30 FLOURISH • FALL/WINTER 2014
management practices to insure the land's
productivity for both present and future
generations. Though the term "sustain-
ability" has become an overused buzzword
in the industry, Poncia's approach to stew-
ardship surpasses the litmus test. In fact,
Stemple Creek Ranch is currently one of
three West Marin farms participating in a
decade-long experiment sponsored by The
Marin Carbon Project. This cutting-edge
program aims to harness atmospheric car-
bon produced by global climate change,
and use it to improve soil content on farms.
If successful, these efforts will increase
the capacity and long term productivity
of agriculture systems worldwide. Vision-
ary thinking like this earned Poncia the
title of Outstanding North Bay Rancher of
the Year in 2013 (awarded by the Sonoma
County Fair Board).
Grabbing pliers, he strikes out on foot
along the fence line. I tag along, stop-
ping to marvel at the breathtaking view.
As evening approaches, the sun casts a
brilliant orange glow behind the hillside,
silhouetting his grazing cattle. It's easy to
see why the Poncias love this land. Their
passion for ranching traces back four gen-
erations to great-grandfather Angelo "Pa
Nono" Poncia; a native Italian who traveled
by steamer ship to New York in 1897 and
made his way cross country to California
before settling in the remote West Marin
outpost of Fallon.
In those early times, West Marin's wide
open coastal ranges were attractive to im-
migrant dairy-men in search of fresh starts
and opportunity in a new country. Angelo
found work as a dairy hand, but eventually
saved enough money to buy the acreage
that is now the home ranch. "I have great
admiration for what he did," says Loren. "I
consider it an honor and a privilege to con-
tinue what Angelo started." Over 100 years
later, he and his wife Lisa are redefining
the business and making it profitable for
the next generation.
Loren Poncia met Lisa Colman when
they were college co-eds at Cal Poly San
Luis Obispo. She was a "city girl" from a
small suburban town in the San Fernando
Valley; he grew up working the family
dairy near Tomales. She recalls being in-
stantly smitten with his fun-loving nature,
drive, and energy. He fell for her confi-
dence, smile, and personality. From the
start the pair shared a "work hard, play
hard" ethic that bonded them together.
They married and settled in Sacramen-
to where she worked as an associate at a
large, established law firm and he thrived
as a sales rep for a veterinary pharmaceu-
tical company. But the pull to be closer
Loren and Lisa overlooking the ranch.
