Loren Poncia, left, with daughters Julianna and Avery and wife Lisa, raise cattle on their ranch near Tomales.
Stemple Creek Ranch Marin County
Once the cattle eat the nourishing grasses on one pasture and return the rich carbon to the soil, they are moved to another pasture to begin the process again. And that brings us to another hat Poncia has added in recent years: that of carbon farmer. Because of the family’s innovative agricultural practices, Stemple Creek Ranch was invited in 2013 to be one of the three demonstration farms with the Marin Carbon Project, a decade-long study of carbon-positive practices. As a way to show off their passion for the land, the Poncias regularly invite guests to stay at their ranch near Tomales. “To me, this (ranch) represents so much,” Lisa Poncia said. “It’s the love of our business and the love of our family. Being able to share it with others means I am swelled with pride.”
‘A constant dance with Mother Nature’ Loren Poncia wears many hats, including that of soil farmer and cattle rancher. “I love seeing the biodiversity on the farm and having high-quality soil. I also love seeing healthy animals,” said Poncia, who owns Stemple Creek Ranch with his wife, Lisa. “With everything we do, it’s a constant dance with Mother Nature. We’re trying to dance with her, and not step on her toes.” The family has operated for nearly 120 years on the same land where Poncia’s great-grandfather started a dairy after emigrating from Italy. Although the family’s agricultural heritage might be rooted in history, it’s their modern outlook that has gained attention. The Poncias focus on working from the ground up, and to that effect, they practice pulse or rotational grazing.
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January/February 2021
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