What is Sustainable Agriculture? Monday: Overview Safety Brief

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What is Sustainable Agriculture?

Monday:

Overview

Safety Brief

Curriculum Overview

Sustainable Agriculture: An Introduction

What is Sustainable Agriculture?

How Do We Achieve Sustainability?

Overview of Markets

Overview of Soil Structure and Fertility

Overview of Biodiversity on Farms

Overview of Water, Water Quality and Conservation

Overview of Bio-dynamics

Overview of Green Job Marketplace

Break for Lunch

Lab Day 1: Discussion of 6-week cumulative project:

Potential Topics:

Describe how to convert a traditional 2-acre farm into an organic farm.

Design a Portable Hydroponic System that can be used in 3 rd world countries using materials readily available in the military

Outline a set of crops that could be used at a school, hospital, etc to provide all the nutritional needs to make them self-sufficient.

Other topics TBD

Field Trip: Tour of Archi’s Acres Facilities

Tuesday:

Horticultural Crops

Fruits: Video Introduction of The Botany of Desire, by Michael Pollan http://www.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/

Strawberries: Organic Production Methods Varieties

Planting Systems

Greenhouse Production

Vegetables: Organic Tomato Production

Varieties

Planting Systems

Greenhouse Production

Benefits of Organic Production

Specialty Lettuce and Greens: Organic Production Varieties

Planting Systems

Shade House Production

Benefits of Organic Production

Break for Lunch

Lab Day 2:

Lab 1: Soil vs. Hydroponics Seed propagation

Planting in Soil vs. Hydroponics

Lab 2: Overview of Organic Market Farm Documentation Forms –

Daily Requirements

Wednesday:

Herbs and Flowers and Greenhouse Production

Field Trip: BEE Wise or JR Organics -- Successful Organic

Agriculture

CSA Marketplace

Commercial Marketplace

Speaker: Successful Sustainable Farmer w/ CSA (community supported agriculture) BEE Wise Ranch – Bill Bremer or JR

Organics –Joe Rodriguez

Return to AA for Lunch

Lecture: Herb (and Flower) Production

Why Organic? An Overview of US Agriculture

Methods of Herb Production:

Forest Farming

Greenhouse/Hoop-house

Field Production

Raised Bed Production

Hydroponic Production

Success Story: Whole Foods and Archi’s Acres

Thursday:

Why Hydroponics?

Agriculture and National Security

Energy in relation to Agriculture

Green Job Market: Agriculture, Wind and Solar Technology

Overview

Why Hydroponics in California?

Water Efficiency

Energy Efficiency

Profitability of Hydroponics

Environmental Factors in Greenhouse Production

Light

Humidity

Heat/Cold

Nutrients

Lab: Document the Effects of Various Enviromental Factors on Basil

Production in a Controlled Tent Environment. (Lab will be on-going)

Light

Humidity

Heat/Cold

Nutrients

Friday:

Greenhouse Production

Speaker: Successful Greenhouse Distributor

Lecture: Greenhouses and Its Uses

Introduction to Aquaponics

Sustainable Small Scale Greenhouse and Nursery Production

(Summary)

Lunch

Lab: Review and Work of On-going Labs

Discussion of 6 week Project

Environmental Factors

Soil vs Hydroponic Growing

Daily Forms

Soil & Sustainable Agriculture

2

Monday:

Introduction of Soil and Soil Types

Soil Biology

Soil Organisms and Nutrient Cycling

Organic Matter and the Health of Soil

Pasture Plants that Cycle Nutrients

Discussion of How Grazing Livestock Affect Pasture Nutrient Cycles

Supplementing the Nutrient Cycle

Break for Lunch

Lab: Identifying Different Soil Types and Their Uses http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_ document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10931

Tuesday:

Soil Management

Soil Management: National Organic Program Regulations

Soil Moisture Monitoring: Low-Cost Tools and Methods

Sustainable Soil Management

Symphylans: Soil Pest Management Options

Break for Lunch

Lab: Identifying and Classifying Soil Nutrients such as Nitrogen,

Phosphorus and Potassium

Wednesday:

Soil Testing

Soil Quality Assessment: Soil Organic Matter (SOM)

Examples of Soil Quality Indicators:

Physical Properties:

Available Water Capacity

Bulk Density

Soil Crusts

Chemical

PH level

Biological

Eathworms

Respiration

Total Organic Carbon http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/assessment/assessment. html#indicator_sheets

BREAK FOR LUNCH

LAB: Soil Quality Testing

Test Procedures contains step-by-step instructions for running each of the tests included in the Soil Quality Test Kit. It is fully illustrated with pictures

to show the procedures and equipment needed to complete each step.

Appendix D includes instructions for building a test kit.

Background and Interpretive Guide describes the background of the tests and provides guidance on interpreting the results of the tests.

Perform Soil Test, learn how to use Soil Quality Worksheet

Thursday:

Sustainable Agriculture

Voices from New American Farmers

( http://www.sare.org/publications/naf2/voices.htm

)

Urban Farmers: Growing Power http://www.growingpower.org/

Break for Lunch

Lab: Build a Raised Bed

Friday:

Sustainable Agriculture Depending Upon Region

Topics will be dependent upon Class composition

Profiles by Region

Profiles by State

Profiles by Commodity

Profiles by Problem Addressed

Break for Lunch

Speaker: Melissa Amit Shuck, Soil Conservationist USDA Escondido Office

Successful Organic Farmer such as:

Joe Rodriquez JR ORGANICS

Bill Bremmer, BEE WISE RANCH

Continued Work on Labs http://www.sare.org/publications/naf2/index.htm

BioDynamic Farming and Compost Tea

Preparation

Monday:

Introduction to BioDynamics

Traditional Agriculture Paradigm

Industrial Agriculture Paradigm

Organic Agriculture Paradigm

Biodynamic Agriculture Paradigm

BioDynamic Farming Practices

The Bio-dynamic Compost

Phases of Compost

Breakdown Phase

Build up Phase

Compost and Soil Evaluation

Cover Crops and Green Manure

Liquid Manures and Herbal Teas

Break for Lunch

Lab Instruction: How to combine organic nutrients and brew organic compost tea

Tuesday:

Compost Tea Preparation

Herbal Tea Preparation

Components of Compost Tea

Benefits of Compost Tea

Rizosphere Benefits for Microorganisms

Active Components of Compost Tea

Compost Tea as a Natural Fungicide

Compost Tea Production Methods

(http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/compostteashow/compostteaslides/sld009.htm)

Vermicomposting

Worm Production

Raising Worms

Feeds and Bedding

Use of Castings in Compost Teas

Break for Lunch

Lab 1: Brewing Compost Teas Continued

Bacterial Tea

Fungal Tea

Wednesday:

Insect Management

Providing Habitat for Beneficial Organisms

Plantings for beneficial organisms and wildlife (bats)

Windbreaks, Dust Barriers, Pesticide Barriers

Protect these Beneficial Insects

Life Cycle of Lady Bugs

Life Cycle of Lacewings

Life Cycle of Syrphid Flies

Life Cycle of Damsel Bugs

Life Cycle of Spiders

Important Insect Pests

Methods of Controlling Catepillars of Moths and Butterflies

Cultural and Biological Control of Mites http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary. php?pub=148

Break for Lunch

Lab: Growing Bugs

“Design a natural habitat to attract the beneficial bugs you want, using

Native Planting.

Thursday:

Plant Diseases

What causes Plant Diseases?

Fungi

Bacteria

Nematodes

Virus

How to Prevent Plant Diseases

Drainage

Irrigation

Cleanliness

Nutrient Management

Break for Lunch

Lab 1: Use a Loop to Identify Pest Issues

Lab 2: Identify Sites for Reference for Beneficial Crop Care/Insect

Identification/Disease Identification

Friday:

Weed Management and Vertebrate Pest

Management

SPEAKER: Biological Pest Supplier

Question and Answer

Break for Lunch

Lecture: Organic Integrated Vertebrate

Management

Gopher Controls

Benefits of Owls, Owl Nests and Boxes

Squirrel, Dear, Pigs

Rabbit and Hare Controls

Birds

Rats and Mice Control

Discussion of Greenhouse vs Traditional Methods of Agriculture

Review of 6 week Project

Review of Weeks 1 and 2

Discussion of Continuous Labs

Hydroponic Commercial Growing

4

Monday:

What’s the Big Deal about Hydroponics?

Water Management and Water Conservation

Energy Requirements and Savings

Discussion of 4 Major Hydroponic Growing Methods

Ebb and Flow

Drip Irrigation

NFT (Nutrient Flow Technique)

Passive System

Break for Lunch

Lab1: Overview and familiarization of components used to Build a commercial Hydroponic System, as well as a home use system.

Materials to be supplied

Tuesday:

Hydroponic Growing Mediums

Discussion of various mediums and their benefits

Perlite, Rockwool, Clay Pebbles, Volcanic Rock, Coco Husk

The Dynamic Root Floating Hydroponic Technique: Year-Round Production

Automatic Management of Nutrient Systems

Productivity Gains

Capital and Running Costs

Break for Lunch

Lab: Analysis of Water Absorption Rates of Various Growing Mediums

Continuation of Building Your Own Hydroponic System

Wednesday:

Setting up a Hydroponic System

All Day Lab: Students should be prepared to work all day setting up a hydroponic system from start to finish including adding plants and nutrients.

Thursday:

The Business of Hydroponics

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Energy Consumption Analysis

Produce that Works for Hydroponic Production

Field Trip includes Lunch: Organic Food Retailer’s

Whole Foods Market Distribution Center

Jimbo’s Distribution

Co-Op Market

Friday:

Free Day in exchange for Farmer’s Market on

Sunday

Sunday Lab:

Set up, Stock and Work Farmer’s Market

Discussion with Rachel Pena, founder of the Rancho Santa Fe Farmer’s

Market

IRRIGATION / Preparation for Certified

Agricultural Irrigation Specialist (CAIS)

Required Text: Agricultural Sprinklers, by Robert Sneed developed for Irrigation Association - Provided

Suggested and supplemental reading: Principals of Irrigation, Falls

Church , CA : Irrigation Association

Monday:

Introduction to Irrigation

Employment opportunities

Landscape

Commercial Agriculture

Production systems

Drip Irrigation overview

Key Points for Common Types of Irrigation Systems, Surface

Irrigation, Sprinkler Irrigation, Micro Irrigation

Lunch

Starting up your system

Basic System Operation

Scheduling

Water Balance Method

Monitoring Equipment

Run-Time Calculators for Permanent and Row Crops

Lab: Layout and implementation of Irrigation system

Tuesday:

Fertigation and Chemigation

Plant/Soil/ Water Relationships

Soil Analysis and Interpretation

Plant Analysis and Interpretation

Break for Lunch

General Chemical Injection Guidelines

Chemical Injection Equipment

Chemical Injection Formulas

Organic Nutrients vs. Chemical Formulas

Wednesday:

Salinity Management

Emitter Spacing and Bed Shape for leaching salts

Drip Irrigation and leaching

Target Leaching Reduces Waste

Improving Yield

Break for Lunch

Comparing Drip, Sprinkler and Gravity Irrigation Systems

Typical Drip System Layout

Pressure Testing to prevent potential crop damage from a system shutdown

Emission Devices

Thursday:

Questions and Answers Open class forum

Understanding Conversion Factors

The business of Building Irrigation systems, Manufacturing

The business of selling irrigation equipment in retail stores and wholesale to retail stores

Break for Lunch

Test Preparation for CAIS Test

Open book test / Student Workbook: Agriculture Sprinklers by Ronald

Sneed

Friday:

Erin Field (IAEF) Ag Affairs Director

Break for Lunch

Field Trip to Toro Irrigation

Employment Preparation

Monday:

Overview of Public and Private Sector Grants

USDA (Grants & Jobs) what they look for, who they hire and education requirements

Break for Lunch

Lab: Resume writing -- What Color is Your Parachute?

Interview Skills -- Is Your Parachute Working?

Tuesday:

Overview of Industry Partners and Job

Opportunities

Industry Partners:

Toro Irrigation

John Deere Water

Kira Construction

AgroEcology, Inc

Break for Lunch

Lecture on Basic Business Management Techniques:

Budgeting

Accounting for Non-Accountants

Financing Overview

Marketing Overview

Wednesday:

Financing Your Small Farm

Lecture from SCORE – George Kissling and other Counselors

Break for Lunch

Lecture from Mira Costa College Small Business Development

Center – Joe Molina

Thursday:

Test Preparation

Test Preparation for CAIS Test

Break for Lunch

Review of Materials for Archi’s Acres Exam

Employment Preparation and Interview Scheduling

Friday:

Final Exam

Final Exam from Archi’s Acres

Break for Lunch

Presentation of 6 Week Project and Labs

Acknowledgments & References

Books:

Agricultural Sprinklers, Student Workbook, Irrigation

Association

IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Licensed Curriculum for Certified Agriculture Irrigation

Specialist (CAIS) Program

Written by Dr. Charles M. Burt , Irrigation Training and

Research Center, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo,

CA 93407

Making your Small Farm Profitable, author Ron Marcher

Small Farm Handbook, University of California, ANR

Publications, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Starting a Farmers Market, Desmond Jolly, Editor, Small Farm

Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616

Websites:

USDA/NRCS Soils Website

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

Website

P.O. Box 3838

Butte, MT 59702

HYDROPONICS ONLINE .COM

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