The Practice of Sustainable Agriculture: Fall

Fall 2011 quarter

Faculty

Stephen Bramwell

Fields of Study

agriculture, botany, ecology, environmental studies and sustainability studies

Preparatory for studies or careers in

agriculture, farm and garden management, and applied horticulture.

Description

The schedule for The Practice of Sustainable Agriculture has been shifted to the agricultural calendar. This is the third quarter of a three-quarter sequence that started in last spring quarter. This program integrates theoretical and practical aspects of small-scale organic farming in the Pacific Northwest and requires serious commitment from students—we start at 8 AM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and all students will work on the farm, which may include early mornings before class. Each week of the program there will be eight hours of classroom instruction and twenty hours of practicum work at Evergreen's Organic Farm.

The program's academic classroom portion will cover a variety of topics related to practical farm management, including annual and perennial plant propagation, entomology and pest management, plant pathology and disease management, weed biology and management, soil quality and soil management, crop botany, animal husbandry/physiology, polycultures, integration of crops and livestock, orchard management, appropriate technology, weather forecasting, and climatology. As part of their training, students will be required to develop and write farm management and business plans. On a weekly basis, students can expect to complete seminar readings and reflective writings, work through assigned textbooks, and write technical reports to demonstrate an integration of theoretical concepts and practice gained through the farm practicum.

The academic practicum on Evergreen's organic farm will include hands-on instruction on a range of farm-related topics including greenhouse management and season extension techniques, farm-scale composting and vermiculture, seed saving, irrigation systems, mushroom cultivation, farm recordkeeping, tool use and care, farm equipment operation and maintenance, and techniques for adding value to farm and garden products. Students will also have the opportunity to explore their personal interests related to agriculture, homesteading, and developing communal farms/ecovillages through research projects. Each quarter we will visit farms that represent the ecological, social and economic diversity of agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. Students will also attend and participate in key sustainable and organic farming conferences within the region.

After completing this program, students will have an understanding of a holistic approach to managing a small-scale sustainable farm operation in the Pacific Northwest.

Location

Olympia

Online Learning

Enhanced Online Learning

Books

Greener Store

Required Fees

Spring/Summer/Fall $150 per quarter for overnight field trips, conference costs and farm supplies.

May be offered again in

Spring 2011-12.

Offered During

Day