Learn to manage both plant and animal production in a more natural and environmentally sensitive way and develop a sound foundation for understanding how to set up an organic farm, or convert an existing farm to organic practices. The course covers organic management issues such as certification, marketing, and environmental concerns, organic soil management and crop nutrition, weed management, pest and disease management, livestock management, pasture and crops.
Lesson Structure
There are 10 lessons in this course:
Introduction to Organic Farming
Integrated Farm Management Systems
Organic Management Issues
Organic Soil Management and Crop Nutrition
Weed Management
Pest and Disease Management
Livestock Management I
Livestock Management II
Pasture
Crops
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
Discuss the scope and nature of organic farming in today’s world.
Select appropriate organic management systems for different organic farms.
Understand the environmental, economic and political issues concerning organic farming.
Explain the role of living organisms and decomposing organic matter in creating and maintaining an appropriate soil condition for successful organic farming.
Contrive and apply appropriate weed management practices for an organic farm.
Select and apply appropriate pest and disease management practices for both animal and plant production on an organic farm
Design an appropriate system for organic production of cattle, sheep and pigs.
Design an appropriate system for organic production of poultry and other miscellaneous animals.
Design an appropriate system for organic pasture management.
Explain the broad-acre organic production of a grain or legume crop.
What You Will Do
Investigate Organic industry such as, certifying organisations, producers or organic farming groups in your locality or region
Determine allowable inputs to an organic farm certifying in your area
Discuss how an organic farm requires more labour than a conventional farm
Visit an organic farm, either a real visit or virtual visit if that is not possible
Prepare a plan for an organic farm.
Describe the conversion process for one of the organic farms
Investigate organic market potential
Prepare a compost heap
Prepare a diagram of a healthy soil food web
Prepare a weed collection (25 weeds –either pressings or illustrations)
Determine appropriate weed control within allowable organic farming limits.
Describe the life cycle of three animal parasites
Describe habitat requirements of various predatory insects
