We welcome you to embark on our educational trail to learn about irrigation, tractors, cows, and more.
Welcome
Welcome to Mt. San Antonio College! At this fine educational institution we have the wonderful opportunity to influence and educate anyone who may be interested in seeing just how essential agriculture is. We welcome you to embark on our educational and beautifully magnificent Agricultural Literacy Trail. On this Agricultural Literacy Trail, you will be able to delve into the many facets agriculture has to offer. You can learn about anything from irrigation, to tractors, to cows and much more. No other place in the Western United States will be able to provide you this unique experience. Please feel welcome to tour different areas of our farm at your convenience.
Agriculture is the world’s largest economic sector. On a worldwide basis, more people are involved in agriculture than in all the other occupations combined. Agricultural Education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resource systems.
Agricultural literacy includes an understanding of agriculture’s history and current economic, social and environmental significance to all Americans. This understanding includes some knowledge of food and fiber production, processing and domestic and international marketing.
We hope that you enjoy your journey!
Agricultural Sciences
Bamboos
Ralph Evans of Bamboo Headquarters in Vista, California donated over 50 species of Bamboos, native to the Americas, Asia, South America and South Africa.
Bamboos are classified into running and clumping.
Running Bamboos can be invasive because they spread by an underground rhizome system (Leptomorph).
Non-invasive species called clumping (Pachymorph) do not run and form dense clumps.
Bamboos vary considerably in height from 1 ft. to 60 ft. in California. They have irregular flowering cycles, often with long intervals of between 10-120 years depending on the species.
The garden offers the opportunity to observe bamboos from around the world and walk through the display which offers the visitor the experience of the special environment they create.
Backyard Orchard Culture
Families have less space for fruit trees, less time to take care of them, and less time to preserve and process large crops than in the past.
Accordingly, today's family orchards should be planned and managed differently.
The objective of Backyard Orchard Culture is the prolonged harvest of tree-ripe fruit from a small space.
This means planting close together several or many fruit varieties which ripen at different times and keeping the tree small by summer pruning.
Backyard Orchard Culture is NOT Commercial Orchard Culture.
Horticulture Demonstration Garden
As you visit this area today we hope that you will be inspired, get ideas, and see our successes and failures of plants being trailed.
The Inland Valleys of Southern California present some very unique and difficult to overcome challenges. This display is undergoing constant evaluation and will undergo changes continually.
The Garden is divided into the following displays:
- Urban Tree and Shade
- Residential Fruit Tree Orchard
- Turf Substitute Demonstration Area
- Landscape Water Conservation In Turf
- Cactus and Succulents
- Bamboos
- Vineyard and Small Fruit Display
Succulents and Cactus
Welcome to the diverse world of Succulents! No other plant offers such a variety of texture, shape or size. All succulents will flower after they reach maturity.
Succulents are unique in that they store water in leaves, stems and roots to survive drought conditions. This characteristic distinguishes succulents from other plants and makes them a good choice for water efficient gardens.
Did you know that a cactus is a succulent with spines? Cacti are the most commonly known succulents originating in the New World.
Cacti have many uses. They offer shelter, food and water to insects, birds, animals and humans – as well as to other plants. Some cacti also have medicinal properties and are used in cancer and diabetes medications.
Cacti are also used as building material. Their woody skeletons are used to make furniture and fences; and living cacti are cultivated to form hedges and corrals.
Farm and Landscape Equipment
The Mt. SAC Equipment Technology Center is where current Farm and Landscape equipment is on display. This display is inclusive of all our active programs that need the use of power equipment.
In addition to equipment currently used in the farming and landscaping, you will also find a vintage equipment display. Here you will find equipment that depicts our heritage farm and landscape tractors, implements and processing equipment. The Walnut Valley from beginning to present!
Farm equipment...year of introduction
- 1793- cotton gin invented1797- cast-iron plow
- 1819- plow with interchangeable parts
- 1825- canning industry established1834- McCormick reaper patented
- 1837- steel plow
- 1837- threshing machine patented
- 1841- grain-drill patented
- 1842- grain elevator
- 1844- mowing machine patented
- 1849- mixed chemical fertilizers available
- 1854- self-regulating windmill
- 1856- horse-drawn cultivator patented
- 1865- gang plows began use
- 1868- steam tractors tested
- 1869- spring-tooth harrow
- 1870- silos
- 1870- deep well-drilling
- 1874- barbed wire
- 1884- horse drawn combine
- 1890- cream separator
- 1910- gasoline tractor
- 1926- cotton stripper
- 1930- rubber-tired tractor
- 1930- two-row equipment
- 1942- spindle cotton-picker
- 1945- four-row equipment, 2 row cotton pickers
- 1954- the first year more tractors were used on farms than horses and mules
Cycads
Cycads are pre-historic plants that date back over 200 million years to the Jurassic Period which was known as the Age of Dinosaurs. Cycads genera are found native to all the major continents in the world.
Cycads are tough and durable and prized for their ornamental value because the variety of size, form, texture and color. There are about 289 species in 11 genera but no more than 8-10 species of 5 genera are commonly used in the landscape. Most are grown in California and Florida and the popularity of cycads has grown at a remarkable rate. Cycads in the wild state have become endangered and strong protocol is being put in place to protect them.
Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum)
For years people have been reluctant to use Japanese Maples in the landscape in Southern California. We have let our neighbors in the Northwest enjoy the intense beauty of these elegant trees. Our display with certain cultural modifications shows over 30 varieties that can be grown in Southern California. Notice and observe the tremendous variety in leaf color, shapes and the artistic structure of the plant. In Southern California maples are best to be seen from a long distance in the autumn and at close quarters in the spring. In the spring the maples burst with new growth with an outstanding range of eye-popping colors. In the fall we have outstanding autumn color, if we can survive the hot summer and the burnt edges of leaves.
Urban Sprawl
As our population and our cities grow, developed areas reach closer and closer to Agricultural areas. This phenomenon is known as urban sprawl, and it results in inevitable conflicts between the residents and users of the land. From this spot, you will see both agricultural areas and homes, a perfect example of the interface between suburbs and agriculture.
Rising land prices and expanding suburbs are putting pressure on farmers and landowners to sell their land. Often the sale price for the land is larger than several years of income for the farmer, which makes selling the land a very attractive idea. In California, there are two programs that help farmers in increasingly urban areas keep their land in production. These programs are known as “agricultural easements” and the “Williamson Act.” Both programs help farmers by taking away some of the development pressure and reducing the benefit of selling the land to developers.
Another conflict occurs when homeowners purchase property near agricultural areas, but they are unwilling to abide the by-products of agriculture, such as odors, dust, noise, and chemical use.
As urban sprawl continues, agriculture is being pushed from areas that are ideal for the production of certain crops, to areas where the conditions are less than ideal. This requires more input of water, chemicals, fertilizers, and labor to produce the same quality and quantity of products, making agriculture less sustainable.
Container Gardening
Our urban world is changing; spaces for gardens are becoming smaller and more intense. Container gardening is ideally suited to today’s lifestyles.
Container Gardening provides the excitement, versatility and variety of in the ground gardening to those with limited space, time and resources. This area depicts and demonstrates different design concepts for container gardens, plants suitable for containers, seasonal change-outs, utilization of different plants in the same container, the variety and types of containers, soil mixes, espalier techniques and proper cultural practices. Different vignettes are used to inspire your creative senses.
Greenhouse and Shade House
A greenhouse is a structure where we can control the environment and cultural requirements of a specific crop(s). Environmental conditions such as day and night temperatures, light intensity, duration of light and humidity.
Cultural requirements include irrigation, soil mixes, fertilizers, pest and disease control, flower initiation and pruning. A manager can recognize and provide the specific needs of a crop to produce a high quality end product.
Shade houses produce options for managing the intensity of light to match the needs of the crop. They also reduce summer temperatures and provide an inversion layer for frost protection in the winter.
Beef Industry
Cattle were among the last of the livestock species to be domesticated. The word cattle was used at one time to mean all domestic species. It is derived from the Latin word capitale, meaning “wealth” or “property.”
The purpose of the Beef Industry is to make use of resources that would otherwise go to waste. The predominant resource for cattle is grass. As a ruminant, beef cattle convert grass that humans cannot use into a high-quality food (beef), and by-products we can use. This roughage conversion is cattle’s chief contribution to human welfare.
Beef cattle production differs from most other kinds of livestock production because structurally it is divided into more phases. The industry can be broken down into seven different segments, which include: seedstock production, cow/calf production, stocker/yearling production, feedlot production, packer, retailer and consumer.
In production a mature male is called a bull and mature female is called a cow. After they mate, the cows become pregnant and have a gestation period of about 9 months (the same as a human). Cows give birth once a year and usually only have one calf, but sometimes twinning can happen. The young females are called heifers and the young males are called bull calves, until they are castrated, they are then called steers.
Cattle are weaned from their mothers at a variety of ages depending on the operation, usually they are weaned around 6 to 8 months of age. At that time they are put into the stocker/yearling phase of production until they have gained the proper amount of weight. Once they have gained weight they can then move into the last stage of production, which would be the feedlot. They remain in this stage of production until they are market ready at which point they weigh anywhere from 1100-1300 pounds.
Interesting Fact: The average cow has more than 40,000 jaw movements per day.
Swine Unit
Swine were among the first of all animals to be domesticated. In the early years they were used largely for their lard making abilities. As time went on and trends changed swine became used purely for their meat product, bacon. Currently, the swine industry has expanded and now, swine is used for all its various meat cuts, also called pork, and many other by-products.
The purpose of the Swine Industry is to use surplus grain production and high-quality by-product feeds to produce pork. There are five primary types of swine operations: farrow-to-finish operations, farrow to wean operations, finishing operations, purebred or seedstock operations, and integrated corporate production.
In production there are mature male swine, called boars and mature female swine, called sows. After they mate, the sows become pregnant and have a gestation period that ranges from 112-113 days. Sows can give birth to a litter of piglets about twice a year; each litter usually contains 8 to 12 piglets. The young females are called gilts and the young males are called boar pigs, until they are castrated, they are then called barrows.
Pigs are weaned from their mothers around 2 to 4 weeks of age. At that time they are moved into a nursery and they are called “nursery pigs”, until they reach about 50 pounds. Once they have gained the proper amount of weight they move into the last stage of production and they become “growing/finishing pigs”. They remain in this stage of production until they are market ready at which point they are called hogs and they weigh anywhere from 240-280 pounds.
Interesting Fact: A pig can run a seven minute mile.
Animal Showcase
Welcome to Mt. San Antonio Colleges beautiful display of mothers in their habitat. This animal showcase illustrates the true bond that mother animals have with their babies. Here we have several pens available to view ewes with their lambs, sows with their piglets, and cows with their calves. Depending on the season you may see one of these mother-to-baby bonds or you may see all three animals showcased here.
Please remember this is a look and no touch zone, because just as any mother would be defensive of their young, our mothers are no exception to this rule. If you want a bit more hands on action please travel a little south of here to visit our most curious of creatures, the goat.
Sheep Unit
Sheep were one of the earliest agriculture animals to be domesticated and they are raised mostly for their meat and their fleece. A sheep’s wool is the most widely used animal fiber, and is usually harvested by shearing. Their meat is called ‘lamb’ when it is from younger animals and it is called ‘mutton’ when it is from older sheep.
Adult female sheep are referred to as ewes, intact males as rams and castrated males as wethers. Younger sheep are called lambs.
There are more breeds of sheep than breeds of any other livestock species.
Worldwide, there are more than one thousand distinct sheep breeds. There are more than 40 breeds in the United States.
Here at Mt. San Antonio College we raise Suffolk/Hampshire crossbred sheep that are sold mainly to 4-H and FFA students to be shown at the fairs. They are also used for weed abatement which in turn aids in fire control on our campus.
Interesting fact: Black-faced sheep are meat breeds and white-faced sheep are wool breeds.
Companion Animal Care Unit
Dogs were domesticated from gray wolves about 15,000 years ago. Dogs perform many roles for people, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship, and more recently, aiding handicapped individuals. This impact on human society has given them the nickname “Man’s Best Friend” .
Through selective breeding by humans, the dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds, and shows more behavioral and morphological variation than any other land mammal. For example, compare the gray wolf with the Chihuahua.
A Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) is an individual that has completed an accredited program in veterinary technology and has passed a state board examination. An RVT plays an important role on the veterinary team by assisting veterinarians in the care and health of animals. Job responsibilities range from technical duties such as nursing care, collection and processing of lab samples, induction and monitoring anesthesia, and radiography, to managerial duties such as ordering and inventory, personnel management, record keeping and client education.
Mt. San Antonio prides itself on its AVMA accredited Registered Veterinary Technology Program where our students learn to care for animals using a hands-on approach.
Sustainable Gardens
Sustainable agriculture is an extremely important aspect of farming, from residential to commercial farming. The goal of sustainable agriculture is to produce high quality products without depleting natural resources.
This demonstration area is designed to give homeowners and gardeners an idea of how to use recycled materials and grow only what is needed for consumption. Also, it demonstrates how to farm efficiently with the available space.
This area demonstrates raised bed methods and row planting as well as organic and inorganic methods of growing for the future. As you enjoy this sustainable garden display, we hope you consider the options available to you to help contribute to the creation of a healthier, more sustainable environment.
Equine Unit
Today’s horses are a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today.
Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 B.C., however, some domesticated populations still live in the wild as feral horses.
Horses’ anatomy enables them to make use of speed to escape predators and they have a well-developed sense of balance and a strong fight-or-flight instinct. Related to this need to flee from predators in the wild is an unusual trait: horses are able to sleep both standing up and lying down.
Female horses, called mares, carry their young for approximately 11 months, and a young horse, called a foal, can stand and run shortly after birth. A male horse with breeding capabilities is called a stallion and a castrated male horse is called a gelding.
Mt. San Antonio College has been breeding quarter horses for almost 50 years. The American Quarter Horse is a breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less. The American Quarter Horse is the most popular breed in the United States today, and the American Quarter Horse Association is the largest breed registry in the world.
The American Quarter Horse is well known both as a race horse and for its performance in rodeos, horse shows, both Western and English, and as a working ranch horse. The compact body of the American Quarter Horse is well-suited to the intricate and speedy maneuvers required in reining, cutting, working cow horse, barrel racing, calf roping, and other western riding events.
Landscape Water Conservation
From its hot, dry deserts to its snowcapped peaks and foggy shores, California is a mosaic of diverse culture, climate, and geography. The state’s varying water needs and resources are both a reflection and a consequence of this diversity. Balancing water supply and demand is a perennial problem in the state.
Californians are no strangers to droughts and water restrictions. Although California faces some of the most challenging water issues in the country, the state is also a national leader in water efficiency and water conservation.
This demonstration displays the most efficient means of water application and control currently available. Sprinklers such as spray type with matched precipitation nozzles and rotors equipped with low precipitation rotating nozzles. You will also see a variety of low volume irrigation methods such as drip and subsurface. These irrigation methods, along with state of the art controllers that operate utilizing evapo-transpiration data that is provided by an onsite weather station and satellites, demonstrate several water saving options available commercially as well as residentially.
Sports Turf Plots
Consider the wide variety of sports played around the world on natural turf surfaces, ranging from croquet and cricket to soccer, football, baseball and everything in between. Males and females of all ages and every nationality can be found playing at every level from casual recreation to professional sports. As the demand for high quality, safe playing surfaces increases, so does the need for educated professional sports turf managers.
In addition to natural turf, many sports are being played on artificial turf. Athletic fields represent 35% to 40% of the overall synthetic turf market. While it may seem that artificial turf will one day replace natural grass, issues such as high temperatures, sanitation and disposal of worn turf call into question its sustainability.
Interesting turfgrass facts:
- As of 2010, in the U.S. alone, it is estimated that there is more than 31 million acres of grass, about 50,000 square miles of it.
- A single grass plant has 387 miles of roots
- A 50-ft. by 50-ft. (2,500 sq. ft.) lawn releases enough oxygen for a family of four.
- A well-maintained lawn and landscape keeps your home cooler on hot days, reducing surface temperatures by 30 to 40 degrees compared with bare soil, and 50 to 70 degrees cooler than streets and driveways.
- The front lawns of eight houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning. That's amazing when the average home has an air conditioner with just a three or four ton capacity.
- A healthy 10,000 sq. ft. lawn can absorb more than 6,000 gallons of rainwater without noticeable runoff.
- Turfgrass acts as a natural filter, reducing pollution by purifying the water passing through its root zone.