| Course ID: | ECOL 3700. 3 hours. 3 hours lecture and 15 hours lab per week. |
| Course Title: | Organic Agriculture: Ecological Agriculture and the Ethics of Sustainability |
Course
Description: | This interdisciplinary maymester field course will explore the
fundamental principles of sustainable agriculture through
hands-on experience at an operating organic farm and agroforestry
research center. Also includes a critical discussion of the
social, political, and cultural issues involved in creating a
more sustainable food system. |
| Oasis Title: | ORGANIC AGRICULTURE |
| Nontraditional Format: | Hands-on experience at an operating organic farm and agroforestry
research center. |
| Prerequisite: | Permission of department |
Semester Course
Offered: | Offered summer semester every year. |
| Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
|
| Course Objectives: | a. To give the students hands-on experience in organic
farming
b. To give students experience in research methods in
agroecology and agroforestry
c. To present the theoretical basis for organic farming,
agroecology, permaculture, and agroforestry
d. To investigate the language, techniques and ethics of
sustainable agriculture
e. To give students experience in systems thinking through
experiential learning
f. To discuss the pertinent social, political, and
environmental issues in Agriculture |
| Topical Outline: | a. Introduction to Ecological Agriculture
b. Holistic and systems thinking
c. Agroecology and Agroforestry (theory)
d. Sustainable food systems
e. Applied Soil Science
f. Managing Soil Fertility
g. Soil properties under various management techniques
h. Crop rotations and record keeping
i. Selecting and using Cover Crops
j. Propagation and Greenhouse management
k. Transplanting and seeding
l. Irrigation: Principles and Practices
m. Making and using compost and soil amendments
n. Garden and field tillage and cultivation
o. Understanding, Identifying, and managing weeds
p. Integrated Pest Management
q. Soil test reports: reading and interpreting
r. Productivity of ecological systems/allometry
s. Alley Cropping
t. Mixed species plantations
u. Agro-pastoral systems
v. Equipment for sustainable agriculture
w. Harvesting
x. Food systems and security
y. Social and environmental issues in Agriculture
z. The Question of Sustainability |