Cal Poly Organic Farm Cal Poly Organic Farm

 

Opportunities at CPOF
 The Cal Poly Organic Farm (CPOF) is eager to attract youth to the horticultural sciences. Since the 1980's the number of students enrolling in production agricultural majors (such as crop science) has dropped dramatically. This is an unsettling trend, given the challenges of our heavily-populated world and the opportunity in agriculture today.

Senior or Thesis Projects
 Undergraduate and graduate level students are encouraged to utilize the Farm as dynamic living laboratory for experiential learning. To discuss a concept for a Farm-centered research project, please contact the faculty advisor of the farm, Dr. John Phillips (jphillips@calpoly.edu) or the Farm Manager at: (805) 756-6139 or e-mail: orgfarm@calpoly.edu

Sustainable Agriculture Minor New in 2007-2009 catalog at Cal Poly: Sustainable Agriculture Minor.

Organic Ag Education at Cal Poly

The mission of CPOF is to educate students and the community about organic and sustainable agriculture techniques. In order to fund these educational goals, we sell our produce through a CSA program and rely on grants and donations.

Cal Poly student involvement and employment is a high priority at the farm. The majority of the farm staff and volunteers are enrolled students. Many of these students are majoring in the agricultural sciences but some are not. With their farm experience, the students can go into the job market with confidence and knowledge of the fast-growing organic industry.

We encourage all Cal Poly professors to bring their classes to the farm for a learning site. Courses such as entomology, weed science, precision farming, nutrition, and holistic management regularly use the farm site and staff.

The regular courses that CPOF hosts are the following:

CRSC 202 Enterprise Project
2-4 units per quarter, credit/no credit grading

  • Offered each quarter
  • Introductory experiential learning
  • No prior experience required

CRSC 203 Organic Farming Enterprise Project
2-4 units per quarter, credit/no credit grading

  • Offered each quarter
  • Introductory experiential learning
  • No prior experience required

CRSC 402 Organic Enterprise Project Management
2 - 4 units per quarter, credit/no credit grading

  • Offered each quarter
  • Advanced experiential learning
  • Prereq: CRSC 202 and instructorÕs consent

AG-315 Organic Agriculture
4 unit course

  • Offered each Spring
  • Cross-disciplinary perspective
  • Industry experts featured as guest lecturers
  • 3 lectures and 1 two-hour activity/week
  • Prerequisite: Junior standing and completion of GE Area B.
  • meets GE Area F requirement

UNIV-330 Cal Poly Land: Nature, Technology and Society (GE Area F)
4 unit course