11/23/2024 12:14:18 PM	SUSAG 120 Course Outline as of Fall 2014	New Course (First Version)
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  SUSAG 120	Title:  ORG GRDNING & FOOD PROD
Full Title:  Organic Gardening and Food Production
Last Reviewed:2/8/2021

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	2.00	Lecture Scheduled	1.50		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	26.25
Minimum	2.00	Lab Scheduled	1.50		4 min.	Lab Scheduled	26.25
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  52.50

Total Student Learning Hours: 105.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Exploration of organic gardening principles and practices with an emphasis on organic production techniques.  Application of hands-on techniques for locally and seasonally appropriate production will focus on edible crops including vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs appropriate for the home garden. Includes field trips and guest speakers. Class meets at Shone Farm, where students will design, establish and maintain their own garden plots.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Exploration of organic gardening principles and practices with an emphasis on organic production techniques.  Application of hands-on techniques for locally and seasonally appropriate production will focus on edible crops including vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs appropriate for the home garden. Includes field trips and guest speakers. Class meets at Shone Farm, where students will design, establish and maintain their own garden plots.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Design a diversified home vegetable garden suitable to a local microclimate.

2.  Apply hands-on techniques for locally appropriate production of edible crops, including vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs.

 

Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Discuss the benefits of local food production.

2. Describe and implement methods for preparing garden beds.

3. Develop a soil building management plan.

4. Assess the needs for and timing of fertilizer and compost applications for various crops.

5. Develop a garden planting plan.

6. Define and discuss the role of crop rotations and companion planting in the home garden.

7. List and discuss major vegetables, fruits, flower, and herbs produced for the home garden.

8. Determine the microclimate associated with a particular garden location.

9. Determine and apply appropriate integrated pest management (IPM) treatments.

10. Outline simple steps every gardener can take to increase beneficial insect populations.

Topics and Scope

I. Fundamentals of Organic Gardening and Food Production

   A. Principles

      1. Organic and Sustainable practices

      2. Sustainable food systems

  B.  Comparative food systems

       1. Traditional systems

       2. Industrial systems

       3. Organic systems

  C. Benefits of local food production

      1. Locally appropriate production

      2. Enhanced bio-Diversity

      3. Improved soil fertility

      4. Food sovereignty

II. Crops

   A. Vegetables

   B. Fruits

   C.  Medicinal and culinary herbs

   D. Edible and cut flowers

III. Sustainable Soil Management

    A. Soil fertility

    B. Assessing soil fertility

     C. Building soil fertility

             1. Fertilizer sources

             2. Soil amendments

             3. Soil organisms

             4. Cover crops

IV. Design Principles

    A. Planning components

        1. Site selection, mapping and layout

        2. Seed selection and sources

        3. Water source

        4. General Climate / microclimates

        5. Growing Seasons

        6. Frost Dates

        7. Timing and Scheduling

        8. Companion planting

        9. Bed rotations

       10. Gardening tools and equipment

   B. Growing techniques

       1. Greenhouse, cold frames and other season extenders

       2. Raised beds

       3. Tunnels and trellises

V. Production Principles

   A. Garden bed Preparation

        1. Cultivation

        2. Tillage

        3. Bed preparation

  B. Planting Techniques

      1. Seed germination

       2. Direct sowing

      3. Transplanting

  C. Cultural management

      1. Irrigation

      2. Mulching

      3. Thinning

      4. Weeding

      5. Integrated Pest Management

VI. Harvest Principles

    A. Harvest timing

    B. Harvest techniques

    C. Post-harvest techniques and handling

Assignments:

1. Specific reading and study assignments from texts and handouts (10 to 20 pages a week)

2. Work in student garden plots (lab)

3. Field Notebook/journal logging field/lab activities, including work in student garden plot, general garden observations, and field trip notes

4. Seasonal garden design plan

5. Skills demonstrations of various gardening techniques

6. Quizzes, midterm and final

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 10 - 30%
Field notes/journal
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 20%
Garden design
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 15 - 30%
Field work, skills demonstrations.
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 20%
Quizzes, midterm, final: multiple choice, true/false, completion
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 30%
participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Golden Gate Gardening, by Pam Pierce. Sasquatch Books, 2010.

Western Garden Book of Edibles, Sunset Publishing, 2010.

California Master Gardener's Handbook, by Pittenger, Dennis R. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3382, 2002 (classic).

Instructor prepared materials

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