Working or wanting to work on an organic farm?

"Learn the processes required to tap into the commercial organic vegetable market; this extensive course provides a wealth of knowledge and practical skills and shows you how to market your produce. Organic vegetables are crops with a future." - Adriana Fraser Cert.Hort., Cert.Child Care, Adv. Cert. App. Mgt.,  Cert 1V Assessment and Training, Adv.Dip.Hort.  

The demand for organically grown vegetables is currently a major growth area in commercial horticulture. This course is a good starting point in learning all aspects of organic vegetable production. There is a strong emphisis on organic principals and each lesson goes through ways to adapt them to everyday vegetable production. It is similar to the Organic Plant Culture course, but has more emhpisis on vegetables and methods for commercial production.

There are 12 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction- The origins of organic farming, and the certification process involved with organic production. Understand the scientific naming system of plants in this lesson to develop a knowing of where plant names come from
2. Cultivation and Planting- Understand the role of organic growing in vegetable production and different methods for this.
3. Soils and Nutrition- Understand the physical and chemical properties of soils and how they affect plant growth.
4. Soil Management- Compost, green manure crops, and the basis of all plant health.
5. Review of Major Vegetable Varieties- A-Z of common vegetable varieties and their growing requirements.
6. Pests and Disease-Undertanding pest and disease problems, Intergrated Pest Management system and common pest solutions the organic way.
7. Seed- How to collect, and germinate your own seeds.
8. Greenhouse Growing- The various methods of growing in greenhouses and how to manage them.
9. Lesser Grown Varieties and Herbs- Have a look at some of the herbs you can grow and also some of the vegetables that are not grown as often but are still useful.
10. Irrigation- Types of irrigation and the methods of use.
11. Mulching- Types of mulch and the benefits of using it.
12. Harvesting and Marketing- Different methods for harvesting, storing and marketing your fresh organic produce.

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.

• Discuss general horticulture and plant taxonomy principles
• Describe a range of cultivation and planting techniques
• Explain soil properties, and their relationship to organic plant production
• Diagnose basic soil nutrient deficiencies
• Discus major and minor commercial vegetable varieties
• Describe a variety of pest and disease management principles
• Explain the use of seed in commercial organic agriculture, including storage, viability, germination, genetic purity, and hybridisation
• Discuss the principles of greenhouse growing
• Describe a variety of irrigation methods suitable for organic vegetable production
• Explain organic weed control methods
• Explain issues relating to harvesting and marketing of vegetables

• Compile reference lists of vegetable varieties, industry contacts, organic fertilisers and pest control products, etc.
• Evaluate the merits and deficiencies of agricultural equipment and products
• Build a no-dig garden and monitor its progress
• Classify soils
• Evaluate the role of soil organisms
• Identify nutrient deficiencies such as nitrogen deficiency
• Build composts
• Evaluate seed sources and plant varieties
• Perform sowing and germination trials
• Evaluate the merits and deficiencies of greenhouse growing
• Evaluate the principles of irrigation
• Perform mulching trials
• Evaluate pricing, packaging and presentation of retail vegetables