Online Organic Vegetable Production Class

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Taylor in Farming Resources, Organic, Sustainable Agriculture, Training Programs // 0 Comments

UMass Amherst Offers Online Organic Vegetable Production Class July 8 – August 16, 2019

Find more information and register at https://onlinesustfoodfarm.com/annual-class-schedule/

UMass instructor, Renee Ciulla will offer her summer online Organic Vegetable Production class, as part of the UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture Sustainable Food and Farming Online Degree Program. This innovative class will help both new and experienced growers understand that successful organic vegetable production requires growing skills as well as knowledge of how to manage money, people, and natural resources effectively. The lessons provide an overview of cultural practices for vegetables, pest, disease and weed control, greenhouse production and construction, irrigation practices, as well as harvesting and marketing techniques. This is truly a practical class for busy people.

Renee reports that many former students from the online Organic Vegetable Production class are now successful vegetable farmers in New England and beyond. She likes to tell the story of … “a veteran couple taking her class interviewed a farmer down the road from their home as part of their research paper. It turned into quite a life-changing conversation as they ended up buying the neighbors farm and starting their own dream farm. They are now quite busy being online students and running the new farm!”

A former student writing about her experience in Renee’s class reported… “I cannot believe the richness of this course, and how much I have learned. The instructor was able to provide such unflagging enthusiasm and detailed references throughout the intensive course work of the semester. I love being able to study online, and I never thought I would.”

Renee Ciulla has been a successful organic market gardener, managing the Kitchen Gardener farm in Newington, NH and also created her own business to educate adults about sustainable living and growing their own food in Bozeman, MT. She has worked to assist refugee farmers to learn to locate farmland, access obtain small business loans, and grow and market produce in southern New Hampshire and been a regular contributor to Rodale Institute publications on organic farming. Renee currently teaches several online and on campus courses for the UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture.

The online Organic Vegetable Production class (STOCKSCH 320) is a 3-credit college level class and maybe used to satisfy the degree requirements for the UMass Sustainable Food and Farming 15-credit Certificate, the 60-credit Associate of Science and/or the 120-credit Bachelor of Science degree programs. Credits may also be transferred to other colleges or universities. The UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture Sustainable Food and Farming program is the only online program in the U.S. that offers 40 online classes that may be taken either individually or toward completion of one of these three fully online degrees.

In addition to Organic Vegetable Production, spring classes include courses such as Sustainable Agriculture, as well as Community Food Systems and Professional Development in Sustainable Food and Farming. Summer classes begin on May 20, 2019 and registration is now open. For information on the 12 online classes offered this summer at UMass Amherst, please see:

https://onlinesustfoodfarm.com/annual-class-schedule/