertising and marketing campaigns. The CPOFand the SARChave bolstered the sustainability movement at Cal Poly. and will help to produce yields of educated individuals for years to come.

Bibliography

Cal Poly Organic Farm, (2006). Welcome to the Cal Poly Organic Farm. Retrieved March 5, 2008, from http://www.calpolyorgfarm.com/index.shtml

Cal Poly Horticulture and Crop Science, (2006, June 5). Cal Poly's Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium. Cal Poly Organic Farm Community Supported Agriculture Newsletter.

Cal Poly Horticulture and Crop Science, (2006, July 10). Cal Poly's Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium. Cal Poly Organic Farm Community Supported Agriculture Newsletter.

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, (2007, November 11). Sustainable Agriculture Resource Consortium. Retrieved March 5, 2008, from SARC Mission Web site: http://sarc.calpoly.edu/about/index.html

The 2006 Baker Forum, (2006, April 11). Sustainability at Cal Poly. Retrieved March 5, 2008, from http://www.bakerforum.calpoly.edu/2006/CP_sustainability.html