Pomona College Organic Farm

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The West Farm near the Earth Dome

The Pomona College Organic Farm is an organic campus farm on 1.2 acres (0.49 ha)[1] of the southeast corner of Pomona College's campus in Claremont, California.[2] It is within Blanchard Park (more commonly known as "the Wash"). It was begun as an experimental permaculture project by a group of three friends in 1998,[3] and was institutionalized in 2006.[4]

History

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The Earth Dome II during construction in summer 2005

The farm was begun in 1998, when students began composting dining hall waste and planting crops in an unused portion of campus.[5][3] Masanobu Fukuoka's book The One Straw Revolution provided the initial inspiration. One student remained on campus to tend to the farm over the summer, but, according to the farm's website, only a single tomato grew.[3] Over the next few years, students from the "Gorilla Farming Club" worked to improve the nitrogen content of the soil and remove rocks.[3]

During this time, the farm developed a reputation as an activist space,[3][6] with extensive marijuana smoking, squatting, and other exploits.[vague] This, combined with the farm's unofficial status, led to strained relations with the college's administration.[7] In 2002, students constructed an earth dome using Nader Khalili's superadobe designs, but the college demolished it at the start of the fall 2002 semester because of safety and permitting concerns.[3] In April 2003, plans began for a new, institutionally-approved Earth Dome,[3] which was completed in 2005. In May 2006, the farm and the college reached an agreement on rules for the farm, and it has since become institutionalized[4][8] and expanded to include the East Farm.[3][9][10]

Layout

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Welcome sign on the West Farm

The farm occupies 1.2 acres (0.49 ha)[1] of the far southeastern corner of Pomona College's campus, within the naturalistic portion of the campus known as "the Wash" (formally Blanchard Park[11]). It is split into two halves, separated by the college's hammer throw field.[12] The West Farm includes the superadobe Earth Dome, as well as a number of fruit trees, rock-lined student plots, an outdoor classroom, and a chicken coop.[5] The East Farm has a 162-square-foot greenhouse and is used to grow crops and compost waste.[5][13] A number of coast live oak trees dot the area.[14]

Operations

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Earth Dome interior (view as a 360° interactive panorama)

The farm is predominantly run by students.[15] It grows some of the food used in Pomona's dining halls, composts dining hall waste,[16] operates a food stand,[4] and facilitates a course on agriculture in the college's environmental analysis program.[17]

It also hosts a number of events, including an annual "FarmFest",[18] and provides a space for quiet retreat.[16]

It is funded by proceeds from produce sales, the Associated Students of Pomona College, and the Environmental Analysis Department. Pomona alumnus Ronald Lee Fleming has also donated to the farm, funding a statue.[19]

Reception

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A 2023 critique of campus farms in The Nation described the farm as "as visually appealing as it is functional" and highlighted its teaching function, but also questioned its non-native vegetation and water consumption.[20]

Further reading

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  • Long, Adam J. (1 April 2013). A Guide to the Pomona College Organic Farm: An Introduction to the Farm's History and Basic Gardening Skills and Techniques (Thesis). Pomona College. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  • Schmidt, Jennifer (18 October 2013). Farming: It's Not Just for Farmers Anymore: Bringing Agricultural Education to the Liberal Arts at the Pomona College Organic Farm (Thesis). Pomona College. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Pomona College Organic Farm". Pomona College. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  2. ^ Harris, Erin Mahoney (2016). Visit California Farms: Your Guide to Farm Stays, Tours, and Hands-On Workshops. Berkeley, California: Wilderness Press. p. 151. ISBN 9780899977904.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Farm Resources". Pomona College. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Freedman, Kara (23 September 2011). "Pomona College Farm Stand Brings Fresh Produce to Campus". The Student Life. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Wax, Shelby (4 November 2013). "The Roots of Pomona College's Organic Farm". The Student Life. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  6. ^ Sherry, Cathy (August 2022). "Learning from the Dirt: Initiating university food gardens as a cross-disciplinary tertiary teaching tool". Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education. 25 (2): 199–217. doi:10.1007/s42322-022-00100-6.
  7. ^ Enzminger, Peter (Fall 2006). "Down on the Farm". Pomona College Magazine. Vol. 41, no. 2. Pomona College. Archived from the original on 12 May 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  8. ^ "2006". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  9. ^ Barboza, Tony (April 15, 2016). "Pomona College considers organic farm's future" (DOC). Claremont Courier. Archived from the original (DOC) on October 29, 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  10. ^ Barboza, Tony (April 26, 2006). "Organic farm will stay put" (DOC). Claremont Courier. Archived from the original (DOC) on October 31, 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Campus Facilities". Pomona College Catalog. Pomona College. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  12. ^ Orenstein, Natalie (21 April 2011). "Petition to Relocate Hammer Throw Field Draws Criticism". The Student Life. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  13. ^ Hernandez, Cindy (Winter 2009). "Fine Feathered Friends" (PDF). Pomona College Magazine. Vol. 45, no. 2. Pomona College. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  14. ^ Tyack, Nicholas (Fall 2014). "Ralph Cornell and the 'College in a Garden'" (PDF). Eden. 17 (4). California Garden & Landscape History Society. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  15. ^ Egelhoff, Rose (October 30, 2014). "5 Colleges Where Students Are Getting Creative with Sustainable Agriculture". Smart Cities Dive. Industry Dive. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  16. ^ a b Schmidt, Jennifer (11 November 2013). "Tending More Than Just a Seed". The Student Life. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  17. ^ Asokin, Ratik (November 14, 2011). "8 Classes You Might Have Overlooked". The CMC Forum. Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  18. ^ Xu, Sitong (29 April 2016). "FarmFest Celebrates Earth Day". The Student Life. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  19. ^ "2008". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  20. ^ Brooks, Rachel (20 March 2023). "Do University Farms Truly Teach Sustainability?". The Nation. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
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