School for urban focused agriculture enterprises opens 2010 – Richmond BC

Volunteers at the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project

Richmond Farm School – 2010

The Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, in cooperation with the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project, the Richmond Food Security Society, and the City of Richmond is pleased to announce that the inaugural session of the Richmond Farm School is scheduled to commence this spring.

Objectives and Program Features:

The purpose of the Farm School is to prepare people from all walks of life to engage in human scale, urban focused agriculture enterprises including production, processing, adding value, distribution, marketing and sales and build regional agri-food systems in, around and for municipalities. The program will focus on balancing theoretical (classroom) and applied (field/ practical) skill development studies with the express objective of teaching agriculture as the applied science and art that it is.

Upon completion of a course, a compliment of courses or the complete program students will not just know about (urban) agriculture but will also have developed the skills to engage in it. Farm School students will learn by doing. Actual farming, processing, marketing, and sales learning experience are a defining feature of the program.

A second defining feature of the curriculum will be its focus on sustainability. In this we mean teaching about farming and an agri- food system that is economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsive and just. We will also emphasize agriculture as an integral element of sustainable cities in compliment to existing agri-food systems elements.

Lastly but importantly, through our program students will have access to (at very reasonable rates) “incubator” farm land (up to one acre for three years) to begin their agricultural enterprises. Technical support and possibly shared equipment will be available to incubator farmers.

Program overview:

Core classes - The Farm School program will consist of the following core courses that will be delivered over the course of the season. All will have a field based component. We have assembled an excellent team of practical minded, experienced, skilled and dedicated teachers to support and guide your learning experience. Classes do not have exams or graded assignments. You can expect to be given readings. No grades are assigned or university credits awarded. Classes will be held at Terra Nova Rural Park facilities.

Title – Hours
Soils and Water Management- 40 hrs
Plant Science- 40 hrs
Pest Management 20 hrs
Farm Production and Operations Planning 40 hrs
Market Crop Production- 50 hrs
Animal Husbandry 40 hrs
Fruit Production- 50 hrs
Composts and Composting 20 hrs
Farm Business Planning/Management 40 hrs
Total 350 hrs of formal class

Practicum – All Farm School students will also participate in a minimum of 350 hours of practical crop production and post-harvest experience under the direction and/ or supervision of Farm School staff and/ or Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Program farm staff. The majority of practical farming experience will occur at the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project Farm at the Terra Nova Park and the Orchard (south end of Gilbert Rd.) in Richmond. Other sites may be utilized to enhance the practical learning experience. Note that students are responsible for transportation to practicum sites. Additional practical on farm experiences will likely be available as we want you to have the opportunity to gain as much real farming experience as possible.

Many topics such as sustainable agriculture, farm safety, mechanization, construction, cover crops, resources and certifications, farmscaping, habitat enhancement etc. will be integrated into core courses as appropriate.

Other courses (not part of the basic Farm School curriculum), such as Ecology, Apiculture, will be offered on an ad hoc basis throughout the year and available for an additional fee.

Additionally we plan to hold dinner seminars once or twice a month. Students will organize and lead these seminars (which may include a guest speaker, showing of a documentary film, a demonstration etc.). The public will be invited to these sessions.

Dates, days and times:

The Farm School will start March 4, 2010 and conclude November 12, 2010. We are scheduling courses and practicum on Thursday and Friday late afternoons/evenings and all day on Saturdays so that students can fit farming studies into their schedules. Expect this days and times to be occupied with Farm School classes, practicum and other and activities. Specific, seasonally adjusted schedules will be announced.

Fees:

The Farm School is not a profit generating endeavor, nor is it subsidized in any way and therefore must operate on a full cost recovery basis. This means that all fees you pay cover the costs of delivering the program; they are plowed back into the Farm School. We have checked into other similar programs and our cost/ fee structures are in line.

We have established two categories of students that will be subject to different fee structures for classes because they represent differing intents and levels of commitment. They are Cohort Students and A la carte Students.

Cohort Students are committed to and sign up for the full compliment of core classes and practicum. The cost to be a Cohort Student is $5,000. A non-refundable deposit of $300 is due to the Farm School by February 1 and the balance ($4,700) by March 4. Cohort Students are also eligible for incubator farming sites.

Students who complete all core classes and the practicum will be issued a Certificate of Completion.

A la carte Students are those that only want to study farming on a class by class basis and do not want to participate in the practicum component. Anyone is welcome to enroll in Farm School classes if space is available. Cost for individual class enrollments is $30 per class hour. So the fee to take an individual 40 hour class such as Soils, Vegetable Crop Production or Fruit Crop Production would be $1200. Enrolling in individual classes can be done at any time.

A student enrolling in individual classes can opt to become a Cohort Student at any time by paying the balance of the Cohort Rate (all fees paid to take individual classes will apply).

For Information or to Enroll:
Contact Kent Mullinix, Institute for Sustainable Horticulture
604-612-1252; kent.mullinix@kwantlen.ca