Organization Name: Evergreen State College
Training course: Program in Ecological Agriculture
Place: Olympia, USA
Training language: English
Dates: Fall, Winter and Spring quarter
Cost: Ordinary College fee applies + Special facultative expenses: Field trip expenses: fall - $100, spring - $200; winter Eco-Farm conference - $500. A deposit of $200 is due January 1
Target groups and admission requirements: College level coursework in biology, chemistry, ecology or agriculture is strongly recommended.
Training objectives: Ecological Agriculture provides a broad, interdisciplinary study of agriculture in the context of social and ecological sustainability. Students will learn how to assess and analyze agricultural systems from a critical ecological perspective. Students will study the ecological sustainability of different farming systems with respect to energy efficiency, nutrient cycling, soil health and biodiversity. They will also become familiar with conventional animal agriculture practices and ecological alternative methods. Fall quarter we will examine the history and present predicament of North American agriculture. Winter quarter we will consider alternatives and possible futures of agriculture, and we will attend the Eco-farm conference in California. Spring quarter we will offer a number of modules, such as grazing management and tropical cropping systems. Spring quarter seminar will focus on international sustainable development.
Training program:
We will emphasize hands-on activities including field trips, labs and field experiments, as well as systems thinking, expository and scientific report writing, library research and quantitative reasoning skills. Field trips to small and large-scale crop and livestock farms will provide the necessary context for practical and theoretical learning. Labs and workshops will provide a hands-on introduction to plant and animal biology, soil science and soil ecology, and agroecology. Field experiments will focus on topics such as biodiversity and cover crop/green manures. Weekly book seminars and potlucks will focus on the social, ethical, economic, historical and political aspects of farming and food systems
Contact details:
Martha Rosemeyer - rosemeym@evergreen.edu
Mike Paros - parosm@evergreen.edu
Link.http://www.evergreen.edu/catalog/2009-10/programs/ecologicalagriculture