Monday classes will last 2 1/2 hours and cover the following curriculum over 6 months.  Classes will occasionally be taught by expert-guests.

1. Farm Set-up:   

1.1  How big a farm ? 
1.2  How to find land ?
1.3  How to choose land ?
1.4  How much to invest ?
1.5  How to find money ?
1.6  Time-table.
1.7  Farm mapping.

    2. Growing Soil:

 2.1  Techniques & Benefits of Permanent Beds.
 2.2  Techniques & Benefits of No-Till.
 2.3  Techniques & Benefits of Mulching.  
 2.4  Techniques & Benefits of Cover-Crops.
 

    3. Taming Water:

 3.1   Saving Water.
 3.2   Gathering Water.
 3.3   Irrigating.

    4. Advance Growing Techniques:

 4.1   Fertigation.
 4.2   Use of floating row covers, low tunnels & shading cloth.
 4.3   Growing transplants.

     5. Planning your Farming Year:

  5.1   Monitoring your profitability per crop.
  5.2   Planning your weekly bed activity.
  5.3   Projecting your yearly income.

      6. Marketing your Harvest:

   6.1  Farmers Markets.
   6.2  Stores.
   6.3  Restaurants.
   6.4  CSAs.
   6.5  Others.

In addition, part of the classes will be spent discussing the cultivation and other related aspects of a particular seasonal crop (one among over 30 which the farm produces yearly).

last modified on: Monday December 24, 2007 09:38 PM -0600