4 hours. 2 hours lecture and 4 hours lab per week.
Organic Agricultural Systems
Course Description
Philosophy, policies, and practices related to organic
agriculture, including the history and development of organic
agriculture, current USDA National Organic Program standards,
fundamental crop management techniques (horticultural focus),
and the organic market. Practical experiences, such as growing
crops and sampling methods, are integrated with lecture
material.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Exams, quizzes, and paper-based assignments will only
constitute 80% of the final grade for graduate students. In
addition, graduate students will be required to develop and
write a term paper on a current topic in organic agriculture.
The topic for the paper will be chosen by the student in
consultation with the instructor at the beginning of the
semester. Due dates for an outline, draft, and final version of
the paper will be staggered throughout the semester and
culminate with a class presentation/lesson on the topic.
Athena Title
Organic Agricultural Systems
Undergraduate Pre or Corequisite
HORT 3300E or HORT 3300S or ECOL(ENTO) 3700 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to summarize and explain the basic principles of organic systems.
Students will gain applied experiences in organic food production from crop planning to harvest through the care of greenhouse and field crops.
Students will further develop critical thinking skills by analyzing and critiquing current literature, regulatory documents, and marketing information related to organic food production.
Students will improve their ability to work cooperatively with peers via group activities, class discussions, presentations, and interactions with industry representatives.
Graduate students will become familiar with primary and peer-reviewed literature in sustainable agriculture.
Graduate students will relate an independent research project to the broader goals and challenges of organic agriculture.
Graduate students will gain experience with undergraduate classroom instruction through a class presentation/lesson based on their independent research project.
Topical Outline
Organic Agricultural History and Philosophy
Standards and Certification Process
Crop Rotations and Planning
Seeds and Seedling Production
Fertilizers and Amendments
Plasticulture and Season Extension
Irrigation
Weed Management
Insect Management
Disease Management
Animal Production
Post-harvest Techniques and Food Safety
Pollinators
Marketing
Organic Potting Mix and Transplant Production
Greenhouse Crop Production
Shiitake Mushroom Production
Tomato Grafting
Field Plot Planning, Planting, Maintenance, and Harvesting
