Department of Horticulture Organic Farmer Training Program

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program Schedule 2023

FBP = Farm Business Planning; Mkt = Marketing

• 3/6/2023 1 FBP 1: Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals + Farm Business Plans (online) 
• 3/13/2023 2 Soils 1: Farmland + Site Planning + Soil Mapping (online)
• 3/20/2023 3 Soils 2: Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Tests + Plant Biology (online)
  
• 3/27/2023 4 FBP 2: Enterprise Selection & Enterprise Budgets + Site Plans (online)
  
• 4/3/2023 5 Production 1: Production Planning, Successions & Crop Rotations (online)
  
• 4/10/2023 6 Mkt 1: Market Selection: CSA, Farmers’ Market, Wholesale, etc. (online)
  
• 4/17/2023 7 Production 2: Farm Tour + Transplant Production (on-farm - Detroit)
  
• 4/24/2023 8 Mkt 2: Market Research & Marketing Plans (online)
  
• 5/1/2023 9 Ecology 1: Crop Diseases and Wildlife + Greens (on-farm)
  
• 5/8/2023 10 Soils 3: Assessing & Managing Soils (on-farm)
  
• 5/15/2023 11 Food System 1: Race & Food Systems + Farms & Farmers(online)
• 5/22/2023 12 Field Trip 1: 4 Detroit Farms 
• ----5/29/2023 No Class – Memorial Day----
• 6/5/2023 13 Production 3: Planting & Irrigation + Herbs(on-farm)
  
• 6/12/2023 14 Ecology 2: Insect Pests & Beneficials + Roots (on-farm)
  
• ----6/19/2023 No Class - Juneteenth----
• 6/24 to 6/26 7/3/2023 15 Field Trip 2: 8 Traverse City Farms
• ----7/3/2023 No Class – 4th of July----
• 7/10/2023 16 Mkt 3: Organic/Other Certifications (online)
  
• 7/17/2023 17 Field Trip 3: 4 Lansing Farms 
• 7/24/2023 18 Ecology 3: Weeds + Alliums (on-farm)
  
• 7/31/2023 19 Field Trip 4: 4 Ann Arbor Farms 
• 8/7/2023 20 Ecology 4: Conservation Programs/Techniques + FBP + HRM (online)
  
• 8/14/2023 21 Production 4: Cut Flowers + Cucurbits (on-farm)
  
• 8/21/2023 22 Production 5: Tractors & Equipment (on-farm in E. Lansing)
• 8/28/2023 23 Production 6: Season Extension + Solanaceae (on-farm)
  
• ----9/4/2023 No Class – Labor Day----
• 9/11/2023 24 Field Trip 5: 4 Grand Rapids Farms 
• 9/18/2023 25 Production 7: Food Safety, Harvest & Post-Harvest + Brassicas
  
• 9/25/2023 26 Field Trip 6: 4 Southwest Michigan Farms 
• 10/2/2023 27 FBP 5: Startup Budget + Capital Access (online)
• 10/9/2023 28 FBP 6: Financials + Business/Non-Profit Structures (online)
• 10/16/2023 29 FBP 7: Farm Records, Pricing & Taxes + FBP Pres Prep (online) 
• 10/23/2023 30 FBP 8: Labor/Self-Employment + Risk/Insurance (online)
• 10/30/2023 31 FBP 9: FBP Presentations + OFTP Feedback (online)
• 11/6/2023 32 FBP 10: FBP Presentations + FBP Partner Review Session (online)
• 11/13/2023 33 FBP 11: FBP Presentations + Vision for Food & Ag Systems (online)
• TBD: Graduation celebration

Typical Schedule

May vary due to guests, weather, or activities.

On-Farm Days, 10 Mondays, 9am-5pm

• 9 – 10 am Full Group Activities 
• 10 – 10:20am Break
• 10:20 - Noon Small Group Activities
• Noon – 1pm Lunch Break
•  1 – 3:00pm Full Group Activities 
• 3:00– 3:20pm Break 
• 3:20 – 4:45 Farm Walk 
• 4:45 – 5pm Evaluation

Field Trips, 5 Mondays (~8am-6pm) + 1 Weekend

5 day trips:

• Detroit (4 or 5 farms)
• Lansing (4 farms)
• Ann Arbor (4 farms)
• Grand Rapids (4 farms)
• Kalamazoo (4 farms)

1 weekend trip:

• Traverse City* (8+ farms)

Carpool or drive solo.

*The Traverse City trip is Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with group camping or solo overnight options.

Online Days, 17 Mondays, 9am-5pm

• 9 – 10 am Full Group Activities
• 10 – 11am Solo - Video Lectures and One-on-one advising
• 11am – noon Small Group Activities
• Noon – 1pm Lunch break
• 1 – 2:30pm Guest Speaker
• 2:30– 3:30pm Solo - Assignments and One-on-one advising
• 3:30 – 4:45 Group Activities
• 4:45 – 5pm Evaluation