MSU ExtensionAsparagus

Extension & Outreach

My primary focus is providing educational programs and technical assistance for small-scale organic farmers through the MSU Student Organic Farm and MSU Extension. Key topic areas include season extension/hoophouses, compost production, organic transplants, intensive vegetable production including urban agriculture, and organic soil management.  

Current affiliations and partners include Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA), Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS), Keep Growing Detroit, Edible Flint,  Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Services (MOSES) and the Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference (NMSFC).

Also participate in the organization of the Michigan Organic Agriculture Conference and Organic sessions for the Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Expo.  I serve as a member of the MOFFA Board of Directors and as the education committee chair.

I am an affiliate of the MSU Center for Regional Food System.  Information about the Center's programs and activities can be found at www.foodsystems.msu.edu

Starting in 2013 I am working as a partner in the development of a year-round teaching and outreach farm at the MSU Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center.  To learn about the Center visit the website at:   http://agbioresearch.msu.edu/centers/uprc

From 1985 to 1995 our outreach helped reduce water and fertilizer runoff by over 50% in the greenhouse industry through improved fertilization, use of recirculating subirrigation system, management of peat-based root media; I presented invited grower presentations in 19 states over a five-year period.

Publications & Presentations for Download

Important: These materials are intended for use by students, educators, farmers and gardeners.  They are not intended for publication or distribution without permission of the author.

Closing the MSU Food Cycle Loop - Bailey GREENhouse and Urban Farm

• A six page summary of the project to date including pictures. 
• Be Spartan Green Project 2012 Research Report - 20 pgs.  
• Three power points of key aspects of the project.
  • Initial Project Start Up.  
  • Worm Composting Progress in 2012.   
  • Bailey GREENhouse Start up and First Year Activity.  

MSU Student Organic Farm at the Horticulture Teaching and Research Center

• Visit  www.msuorganicfarm.org for additional information.
• Two page flyer summarizing the SOF and some programs and projects.
  • Flyer.
  • Brochure.
• Ten years of successful year-round CSA Program.
• Recorded presentation about the SOF from November 2012,  52 minutes. 
• Power Point from Presentation.
• Background information about the SOF production and farming methods.
• Chapter by John Biernbaum in the book Fields of Learning
  • Scanned Chapter
  • Manuscript
• SOF Strategic Planning Review in 2007-2008:
  • A 21 page report of a review of other student farms to identify management methods.
  • A 98 page summary of the strategic planning process and information gathered.
  • A six page summary of the managment and programs of the SOF in 2011.
  • Plan B Masters Thesis Report by Michelle Ferrarese 2005 covering the start up and initial evaluation of the MSU Student Organic Farm   

Organic Farming 

• Presentation Handouts for Principles and Practices of Organic Farming and Gardening:
  • Principles and Practices 
  • Feeding the Soil and Building Soil Quality 
• Michigan Organic Conference Keynote Address - Marriage of Sense and Soul 

Themophillic or "Hot" Compost

• Composting Basics - 11 pages of introduction and concepts. 
• Two page compost quick course 
• General guidelines for composting for small and midsize farms.
• Power Point Presentation from the 2012 Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference.

Worm or "Vermi" composting

Recommendations for Worm Composting for small scale intensive farming and gardening based on five years of research (2010-2014) with vermicomposting kitchen preparation residue in a passive solar greenhouse or high tunnel.

• Worm Biology and Environmental Factors Influencing Worm Production and Composting
  • Vermicomposting Biological, Environmental, and Quality Parameters of Importance.
  • Vermiculture 101.
• Description of Small and Medium Scale Worm Composting Methods Trialed in a Hoophouse.

Hoophouses & High Tunnels

• Visit   www.hoophouse.msu.edu for additional information.
• Season Extension and Hoophouse Basics 21 pgs.
• Hoophouse Opportunities and Decisions - Farmer Considerations.
• High Tunnel Water Soil and Fertility Management
• High Tunnel Crop Rotation, Scheduling and Planning
• High Tunnel Light and Temperature Management
• Plan B Masters Thesis Report by Emily Reardon, 2005, Elementary School Hoophouse Project
• Videos of simple high tunnel and low tunnel constuction
  • https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rljSuOFc6Kg.  21 minutes
  • https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lQIMVahP1nM  18 minutes
• Summary of High Tunnel Information Available on the internet 

Organic Transplant Production

• Organic Transplant Basics - 12 pages - first prepared in 2003.
• Methods to Develop an Action Plan for Transplant Production
• One hour recorded webinar presentation on Organic root media and fertility management for Transplants through e-organic.  

Vegetables and Season Extension including Cold Cellars

• Basic concepts of season extension and use of low tunnels and home made hoops.
• Basic concepts of planning and scheduling vegetable production.
• Cold cellars as an essential farm season extension component to complement hoophouses:
  • Cold Cellars for Year-Round Local Food and Farming
  • Powerpoint
• A detailed review of planning considerations for cold storage completed by 3 undergraduate students in Biosystems Engineering as their senior project.  The focus was on helping the SOF plan for a possible cold cellar or cold room to be built in the future.  
• Getting to know the vegetable families  (8 handouts are planned, 5 are done)
  • All About Alliums 
  • Brassica Brothers 
  • Curcurbit Cousins 
  • Luscious Legumes Peas Beans 
  • Radical Roots Carrots Beets Etc 

Permaculture and Edible Forest Gardening

• Plan B Masters Thesis Report by Jay Tomczak, 2007 
• Power Point on Perennials, Organic and Permaculture, 91 slides. Presented to the Nut Growers Association at the 2013 Annual Meeting at MSU.

Urban Agriculture

Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center (UPREC)

Launching a new teaching and incubator farm at the UPREC North Farm has been an important new effort for 2014.  Hiring a farm manager and assistant farm manager, developing a starting farm plan, and ordering and construction a hoophouse were completed by June 1.  The crew at the farm has made great progress since then.

ChathamNewDayDawningFutures2013Vol31-6pgs.pdf

Program Areas

Floriculture

Greenhouse production of organic vegetable transplants, edible flowers and culinary herbs.

Organic and Sustainable Agriculture

Organic transplant production, winter production and harvesting of baby salad greens, year-round organic vegetable production. Production and use of compost for fertility, transplant media and water extracts (tea) for managing soil and plant health. Effect of irrigation method and water quality on nutrient management in peat-based media; fertilization methods for peat-based media.