by Cynthia Briano, Sept. 2012

1. Allan Cunningham on Social Sustainability
and a Field Trip to the Farm
Cynthia Briano, 9/2012

3. The Farmers
 Allan Cunningham
 owner
 head of farm since 1995

4. The Farmer: Volunteers
 1. Susan Peltola
 volunteering for 20 years
 friend, right hand
 coordinates volunteers and field trips
 shares housing
 previous careers in dentistry
 real estate to generate income
 friend, right hand

5. The Farmers: Volunteers
 2. Chris Peltola
 volunteering for 14 years, since age 6
 Susan’s son
 20 years old

6. The Farmers: Volunteers
 Casamere
 Voluneering for 20 years
 neighbor

7. The Farmers: Volunteers
 Other Volunteers
 daily, seasonal, one time, periodic, etc.
 scheduled, not drop-in
 Boys and Girls Clubs
 LAUSD used to, but cut funding
 now only privileged schools
 Pepperdine
 Long Beach College
 schools in West L.A. and Topanga
 Crossroads
 Steiner

8. The Farmers: Volunteers
 Other Volunteers: (my kids, gr. 2-8)

9. The Farm: History
 Established 1955
 family-owned property (Allan’s parents)

10. The Farm: Certification
 1. Certified Organic
 no chemicals, no pesticides, no chemical
fertilizers in the last 10 yrs.
 only mulch and compost
(manure from neighboring farm)

11. The Farm: Certification
Certified Organic
Alternative Methods to Pesticides:
Rototilling plant more!
 inhibits comfortable  gofers eat some, but not all
environment for insects vegetables

12. The Farm: Certification
Certified Organic
Alternative Methods to Pesticides:
 alternative food for  thistle:
 thorny plant
birds
 around pumpkins
 sorghum
 keeps larger animals
 looks like corn
 wild parrots eat it instead away
of other crops

13. The Farm: Certification
Certified Naturally Grown
 farmer-based certification program
 only for small farms that grow and sell produce locally
 open walk-about inspections
 “...each farm is the basis of authenticity and
verification for the public.” –Allan
 public-verifiable

14. The Farm: Physical Parameters
 Location:
 Malibu, off of Pacific Coast Highway
 Zuma Mesa and Bonsall Canyon
 Size:
 6 acre farm

15. The Farm: Physical Parameters
 Soil:
 adobe clay
 rich in nitrogen
 manure; aged 4 months

16. The Farm: Sustainability
 H20 well
 electric pump
 300 ft deep
 H20 from Bonsall Canyon
 watershed at the precipice of Canyon
 runs a riparian course
 riparian: situated on the bank of a river
 has never run dry
 1000s of years of silt-rich soil
 need solar power source to be off the grid

17. The Farm: Wildlife
 Some Animals that Visit the Farm:
 Cranes
 Crows
 Racoons
 paragrin hawks
 Deer
 Snakes
 Rabbits
 Gofers
 ferrets
 wild parrots

18. Engaging the Community:
Programs
 organic farming classes
 8 week program
 funded by city of Malibu
 Wed. and Sat.
 crops planted by students in class
 farm to school outreach
 internships
 instructive volunteer programs
 inner city field trips
 Summer Solstice Festival and Show
 stage: used to hold plays and musicals
 none in last 3 yrs.

19. Engaging the Community:
Field Trips
 25 kids, 6 adults,
 $10 per child
 tour and education
 help harvest tomatoes, peppers, wild greens
(purslane), pumpkins, figs
 lunch at farm; ate food they harvested
 kids purchased organic produce at farm stand
 picture for Malibu newspaper