The applicable model code.

Cheese.php

<?php
App::uses('AppModel', 'Model');

/**
 * Cheese Model
 *
 * @property CheeseProducer $CheeseProducer
 * @property NutritionFact $NutritionFact
 * @property Attachment $Attachment
 * @property MilkSource $MilkSource
 */

class Cheese extends AppModel {
/**
 * Display field
 *
 * @var string
 */
	public $displayField = 'name';

	public $actsAs = array(
		'Containable','ExtendAssociations2','Search.Searchable'
	);

	//public $findMethods = array('active' => true,'inactive' => true);
	
	public $searchConditions = array();

/**
 * Validation rules
 *
 * @var array
 */
	public $validate = array(
		'name' => array(
			'notempty' => array(
				'rule' => array('notempty'),
				'message' => 'You must enter the cheese\'s name.',
				'allowEmpty' => false,
				'required' => true,
				//'last' => false, // Stop validation after this rule
				'on' => 'create' // Limit validation to 'create' or 'update' operations
			)
		),
		'rind_id' => array(
			'notempty' => array(
				'rule' => array('notempty'),
				'message' => 'You must add the rind type.',
				'allowEmpty' => true,
				//'required' => false,
				//'last' => false, // Stop validation after this rule
				//'on' => 'create' // Limit validation to 'create' or 'update' operations
			)
		),
		'age_classification' => array(
			'notempty' => array(
				'rule' => array('notempty'),
				'message' => 'You must add the cheese\'s maturity state.',
				'allowEmpty' => false,
				'required' => true,
				//'last' => false, // Stop validation after this rule
				'on' => 'create' // Limit validation to 'create' or 'update' operations
			)
		),
		'texture_id' => array(
			'notempty' => array(
				'rule' => array('notempty'),
				'message' => 'You must select the cheese texture.',
				'allowEmpty' => true,
				//'required' => false,
				//'allowEmpty' => false,
				//'required' => false,
				//'last' => false, // Stop validation after this rule
				//'on' => 'create' // Limit validation to 'create' or 'update' operations
			)
		)
	);

	//The Associations below have been created with all possible keys, those that are not needed can be removed

/**
 * belongsTo associations
 *
 * @var array
 */
	public $belongsTo = array(
		...
	);

/**
 * hasMany associations
 *
 * @var array
 */
	public $hasMany = array(
		...
	);

/**
 * hasAndBelongsToMany associations
 *
 * @var array
 */
	public $hasAndBelongsToMany = array(
		...
	);

/** 
* SEARCH FILTER ARGS 
* https://github.com/dereuromark/search
*/
	public $filterArgs = array(
		'search' => array(
			'name' => 'query',
			'type' => 'query',
			'encode' => false, 
			'method' => 'orConditions'
		),
		'searchProducer' => array(
			'name' => 'query',
			'type' => 'query',
			'encode' => false, 
			'method' => 'searchProducer',
		),
		'searchOverview' => array(
			'name' => 'query',
			'type' => 'query',
			'encode' => false, 
			'method' => 'searchOverview'
		),
	);

/**
 * orConditions method
 * @param array $data
 * @param bool $activeOnly Whether or not to search active records only
 * @return array The search conditions
 */
	public function orConditions($data = array(), $activeOnly = false) {
		if(!empty($data['query'])){
			$filter = $data['query'];
		}else if(!empty($data[0])){
			$filter = $data[0];
		}
		
		$filterWNoApostrophe = preg_replace("/'/",'',$data['query']);
		$filterWNoS = preg_replace("/s+$/",'',$data['query']);
		$filterWNoApostropheS = preg_replace("/'s+$/",'',$data['query']);
		$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.id' => $filter);
		$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.name LIKE' => '%'.$filter . '%');
		$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.bacteria_other LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.fungi_other LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.rind_type_other LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.shape LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		//$cond['OR'][] = array('CheeseProducer.name LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		//$cond['OR'][] = array('Material.name LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		//$cond['OR'][] = array('Color.name LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');
		//$cond['OR'][] = array('Color.hex LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%');

		if($activeOnly === true) {
			$cond['AND'][] = array(
				$this->alias . '.active' => 1
			);
		}
		
		if($filter != $filterWNoApostrophe){
			$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.name LIKE' => '%' . $filterWNoApostrophe . '%');
		}
		if($filter != $filterWNoApostropheS){
			$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.name LIKE' => '%' . $filterWNoApostropheS . '%');
		}
		if($filter != $filterWNoS){
			$cond['OR'][] = array($this->alias . '.name LIKE' => '%' . $filterWNoS . '%');
		}
		$this->searchConditions = Set::merge($this->searchConditions, $cond);
		return $this->searchConditions;
	}

/**
 * searchOverview method
 * @param array $data
 */
	public function searchOverview($data = array()) {
		if(strlen($data['query']) > 10){
			$filter = $data['query'];

			$cond = array();	
			$cond['OR'] = array();
			$cond['OR'][strval($this->alias . '.info_overview LIKE')] = '%' . $filter . '%';
			$this->searchConditions = Set::merge($this->searchConditions, $cond);
			/*$cond['OR'][count($this->searchConditions['OR'])] = array(
				$this->alias . '.info_overview LIKE' => '%' . $filter . '%'
			);*/
			$this->searchConditions = Set::merge($this->searchConditions, $cond);
			return $this->searchConditions;
		}
	}

/**
 * searchProducer method
 * @param array $data
 */
	public function searchProducer($data = array()) {
		if(!empty($data['query'])){
			$filter = $data['query'];
			$items = $this->CheeseProducer->find('list', array(
				'conditions' => array(
					'CheeseProducer.name LIKE'  => $filter.'%'
				),
				'fields' => array('id')
			));
			if(!empty($items)){
				$cond['OR'][count($this->searchConditions['OR'])] = array(
					'Cheese.cheese_producer_id' => $items
				);
				$this->searchConditions = Set::merge($this->searchConditions, $cond);
				return $this->searchConditions;
			}
		}
	}

	...