Program Schedule
DRAFT Schedule 2024
MSU Organic Farmer Training Program
FBP = Farm & Business Planning; M&C = Marketing & Community Engagement
NOTE: This is a DRAFT schedule! We will try to post a final schedule ASAP :)
- 2/26/2024 FBP 1: Welcome + Intros + Values & Goals + Farm Business Plans (online)
- 3/4/2024 FBP 2: Enterprise/Project Choices; Crop Budgets + Community Farm Plans (online)
- 3/11/2024 M&C 1: CSA, Farmers’ Markets, Community programs + Homestead Plans (online)
- 3/18/2024 M&C 2: Community Research + Marketing/Community Plans (online)
- 3/24/2024 M&C 3: Organic/Other Certifications, Farmland & Site Planning 1 (online)
- 4/1/2024 Farm 1: Crop Plans, Successions, Crop Rotations & Site Planning 2 (online)
- 4/8/2024 Farm 2: Farm Tour + Transplant Production (on-farm: Detroit with Akello)
- 4/15/2024 Soils 1: Site Plans + Soil Mapping (online)
- 4/22/2024 Soils 2: Assessing & Managing Soils (on-farm with Kido or Katie)
- 4/29/2024 Soils 3: Fertility/Cover Crops/Compost + Soil Tests (online)
- 5/6/2024 Farm 3: Season Extension (on-farm with Kido or Katie)
- 5/13/2024 Food System 1: Race & Food Systems + Farms & Farmers (online)
- 5/20/2024 Field Trip 1: 4 Detroit Farms
- 5/27/2024 No Class – Memorial Day
- 6/3/2024 Farm 4: Planting & Irrigation + Herbs (on-farm with Akello or Katie)
- 6/10/2024 Ecology 1: Weeds + Greens (on-farm with Rosebud)
- 6/17/2024 No Class - Juneteenth
- 6/24/2024 Field Trip 2: 4 Ann Arbor Farms
- 7/1/2024 Ecology 2: Insect Pests & Beneficials + Roots (on-farm with Rosebud or Katie)
- 7/8/2024 Ecology 3: Conservation Programs/Techniques + Holistic Resource Mgmt. (online)
- 7/15/2024 Ecology 4: Crop Diseases and Wildlife + Alliums (on-farm with Rosebud or Katie)
- 7/20 to 7/22 Field Trip 3: 6+ Chicago Farms
- 7/29/2024 FBP 3: Labor/Right Livelihood/Volunteers + Risk/Insurance (online)
- 8/5/2024 Farm 5: Cut Flowers + Cucurbits (on-farm with Molly or Katie)
- 8/12/2024 Field Trip 4: 4 Grand Rapids Farms
- 8/19/2024 Farm 6: Tractors & Equipment + Solanaceae (on-farm in E. Lansing with Katie)
- 8/26/2024 Field Trip 5: 4 Lansing Farms
- 9/2/2024 No Class – Labor Day
- 9/9/2024 FBP 4: Startup Budgets + Loans, Grants and Funding (online)
- 9/16/2024 Field Trip 6: 4 Flint Farms
- 9/23/2024 Farm 7: Food Safety, Harvest & Wash/Pack +Brassicas (on-farm with Molly or Katie)
- 9/30/2024 FBP 5: Financials + Sustainability Plans + Business/Non-Profit Types (online)
- 10/7/2024 FBP 6: Records, Pricing, Taxes + Farm Plan Presentation Prep (online)
- 10/14/2024 No Class – Indigenous People's Day
- 10/21/2024 FBP 7: FBP Presentations + OFTP Feedback (online)
- 10/28/2024 FBP 8: FPB Presentations + FBP Partner Review Session (online)
- 11/4/2024 FBP 9: 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
@ Keep Growing Detroit or the MSU Student Organic Farm
- 9 – 10 am Introduce the Daily Theme
- 10 – 10:20am Break
- 10:20 - Hands-on Activities
- Noon – 1pm Lunch Break
- 1 – 3:00pm Hands-on or Theme 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 or Flint (4 farms)
1 weekend trip:
- Chicago* (6+ farms)
Carpool or drive solo.
*The Chicago trip is Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with group camping, cabin or solo overnight options.
Online Days, 17 Mondays, 9am-5pm
- 9 – 10am Introduce Daily Themes
- 10 – 11am Break or 1:1 advising
- 11am – noon Full Group Activities
- Noon – 1pm Lunch break
- 1 – 2:30pm Guest Speakers
- 2:30–3:30pm Break or 1:1 advising
- 3:30 – 4:45 Small Group Activities
- 4:45 – 5pm Evaluation & Sharing