Cultivate Fall 2020

ISSUE 13

SWANTON PACIFIC RANCH Rebuilding and regrowing from the ashes PAGE 6

FALL 2020

A NOTE FROM THE DEAN

FALL 2020

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EARN BY DOING

6 RESILIENCE. That word has taken on new significance over these past nine months as we’ve faced the impacts of a global pandemic, wildfires and societal change.

In this issue you’ll read about the devastating effects of the fire that ran through Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch in August.

The fire destroyed not only the natural landscape – centuries old forests and fields – but also historic buildings, trains and records.

But out of this damage has arisen vast opportunity for new hands-on learning experiences, research projects, and a reimagining of the ranch for now and into the future. That’s resilience.

You’ll also hear about how our students, faculty and staff have pivoted to virtual or hybrid learning, creating experiences that are more compelling and engaging than we could have imagined.

That, too, is resilience.

Finally, I want to say farewell to longtime executive associate dean Richard Cavaletto. Richard has served Cal Poly for 30 years — through times both down and up — with his hallmark collegiality and wise counsel. Please join me in wishing him well as he embraces his next chapter.

We are resilient because we are supported by a vast network of supporters like you.

We are resilient because we are Mustangs.

May you all stay healthy and well.

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Cover Story SWANTON PACIFIC RANCH ————

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Q&A ————

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JUSTIN TRABUE ————

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POWER OF DOING ————

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ICE CREAM DRIVE-THRU ————

CULTIVATE is published for alumni and friends by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES).

Dean’s Office 805-756-2161 Communications Team Haley Marconett hmarcone@calpoly.edu 805-756-2933 AnnMarie Cornejo ancornej@calpoly.edu 805-756-2427

Publication Designer Julia Jackson-Clark, Graphic Communication, '19 juliajackson-clark.com Printer Lithographix, Los Angeles, California Staff Photographers Sofia Ilic (Architecture, '21)

Felipe Vallejo

(Agricultural Communication, '21)

Andrew J. Thulin , Ph.D. | Dean

Shelby Watts

(Agricultural Science, '21)

cafes.calpoly.edu Stay connected on:

FEATURE

CLASS IN THE GROVE NAVIGATING COURSES BOTH ONLINE AND ON CAMPUS

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In a lemon grove alongside the outer perimeter of Cal Poly’s campus, a group of students gather among the trees, learning about soil science in an outdoor laboratory that is their only classroom for this fall quarter course.

The Soil Health and Plant Nutrition class, taught by Assistant Professor Charlotte Decock, meets the learning objectives for students seeking to become a certified crop adviser. Typically, students are taught in an indoor laboratory how to understand and interpret soil test reports and then translate those findings to develop nutrient management plans.

This quarter, to keep students safely distanced and reduce the risk of COVID-19, Decock moved the entire course outdoors.

“Teaching the class in the field is something I have been thinking about doing anyways,” Decock said. “It is about finding a balance between what’s done in the lab and developing new activities to

It is about finding a balance between what’s done in the lab and developing new activities to give students the experience of what to look at out in the field as well."

give students the experience of what to look at out in the field as well.” Those students who did not return to campus are able to join the class via Zoom, with the help of Decock’s graduate student assistant Connie Wong, who livestreams the course in addition to helping students in person.

In 2018 Decock was among an interdisciplinary team of professors awarded a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture Healthy Soils Program to study the effects of cover crops on soil health. She is now using that as a teaching opportunity for students — setting up an experimental lab in the lemon grove to study carbon sequestration. “Being able to have this trial where I can take students and they see the different measurements is really a great teaching tool,” Decock said.

For Anna Rodriguez-Paiatsyka, a transfer student in her second year at Cal Poly majoring in agricultural and environmental plant sciences, the course provides a much-needed respite from a schedule packed with mostly virtual courses. “Doing online learning, I have realized that I miss in-person class communication and activities,” Rodriguez-Paiatsyka said. “I like our in-person soil science lab because we get to do fun and educational soil experiments. We discuss different topics as a class and brainstorm together about reasons and solutions related to the topic of the week. As a class, we try to spread out and keep our distance, but at the same time, stay engaged in the learning process.”

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NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS

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Ben Swan was recently named head of the Agricultural Education and Communication Department, following Bob Flores’ retirement in June. Swan previously served as an associate professor and student teaching coordinator in the department.

Prior to joining Cal Poly, he taught high school agricultural mechanics and spent four years at the University of Idaho developing the agricultural teacher education program. Swan earned a doctorate from Ohio State and a master’s degree in agriculture with a specialization in agricultural education from Cal Poly. He is a member of the California Agriculture Teacher’s Association (CATA) and the American Association for Agricultural Education (AAAE).

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ASSOCIATE DEAN RETIRES Richard Cavaletto, a most-respected member of Cal Poly, is retiring after 30 years of dedication to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. He has worked as an executive associate dean since 2012, directly impacting thousands of students in his work overseeing undergraduate programs. Cavaletto came to Cal Poly as an associate professor in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department in 1990, eventually becoming head of the department. He also served as the director of the Agricultural Safety Institute from 1992-02. Throughout his career, he has won numerous awards for his service and dedication and most notably impacted student success. Dr. C, as he is known to students, has served as the advisor to numerous student clubs, including the college’s Club Council, helping students achieve their leadership potential.

Cavaletto has been a strong and steady voice in advancing the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences to where it is today. In retirement he plans to return to his family’s lemon farm in Southern California with his wife, Melanie.

Jeremy James has been named head of the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department. James most recently worked for the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension as a specialist directing the Sierra Foothills Research and Extension Center.

He previously held various posts as a research scientist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. James earned a doctorate in plant biology from UC Davis and a bachelor’s degree in ecology from Cal Poly.

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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

APRIL 7-11, 2021 OPEN HOUSE

GET A CAL POLY THANKSGIVING TURKEY The Cal Poly Meat Processing Center will be selling turkeys this Thanksgiving for the first time, thanks to a generous donation by alumnus David Pitman of Pitman Family Farms, also known as Mary’s Chickens. Turkeys can be purchased through the Meat Processing Center at calpolymeats.com or by calling 805-756-2114. Only 100 turkeys are available, so call soon to reserve your Thanksgiving bird.

Cal Poly Strawberry Center’s Virtual Field Day

The fourth annual Cal Poly Strawberry Field Day was held virtually on Aug. 25. A record 280 guests attended the event from 13 different countries, with 70 of those receiving continuing education units. Attendees were able to learn about the latest research and automation activities taking place at the Strawberry Center in conjunction with the California Strawberry Commission. To learn more, visit www.strawberry.calpoly.edu/field-day-2020-handouts.

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CAL POLY OUTSTANDING STAFF AWARD Kari Roose, academic support coordinator in the Agricultural Education and Communication Department, was recently awarded the university’s Outstanding Staff Award. She was recognized for her dedication, loyalty and service to others, along with her willingness to try new things. Roose is a welcoming face to the department and serves students in a genuine and caring way. “It would be difficult to find someone on this campus who does not get along with her,” said a nominator. “She enjoys working in the background; she has no interest in the limelight. Her interest is in serving others. It shows in everything she does.”

New Director of Development Erica Gulseth Nordby is the newest director of development for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Prior to joining Cal Poly in March, she worked for nearly 15 years in nonprofit fundraising and development, including at The Trust for Public Land, the Foundation for National Progress, and Earthjustice. When not at work, you’ll find her outdoors hiking, sailing, biking or backpacking, wine tasting or listening to live music. Nordby is the liaison for the Agricultural Education and Communication and Experience Industry Management Departments, partnering with donors and alumni to ensure that every student in the college gets the best Learn by Doing education possible.

Reach her at egulseth@calpoly.edu or 805-305-4567 to talk about how you can make a big impact for students with a gift today or by leaving a legacy in your will or estate plans.

HOLIDAY CHEESE BOXES Cal Poly Holiday Cheese Gift Boxes featuring student-made products are available now through Dec. 18. To order from a selection of traditional favorites available in a variety of gift box arrangements, visit

www.calpolycreamery.com.

MEET OUR NEW FACULTY YAMINA PRESSLER DEPARTMENT: Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences AREA OF SPECIALTY: Soil science, soil conservation and restoration, soil food webs and organic matter in fire-affected ecosystems EDUCATION: Doctorate in ecology from Colorado State University; bachelor’s degree in environmental management and protection from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo HOMETOWN: Danville, California CURRENTLY READING: “All Along You Were Blooming” by Morgan Harper Nichols FUN FACT: You may see me zipping around San Luis Obispo on my bright pink Vespa!

ANASTASIA TELESETSKY DEPARTMENT: Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences AREA OF SPECIALTY: Environmental law EDUCATION: J.D. degree from UC Berkeley and master of laws degree from University of British Columbia HOMETOWN: Rockville, Maryland CURRENTLY READING: “Islands, the Universe, Home” by Gretel Ehrlich FUN FACT: I completed the Western States 100 Ultrarun (in a former life with young knees).

CYNTHIA HEISS DEPARTMENT: Food Science and Nutrition AREA OF SPECIALTY: Medical nutrition therapy, specifically obesity and diabetes EDUCATION: Doctorate in nutrition from Texas Woman’s University; master’s degree in human nutrition from Colorado State University; bachelor’s degree in dietetics from Texas Christian University HOMETOWN: Fort Worth, Texas CURRENTLY READING: “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown FUN FACT: I swam with humpback whales in Tonga two years ago. But most people are more interested in the fact that I appeared twice on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007.

No, I didn’t get a car; I got a bike and a gym bag.

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FEATURE

EARN BY DOING I N T ER N S H I P P R O GRAM

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Early each morning as the campus first begins to stir, Tori Pedersen, a third-year animal science major and agricultural business minor, makes her way to Cal Poly’s Animal Nutrition Center to make the feed for the various animal units managed by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

The state-of-the-art feed production facility, designed for teaching students, produces the feed needed for thousands of chickens, more than 250 swine, hundreds of cattle, dozens of horses and the recent addition of 100 turkeys — all living on campus.

Pedersen is one of more than 400 students who are employed at the college’s 15 food and agriculture production units on campus — learning firsthand the intricate details of managing and operating the units.

She was recently awarded an Earn by Doing Internship – allowing her to work up to 20 hours a week, gaining paid work experience that complements her classroom learning. The internship is being sponsored by Pacific Elements, a leading provider of custom animal feed and mixes, who donated to the internship program to provide hands-on experience with students like Pedersen.

The program is twofold: it provides students with hands-on, industry-specific experience that helps them be ready to make an immediate impact in their careers following graduation. It also ensures that the daily maintenance and operations of the college’s food and agricultural lands and facilities are well managed.

“Cal Poly was always my dream college, and I knew I wanted to work at an animal or agriculture unit,” said Pedersen, who works at both the Animal Nutrition Center and the Meat Processing Center. “We have a fun team that gets everything done, and everything about it feels comfortable but challenges me at the same time.”

Pedersen, who grew up in Escondido, California, had little experience with agriculture until high school, when she joined FFA to raise a lamb as part of a scholarship program. “I

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We have a fun team that gets everything done, and everything about it feels comfortable but challenges me at the same time."

joined FFA my freshman year, and I was skeptical at first, but I quickly grew to love agriculture, and I’ve never looked back,” Pedersen said.

Today, Pedersen is the student manager at the Animal Nutrition Center, helping to train other students in the daily operations. She operates the computer system used to make the feed, runs the heavy equipment such as forklifts and a hay squeeze to move supplies, and makes sure that everything is running smoothly. When other agricultural units on campus need a helping hand, she assists out there too.

Brian Larson, who manages the Animal Nutrition Center, relies on a workforce of nine students to feed thousands of animals daily. The Swine Unit alone requires up to 900 pounds of feed a day, while a ton of pellets will feed the horses at the Equine Unit for several weeks. Nutritionists at each unit formulate the recipes, and the students at the Animal Nutrition Center assemble it, using high-tech, mechanized equipment.

“I describe it like making a cake,” Larson said. “You start with the foundation, like corn and soybean meal, and then add the micro-ingredients specified by the nutritionists.”

Larson beams when he talks about his current student employees. “My job is to train the students,” Larson said. “I let them do things and learn as they go. I want them to think, ‘I can do this’ no matter what obstacle is put in front of them. I want them to graduate and be successful.”

FEATURE

Alumni-founded company gives back

When Kevin Swager (Dairy Science, '97), Fred Kerr (Animal Science, '73) and a group of investors launched Pacific Elements — a Turlock, California, company that manufactures custom premix feeds for the dairy, beef, poultry and pet food industries — in 2006, they did so with a deep-rooted understanding of the industry.

Swager has long ties to agriculture, growing up on a family farm in Chino, California. “My family had all immigrated from Holland with the desire to live the American dream,” Swager said. “Like many families arriving in America, their beginning was very humble.

Hard work, persistence and risk-taking paid off.” Swager decided a good plan was to further his education and was accepted to Cal Poly in dairy science. “I was the first of my family to attend college and earn a bachelor’s degree,” he said. After graduating he entered the dairy feed industry.

When the entrepreneurial opportunity arose to start Pacific Elements, Swager and Kerr, who had previously worked together, decided that the risk was worth the effort to launch the new business. “We put together a proforma and presented it to our bank, borrowed the money and opened our doors that summer,” Kerr said.

Years later, the company is a leader in the industry.

433 15

students employed by CAFES during FY 2019-20

food and agricultural production and operations units on campus, as well as nine departments

Students are willing to work weekends and holidays, knowing that the animals must be fed.

“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity,” Pedersen said. “In this pandemic, so many people are either at home or doing classes virtually. The fact that I still get to go on campus and work and learn firsthand how the industry operates is not something that all students get to experience, but at Cal Poly, we do.”

Swager and Kerr’s time at Cal Poly shaped their futures, and now the company is giving back by donating to the Earn by Doing Internship Program, which funds student work experience at the college’s on-campus food and agricultural production units and departments. “Pacific Elements would not exist today if it wasn't for Cal Poly,” said Swager. “We are very thankful for that.”

Kerr added, “Cal Poly changed my life without question, not only from a Learn by Doing standpoint, but by the friendships I made that have lasted a lifetime.” Kerr has long served on the Animal Science Department’s advisory council and continues to work closely with the college.

Swager and Kerr decided to invest in the Earn by Doing Program knowing that students involved in the program gain the knowledge, technical skills, accountability and work ethic that equips them to enter their fields prepared to meet future challenges.

“Invest is the Kerr. “Cal Poly is a business To donate tokey theword,” Earn said

by Doing Internship that’s mission is to graduate students who make Program, contact Russ Kabaker, assistantcan dean of a difference whether going directly into the advancement and external relations, at field, onto graduate school, or whatever path they may choose.

5 rkabaker@calpoly.edu or 805-756-6601.

CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU Cal Poly changed all of our lives for the better and we

COVER STORY

SWANTON PACIFIC RANCH REBUILDING AND REGROWING FROM THE ASHES

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When the CZU Lightning Complex Fire swept through Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch in Santa Cruz County in mid-August, it consumed much of the ranch and its structures. The intense heat destroyed historic buildings and relics that once told the storied past of the ranch — a gift made to Cal Poly by alumnus Al Smith nearly three decades ago that has been transformed into a unique learning hub. Yet, while much was lost, a sense of hope is already emerging from the charred remains.

The property, an ecologically diverse living laboratory, is characteristically used by hundreds of Cal Poly students annually through internships, courses, field trips and research.

The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences manages the ranch, which is located 15 miles northwest of Santa Cruz and three miles north of the quaint coastal town of Davenport.

Since the fire, access to the ranch has been fairly restricted due to ongoing spot fires, downed power lines and burned out root holes. A full assessment of the damage is still ongoing, but it is clear that important structures, including the Al Smith House,

Seaside School House, Red House, Archibald House, Staub House and yurts, Cal Barn, Little Creek House, Car Barn, rail cars, Roundhouse and Car Shop were all destroyed.

Swanton Pacific Ranch staff, who were able to evacuate all of the ranch’s livestock, paint a haunting image of the days surrounding the fire. They worked tirelessly in the days preceding it to salvage what they could, only for many of them to lose their own homes and personal items as the rest of the ranch burned. “When I went back onto the property the day after, it was as if my eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing — entire structures were just no longer there,” said Brian Dietterick, longtime ranch director who also lost his home on the ranch to the fire. “It was simply unbelievable and almost apocalyptic.”

This is not the first fire that Dietterick had weathered at the ranch. In 2009 the Lockheed Fire, which destroyed nearly 8,000 acres in the surrounding area, burned about 1,000 acres of the 3,200-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch. “The nature of this fire was much different; this one was burning so hot it was generating its own wind patterns, coming from the ridges down through

When I went back onto the property the day after, it was as if my eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing — entire structures were just no longer there. It was simply unbelievable and almost apocalyptic."

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COVER STORY

the valleys and just scorching everything down to the channel bottoms,” said Dietterick. “Everyone knew that fire could happen again, but for it to consume so much is just unbelievable.

But it happened, and we can’t change that.”

Dietterick has long championed a plan to expand the educational opportunities offered to students at the ranch, with the goal of building an educational learning center and field camp.

While those plans are temporarily halted, a larger revisioning for the ranch is being prompted by its destruction. Educational opportunities at the ranch extend beyond the traditional classroom and offer hands-on lessons in sustainable agriculture, timber harvesting, natural resource management and riparian protection. These opportunities will now include research on the impacts of fire, recovery and prevention, all issues that are vital to the state of California and beyond.

LOOKING FORWARD

The fire, while devastating, presents an opportunity to conduct a revised strategic vision for the ranch. The college is committed to rebuilding the ranch in a sustainable way, which will be accomplished through a combination of university resources,

including insurance reimbursement, and private donations.

That work will begin in early 2021 and include stakeholders from both inside and outside the university.

The fire provides numerous research opportunities for students and faculty, including the resurgence of trees and vegetation following the burn, and community, building and landscape design. At the same time, Swanton will play a pivotal role in ongoing wildfire research being done at the state and federal levels to improve prevention strategies and post-fire recovery efforts as wildfires have burned more than 4 million acres in California this year alone.

“This is an opportunity to really think about how we can tailor our teaching and research program at Swanton Pacific Ranch to address the various serious realities facing our society,” said Jeremy James, head of the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department. “The ranch is vital to our Learn by Doing philosophy and provides excellent learning opportunities, but it has not been really intentionally embedded in the reality of what we are facing in the terms of climate change, megafires and the other large issues facing California and communities across the globe. This is an opportunity to do that.”

Combining efforts with Cal Poly’s burgeoning Wildland Urban Interface Fire Institute, expanding faculty and student research opportunities, and collaborating with industry and statewide agencies is just one of many steps forward. “As we emerge from the ashes, Swanton Pacific Ranch’s mission will be as critical in the future as it has been in the past,” said Dietterick.

“We are training students and professionals so that they can better plan forest and community management, reducing the risk for these types of devastating fires."

Support immediate relief efforts and future growth by donating to the Swanton Pacific Ranch Recovery Fund at: crowdfund.calpoly.edu/project/22001.

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Q & Q&A

Katy Pankey

Katy Pankey (Food Science, ’09) recently joined the Cal Poly Creamery as head cheesemaker. While a student at Cal Poly, she worked in the creamery and then went on to found Farmgirl Creamery in Santa Margarita, California, where she built a regional reputation making French cheeses of the Savoie region.

You have come full circle, from working in the Cal Poly Creamery as a student to founding your own cheese making business, and back to Cal Poly. What did you learn along the way?

A: While teaching an artisan cheese short course as I worked in dairy research after graduation, I fell in love with it and started my journey building a farmstead operation. I spent many years building my own creamery and dairy. At the start, I’d milk my one cow and make cheese in the barn every weekend, perfecting my recipes, and reading countless books on cheese making. I later launched the Farmgirl Creamery brand and grew to a small herd of five Jersey cows and more cheese. I learned that a dairy and a creamery are two separate jobs, and it was impossible — and very costly ­— for me to do it all. So, I started purchasing milk from Cal Poly. I also learned the complexity of cheese and that you never stop learning. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something goes wrong, and you begin again.

How does your role as an artisanal dairy producer differ from your role as a cheesemaker at Cal Poly?

A: An artisanal dairy producer is different than my current role in many ways, but mainly my current position

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allows me to teach the students from my experiences and knowledge. That is the most rewarding part.

What do you love the most about cheese?

A: I love the complexity and versatility of cheese. The art of cheese making continues to challenge me and teach me new lessons.

Can we expect any new cheeses from the Cal Poly Creamery?

A: Yes, we are launching a triple cream brie for the holidays, named Triple Peak. It was my No. 1 seller at Farmgirl Creamery. It will be available online, at local stores, and at our Friday drive-thru.

FEATURE

FIRST HARVEST AT CAL POLY'S TRESTLE VINEYARD

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When Jean Dodson Peterson, associate professor of viticulture, arrived on campus six years ago, she faced a harsh reality: large portions of the nearly 13-acre Trestle Vineyard had fallen victim to a virus.

The decision to reestablish the space with teaching and production blocks — what sections of the vineyard are referred to as — paid off with its first harvest this September. The newer vineyard blocks — 11 in total — were designed specifically to integrate into the Wine and Viticulture Department’s enhanced curriculum.

The teaching section includes rootstock, wild species, wine and table grape demonstrations, as well as training, rotational and research blocks. The demonstration blocks are used for grapevine identification and assessment of growth factors.

In all. there are 52 winegrape cultivars, 30 rootstock selections, 26 table grape cultivars and 10 wild species.

The rotational block consists of 15 rows, within which three new rows are planted every year. In the Vineyard Management course, students use this block to explore new vine establishment, training and trellising over the course of the first five years post planting.

The rootstock and research blocks support senior projects. The production vineyard includes three blocks of Pinot noir and a block of Chardonnay, which are divided among the commercial wine program, the wine production course and student research projects.

“When I joined Cal Poly, I knew it would be important for us as a department, a university and an industry to do everything possible to ensure we are committed to achieving the highest level of excellence in our curriculum,” Dodson Peterson said. “I have always felt responsible for inspiring the next generation of viticulturists that come through our doors. To achieve this, I recognized the dire need to re-imagine the vineyard teaching facilities.

“The effort has resulted in one of the most unique and engaging Learn by Doing opportunities that exists for agricultural students today,” she continued. “I am continually humbled by the gracious support of our alumni, Dean Andrew Thulin, my fellow faculty and our students. We have united with a common vision, and in doing so, created an exceptional vineyard facility with new and expanded curricular offerings.”

To make a gift to support the Trestle Vineyard, go to bit.ly/cpvineyard or contact Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@calpoly.edu.

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WINEGRAPE CULTIVARS

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ROOTSTOCK SELECTIONS

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TABLE GRAPE CULTIVARS

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WILD SPECIES

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ALUMNI FEATURE

JUSTIN TRABUE

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Justin Trabue (Wine and Viticulture, ’17), assistant winemaker at Lumen Wines in Los Alamos, California, jokes that she was destined to work in the wine industry because her parents named her after Justin Winery in Paso Robles. That calling was fulfilled by traveling from her hometown of Washington, D.C., to attend Cal Poly.

Trabue’s journey across the country led to the start of a career that she is quickly excelling in. She credits her time at Cal Poly for paving the way forward and solidifying her love of winemaking. “Growing up in Washington, D.C., I always thought I’d attend a university on the East Coast. But when I visited Cal Poly during my junior year of high school, I fell in love,” Trabue said. “Cal Poly’s wine and viticulture program is fantastic to its core, from in-class wine tastings, to lessons in the vineyard, an opportunity to study abroad in Adelaide, Austrailia, and a student club called Vines to Wines focused on exposing students to leaders in the industry.” In fact, the first harvest she worked as an intern, led to her job at Lumen Wines, where she just finished her fifth harvest.

A vivacious young winemaker, Trabue’s charisma is contagious. While the wine industry is now home for her, what is now familiar, was not always. She recalls meeting a Black sommelier at an event in her hometown and realizing it was the first time she had seen someone who looked like her working in the industry. “I didn't meet my first Black friend within the wine industry until after I graduated, when I went down to New Zealand,” she said. “It was really hard to find my community within the wine industry.” She’s determined to change that.

Trabue is quickly becoming a crucial voice in the effort to increase diversity in the wine industry. Together with Simmone Mitchelson, a fellow winemaker and confidant, a call to action was made to the wine community, asking their colleagues to come together to

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create a more diverse wine industry that better reflects U.S. demographics.

In response, industry leaders created a scholarship fund through the California Community Foundation* to support Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) students at Cal Poly who are pursuing a career in wine and viticulture.

Several donors have contributed to the scholarship program already. The O’Neill Family and Charles Woodson, former NFL player, have teamed up to create the Charles Woodson and O'Neill Family Wine Scholarship, which provides funding for a full-ride scholarship, including tuition, room and board, for a students' entire four to five years at Cal Poly. There is additional funding available from other donors to give partial scholarships to additional qualifying students.

“With community investment toward Black, Indigenous, people of color students, we can foster equity in education,” Trabue said.

“Access to education and resources has always been skewed; by providing scholarships and opportunities, BIPOC students can find interesting and exciting jobs in wine.”

The scholarship is available to any BIPOC student in Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences who expresses an interest in a career in the wine industry, with students majoring in wine and viticulture receiving preference.

JUSTIN AND J. LOHR CENTER FOR WINE AND VITICULTURE

The new center, scheduled to be completed by spring 2021, will include a 5,000-case bonded teaching, research and production winery with a fermentation hall, bottling room, barrel rooms and a research lab. The facility also includes a conference hall with labs for viticulture, enology and sensory analysis, as well as faculty offices and a large conference hall where industry and academia can come together.

“Diversity in our industry is important for our growth and our health because it's showing that the wine world isn't just a certain type of people, the wine road is for everyone,” Trabue said.

Mitchelson, chief operating officer of Natural Action Wine Co., said the scholarship benefits the wine industry as a whole.

“This scholarship program is particularly important because the impact is direct and the outcome offers sustainability to both building equity and diversifying the wine industry in our immediate area,” she said.

Both Trabue and Mitchelson agree that the path forward will pave the way not only for future generations of students pursuing an education in wine and viticulture, but for the success of the industry as a whole.

“We intend to create lasting change for the next generation. We want there to be Black, Indigenous and people of color who feel seen and heard and can look up and see someone who looks like them. That's what I think is most important: being able to see yourself within the industry that you're working in. I feel like we're finally starting to see that.”

If you have questions about how you can support this scholarship fund through the California Community Foundation, contact Allyson Dela Cruz at adelac20@calpoly.edu. *The California Community Foundation is not affiliated with Cal Poly.

About the WIne and Viticulture department

V I T I C U LT U R E

QUALITY GRAPE GROWING

E N O LO G Y

THE SCIENCE OF WINEMAKING

WINE BUSINESS

W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T, W I N E M A R K E T I N G , D I ST R I B U T I O N AND SALES

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acres of on-campus vineyards enable hands-on, real-world learning while promoting environmentally and economically sustainable vineyard practices.

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undergraduate students enrolled in the program.

60

students graduate each year, ready to make an immediate impact on the industry.

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THEN & NOW

ROOTED IN OUR HISTORY A BRIEF FIRE HISTORY OF SWANTON PACIFIC RANCH Swanton Pacific Ranch during the Lockheed Fire of 2009 where 1,000 acres of the ranch burned. Photo courtesy of Drew Perkins.

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BY LAURA SORVETTI AND RUSS WHITE | UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Fire has played an important role in shaping the ecological landscape of Swanton Pacific Ranch. For thousands of years, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band used fire to manage the grasslands and chaparral of the area. When Spanish colonizers arrived in the 1790s, they entered a landscape adapted to frequent fire, but failed to recognize the importance of burning in maintaining a healthy environment. Instead they imposed agricultural and grazing land uses and restricted the use of fire. Mexican ranchos continued grazing practices after the secularization of the missions in 1834. After statehood, both land ownership and land use changed to include grazing, timber harvesting, agriculture, industrial uses and damming for hydroelectric power. Fire continued to play a role in shaping the landscape, as records indicate that loggers and homesteaders used fire as a tool for clearing land for agriculture and easing extraction of timber. However, as more land was settled, wildfire was increasingly viewed as a threat to industry and property. 

Only a few major fires were recorded in the area of Swanton Pacific Ranch in the 20th century. In 1904, a fire burned through the area, destroying a flume that was part of the waterworks of the hydroelectric dam on Big Creek. Anecdotally, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire may have had an impact by generating demand for fire-resistant redwood as a building material. Regardless, the redwoods were clear-cut between 1909 and 1921. In 1948, the Pine Mountain Fire burned approximately 16,000 acres.  Not until the 2009 Lockheed Fire, 61 years later, did the area experience another major fire. More than 7,700 acres were burned, including more than 1,000 acres of Swanton Pacific Ranch. The Lockheed Fire presented an opportunity for students to study the effects of fire on the landscape and would prove to provide important practical lessons for responding to the CZU Lightning Complex Fire.

SEEKING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

NEWS & NOTES

COLLEGE, GILEAD SCIENCES TEAM UP TO TACKLE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

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The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the corporate operations team at Gilead Sciences have established a three-year partnership that will focus on educating and training the next generation of diverse, interdisciplinary leaders in sustainability science and solutions.

The Gilead Sciences Sustainability Partnership is part of the company’s corporate operations strategy to address sustainability challenges and opportunities within the company. One reason Joydeep Ganguly, Gilead’s senior vice president of Corporate Operations, was excited to partner with Cal Poly was because of its Learn by Doing approach to problem-solving.

“We were looking for institutions that could provide the academic perspective and practical, applied solutions,” Ganguly said. “Cal Poly is unique in California for its hands-on approach to learning and the professional training they offer their students.”

During the next three years, Cal Poly faculty and students will collaborate with Gilead leaders to address some of the sustainability challenges and opportunities facing the company, including minimizing their effect on climate change and lowering their consumption of natural resources.

The partnership seeks to identify, support and recruit students with a demonstrated interest in sustainability sciences and create opportunities for Gilead leaders to engage with Cal Poly as advisors, project hosts, internship supervisors and mentors.

Made possible through a charitable gift from Gilead Sciences, the partnership supports scholarships, internships, undergraduate research and an executive-in-residence program that will bring Gilead leadership to campus for weeklong visits — once coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted — allowing students and faculty to interact and collaborate with industry leaders.

“For Cal Poly and Gilead Sciences, sustainability is at the core of how we engage people, partners and society,” said college Dean Andy Thulin. “Through this exciting new partnership, we hope to find solutions with both local and global impact.”

CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU

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FEATURE

DONORS SUPPORTED THESE THREE CRITICAL AREAS OF NEED*: *Representative examples

11.2%

JULY 1, 2012-JUNE 30, 2020 Cal Poly successfully completed its comprehensive philanthropic campaign in June. The Power of Doing: The Campaign for Learn by Doing raised more than $832 million for the university, the largest fundraising initiative in university and CSU history. The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) led with the most money raised among Cal Poly’s six colleges, thanks to the college’s generous donors.

We are grateful for your support of our students and faculty.

Scholarships Earn by Doing Learn by Doing

34.9%

TOTAL RAISED BY CAL POLY: $832,906,244

$194,906,244

TOTAL RAISED BY CAFES SUPPORTERS

11,817 DONORS

Empowering Innovation Student and faculty research Strawberry Center

4,614 Alumni

Faculty endowed chairs

GAVE TO CAFES

53.9% Empowering

CAFES CAMPAIGN GOAL: $172 MILLION CAFES CAMPAIGN PERCENTAGE: 113% FOUNDATIONS 0.6%

EMPOWERING STUDENTS

Excellence

FACULTY/STAFF 1.0% OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 2.1%

JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture Oppenheimer Family Equine Center Boswell Ag Tech Center

CORPORATIONS 16.9%

ALUMNI 39.0% FRIENDS 18.7%

FAMILY OF STUDENTS 21.7%

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FALL 2020

CONTACT To learn more about how you can impact student success, please contact cafes@calpoly.edu.

STUDENT SUCCESS

DEFINITION OF SUCCESS

• DEGREE OR MEASURE OF SUCCEEDING. • SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF SOMETHING. • THE GAINING OF WEALTH, RESPECT OR FAME. • A PERSON OR THING THAT SUCCEEDS.

A team of four animal science students took first place at the 2020 Western Section American Society of Animal Science Academic Quadrathlon for the second consecutive year.

The competition was held virtually in mid-Ju ly.

The team consisted of Nick Eiguren, Megan Groverman, Liv Rubio and Aubrey DeHart, all of whom graduated in spring 2020. The team placed first in every portion of the contest, including the written exam, quiz bowl, lab practical and oral presentation. The team advanced to place third at the national level.

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Agricultural communication sophomore Genevieve Regli and Hayley Fernandes, a junior majoring in dairy science, won the Dairy’s Future Leaders contest, part of the California Dairy Sustainability Summit, a program that brings together dairy farmers, state officials, researchers and other key stakeholders to help advance the economic and environmental sustainability of the state’s family dairy farms. It is hosted by Dairy Cares, the California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Council of California and the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. The contest asked students to share what sustainability means to them and how they envision their futures as leaders in the dairy community. Regli earned first place and Fernandes earned second place; both received a scholarship.

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The Cal Poly Chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) was awarded second place for the 2020 SAF Outstanding Student Chapter Award by the national office of the Society of American Foresters in October. The Cal Poly student chapter functions as a professional organization that strives to provide the latest forestry information and contacts for those students interested in forestry or forestry-related careers. The club’s past activities have included doing presentations for prospective students at Fall Preview and Cal Poly’s Open House, as well as hosting a table at Farm City Nights in downtown San Luis Obispo to interact with the public.

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CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU

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PHOTO ESSAY

WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM The Cal Poly Creamery launched a Friday drive-thru ice cream sale outside the Dairy Science Complex on campus in September, providing customers a sweet treat to welcome the weekend.

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FALL 2020

SUPPORT

EARN BY DOING IN T ER N SHIP P R OGRAM

The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) Earn by Doing Internship Program is an opportunity for students to gain paid work experience at one or more of the college’s on-campus food and agricultural production units and departments. Student positions in the Earn by Doing Internship Program provide essential services to the college, ensuring that daily maintenance and operations of food and agricultural lands and facilities are well managed.

The program allows students to work part time, up to 20 hours per week, gaining technical skills in positions directly related to their chosen careers. Students have historically been paid, but only when budgets permit, and many units are currently understaffed.

$800K

annual cost to fund essential student internships across the college

EXAMPLES OF STUDENT INTERNSHIPS • IRRIGATION ASSISTANT, Crops Unit • STUDENT MECHANIC, Ag Operations • PRODUCTION ASSISTANT, Food Pilot Plant • STUDENT HERDSPERSON, Beef Unit • MILKING SUPERVISOR, Dairy Unit

CONTACT US

• VITICULTURE INTERN, Vineyard

RUS S KABAKER

TIM NORTHROP

Assistant Dean of Advancement and External Relations 805-756-6601 rkabaker@calpoly.edu

Senior Director of Development 805-756-2166 tnorthro@calpoly.edu CAFES.CALPOLY.EDU

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