Center for Agroecology

This unit introduces some of the significant social issues and social consequences of the development of U.S. agriculture.

Part 1 of the manual, Organic Farming and Gardening Skills and Practices, emphasizes the “how-to” aspects of organic gardening and farming, including propagation, irrigation, tillage, transplanting, and compost production. This 11-unit section also introduces students to critical skills and considerations in the management of soil fertility and agricultural pests (arthropods, diseases, and weeds) in organic systems. The information included in the manual is based on certified organic production practices that meet or exceed the National Organic Program (NOP) standards. Included throughout is an overview of principles and practices used in NOP-certified production.

This unit introduces the basic biology and ecology of insects, and outlines the various practices for managing arthropod pests in organic cropping systems.

Part 3, Social and Environmental Issues in Agriculture, first outlines the history and development of agriculture in the U.S. and then introduces students to social and environmental issues associated with conventional agriculture practices and the current organization of the food system. This section also introduces the concept of sustainable agriculture and current food justice efforts, and some of the existing obstacles to more sustainable food and agriculture systems.

This unit introduces students to the ways that farmers and gardeners develop and maintain healthy, fertile soil in certified organic farming systems.

This unit introduces the basics of plant pathology, including the causes of disease, biology of causal organisms, disease diagnosis, and ecological management.

This unit introduces the techniques and benefits of making and using compost at both a garden and field scale, including the biology of the composting process.

In this unit students will learn about the major agricultural, environmental, and human health concerns that have arisen as a result of conventional agricultural practices over the past century.

This unit introduces the concepts and skills used for French intensive garden beds as well as mechanical tillage techniques.

This unit discusses the use of soil tests to assess soil quality, the properties measured in a soil analysis, and the methods for applying soil amendments and fertilizers.