Program Schedule

OFTP Schedule 2024

MSU Organic Farmer Training Program

BOLD = On-Farm Learning Days
Italics = Online Interactive Learning
Underlined = Field Trips

2/19/2024 1 Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals + Farm Plans (online)
2/26/2024 2 Enterprise/Project Choices; Enterprise Budgets + Community Farm Plans (online)
3/4/2024 3 Market Options (CSA, etc.) + Community Engagement + Farm Business Plans (online)
3/11/2024 4 Market Research & Community Research + Homestead Plans (online)
3/18/2024 5 Organic/Other Certifications + Farmland & Site Plans (online)
3/25/2024 6 Crop Plans, Successions, Crop Rotations & Soil Maps (online)
4/1/2024 7 Farm Tour + Understanding Soils (On-Farm at MSU Student Organic Farm in East Lansing)
4/8/2024 No Class - Solar Eclipse
4/15/2024 8 Farm Tour + Transplant Production (on-farm at Keep Growing Detroit)
4/22/2024 9 Site Plan Presentations + Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Plans (online)
4/29/2024 10 Conservation Plans, Programs & Techniques + Holistic Decisions (online)
5/6/2024 11 Crop Families & Intercropping/3 Sisters + Rainwater Harvesting (on-farm)
5/13/2024 12 Race & Food Systems + Farms & Farmers + Midterm (online)
5/20/2024 13 Field Trip 1: 4 Detroit Farms
5/27/2024 No Class – Memorial Day
6/3/2024 14 Planting & Irrigation + Cucurbits (on-farm)
6/10/2024 15 Weeds + Greens (on-farm)
6/17/2024 No Class – Juneteenth
6/24/2024 16 Field Trip 2: 4 Ann Arbor Farms
7/1/2024 17 Insect Pests & Beneficials, Crop Diseases + Roots (on-farm)
7/8/2024 18 Labor Plans + Volunteers + Farmer Wellness + Risk/Insurance (online)
7/15/2024 19 Season Extension + Alliums (on-farm)
7/20 to 7/22 20 Field Trip 3: 6+ Chicago Farms with bunkhouses/camping at Camp Bullfrog Lake
7/29/2024 21 Tree Fruits & Berries (on-farm at Detroit Partnership for Food Learning & Innovation)
8/5/2024 22 Cut Flowers + Herbs (on-farm)
8/12/2024 23 Field Trip 4: 4 Grand Rapids Farm
8/19/2024 24 Tractors & Equipment + Solanaceae (on-farm in E. Lansing)
8/26/2024 25 Field Trip 5: 4 Lansing Farms
9/2/2024 No Class – Labor Day
9/9/2024 26 Startup Budgets + Loans, Grants and Funding (online)
9/16/2024 27 Field Trip 6: 4 Flint Farms
9/23/2024 28 Food Safety, Harvest & Wash/Pack +Brassicas (on-farm)
9/30/2024 29 Financials + Sustainability Plans + Business/Non-Profit Types (online)
10/7/2024 30 Records, Pricing, Taxes + Farm Plan Presentation Prep + OFTP Survey (online)
10/14/2024 No Class – Indigenous People's Day
10/21/2024 31 Farm Plan Presentations + OFTP Community Input Session (online)
10/28/2024 32 Farm Plan Presentations + Vision for Food & Ag Systems (online)
11/4/2024 33 Farm Plan Presentations (online)
TBD Graduation celebration