Chrissy Williams
The Pierce College family farm is being remodeled.
Pierce has been called “Moo-U” and “Cow Tech” throughout the years because of the cows and other animals that were unique to this Southern California campus. To be sure, in addition to cows there are also horses, pigs, chickens, llamas and even an alpaca (a smaller, close relative to the llama) named “Wade,” in the farm area.
In the two projects currently in progress on the farm area, these animals will receive new homes and animal science and equine students will receive new facilities in which to work, study and practice.
Swinerton Management and Consulting manages all of the current construction projects occurring at Pierce. They began work on the Equestrian Education Center – 1B (EEC – 1B) and Animal Sciences projects July 28, said Isabella Golovaty, senior project manager. The projects’ combined budget is $2,788,999.
Equestrian Construction
The EEC – 1B entails the construction of two new equestrian arenas: one for training and teaching and another for roping. The roping arena could be used for many different types of events in the future.
“If we get bleachers in, we could even have rodeos here, barrel racing and team penning events,” said farm manager Bill Landers, adding that bleachers are not in the budget and that the equine department might rely on donations for them.
EEC – 1B will add two new covered shelters to the already existing one, giving horses three large open paddocks as homes, instead of single stalls. Landers said the horses would get more exercise this way.
In addition, under EEC – 1B, Swinerton will build a restroom and parking lot in the area. These procedures include the installation of water, electricity, drainage, plumbing, sewer and storm drains, which will route drained water to the Pierce pond northeast of the Equestrian Center.
Classes that require use of the facilities are allowed limited access to the area, with accompaniment from an instructor. Horses are in stalls in the Equestrian Center until their new paddocks are complete.
Animals receive new homes
Some of the structures in the farm and agriculture areas have been standing since the ’50s. Paul Nieman, director of plant facilities for Pierce, said some of the animals’ current homes were even “dilapidated.” Under the Animal Sciences Project, which has the same contract as EEC – 1B, Swinerton will build five buildings to serve as new homes for the animals.
Structure “A” will be new pig pens, as well as enclosures for the llamas and Wade, the alpaca. Structures “B, C and D” are all cow related, constructing new heifer, cow isolation and cattle crowd pens, respectively. A new cattle guard will also be installed to keep the cows safe and keep them out of any trouble. Cows can be a little mischievous at times so these new tools will keep them out of harm’s way. Structure “E” will be a new poultry unit, making room for 500 free-range chickens, compared to the 30 currently awaiting their new homes in the red brooder house off the farm road.
Once the new poultry center is open, eggs will be sold for $3 a dozen at the Pierce Farmers Market, said Dr. Leland Shapiro, director of the Pre-Veterinary Program at Pierce. The eggs are currently sold in the agriculture department office for the same price.
The Animal Sciences Project will also widen Pepper Tree Lane (south of El Rancho Drive) and add new fencing, walkways and gates to the animal sciences area. A bathroom is also being erected (building “F”) which also includes the installation of underground utilities like water, electricity and a sewage system.
Upon completion, the new structures can be found “behind the feed mill, up Pepper Tree Lane,” said Nieman.
Finished by February (if weather permits)
Golovaty said both projects are scheduled for completion “by the middle to the end of February.”
Landers said a lot depends on the weather.
“If it rains it will hold [the projects] up,” he said. “That’s why we’re doing most of the dirt work now, before it rains.”
He was very optimistic about the current projects, however.
“It puts Pierce on the map in the equine world and, in turn, draws more students into the program,” he said.
He mentioned how the overbooked L.A. Equestrian Center in Burbank has people calling and writing to Pierce requesting to have events here when the construction is complete.
“There’s lots of excitement and buzz in the equine community about this,” he said.
The animals at the Pierce College farm, including goats, llamas, chickens and horses, will have newer housing constructed as part of an overarching project that should be complete in February. ()