PLSOIL 120 Organic Farming and Gardening

SYLLABUS

DAY CLASS

NIGHT CLASS

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PLSOIL 120 ORGANIC FARMING AND GARDENING

Day Class

SPRING 2005

Instructor: Allen V. Barker

202 Bowditch Hall

545-4733

Office Hours: by arrangement

Lecture: Monday, Wednesday

11:15 318 Stockbridge

Laboratory:

Special Discussion Session: PLNTSOIL 197O meets Fridays at 11:15 in 113 Chenoweth. Enrollment is optional for additional instruction of laboratory topics and for discussion of topics in organic gardening.

Grading:

Activity

Value

Lecture (6 or 7 quizzes)

66 pts

Laboratory (5 reports)

34 pts

Letter Grade Corresponding to Points Earned:

 Textbooks:

 1. Notes on Organic Farming and Gardening (Required)

2. Laboratory Manual (Required)

3. Guide to Fertilizing Crops (Optional)

 The Notes and the Laboratory Manual are for sale at Campus Design and Copy, Room 403 Student Union.

The Guide and the Laboratory Manual are available on this website.

The Notes require User Name and Password for access.

 

LIST OF LABORATORY TOPICS --2005

 

WEEK

TITLE
DATE 2005

1.

Reference Materials

January 26

2.

Soil Texture

February 2

3.

Soil Testing

February 9

4.

Nitrogen Fertilizers

February 16 (February 23 Monday Schedule)

5.

Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilizers

March 2

6.

Decomposition of Plant and Residues

March 9

Spring Recess (No Laboratory)

March 16

7.

Plant Nutrient Deficiencies and Pests

March 23

8.

Garden Planning

March 30

9.

Seeding

April 6

10.

Indoor Lighting for Plant Growth

April 13

11.

Transplanting

April 20

12.

Gardening

April 27

13.

Gardening

May 4

14.

Gardening

May 11

Clean out greenhouse

May 20 (Friday)

LECTURE SYLLABUS SPRING 2004 Reading Assignments

TOPIC
READING

I. Introduction

Notes, Chapter 1; Guide, Chapter 7

A. Definitions

B. Training of organic farmer

C. Soil fertility and plant nutrition

D. Mineralization of organic matter

E. Advantages of agricultural systems

F. Fertilizer analysis

II. Nutritional requirement of plants

Notes, Chapter 2; Guide, Chapter 6 & 7

A. Essential elements

1. Function in plants

2. Effects on plant growth and quality

3. Deficiency symptoms

4. How to supply the nutrients

B. Liming

Notes, Chapter 7; Guide, Chapter 8

III. Management of organic wastes and green manures

A. Farm manures and sewage sludges

Notes, Chapter 4; Guide, Chapter 3

B. Composts

Notes, Chapter 5; Guide, Chapter 4

C. Green manures

Notes, Chapter 6;Guide, Chapter 2

IV. Mulches

Notes, Chapter 8; Guide, Chapter 5

V. Tillage

Notes, Chapter 9

VI. Pest control

Notes, Chapters 10, 11, & 12



CONTINUING EDUCATION, NIGHT CLASS

  PLSOIL 120

ORGANIC FARMING AND GARDENING

CONTINUING EDUCATION, SPRING 2005

Tuesdays, 6:30-9:30 pm

209 Bowditch Hall

Instructor: Allen V. Barker
202 Bowditch Hall
(413) 545-4733

Office Hours: 1 hr before class and by arrangement

DATE

LECTURE

LABORATORY

February 1

Introduction

1. References

February 8

Introduction, N Fertilizers

2. Soil Texture

February 15

N Fertilizers

3. Soil Testing

February 22

N & P Fertilizers

4. N Fertilizers

March 1

P & K Fertilizers

5. P, K Fertilizers

March 8

First Examination

6. Plant Residues

March 15

No Class--Spring Recess

March 22

Ca & Mg Fertilizers

7. Plant Nutrient Deficiencies

March 29

Liming

9. Gardening Planning

April 5

Farm Manures

8. Seeding

April 12

Composting

11. Lighting

April 19

Second Examination

10. Transplanting

April 26

Green Manures; Mulches

12. Gardening

May 3

Pest Control

12. Gardening

May 10

Pest Control

Pest Control Lecture

May 17

Third Examination

Grading

Value (points)

Three examinations including final examination

66

Five laboratory reports (Labs 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6)

34


Grades corresponding to points earned

A= 93-100

B-= 80-82

D+= 68-69

A- = 90-92

C+ = 77-79

D= 60-67

B+ = 88-89

C-= 70-72

F or no grade = < 60

B = 83-87

C= 73-76

Textbooks: Required.

Notes on Organic Farming and Gardening.

Laboratory Manual.

The Notes and the Manual are for sale at Campus Design and Copy, Room 403 Student Union.

See the reading assignments for the Day Schedule.